Blog 18: Answer 2

1.  What is your EQ?
"What is the best way to teach a beginner how to cook?"

2.  What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
The best way to teach a beginner how to cook is to teach them through first-hand experience, usually by apprenticeship.

3.  What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)
The best way to teach a beginner how to cook is to teach them food blogs, as they serve as encyclopedias of knowledge for all ages.

4.  List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each.

• Provide a convenient and reliant source of information regarding cooking, usually including tips and personal spins on cooking. They are very convenient in this digital era, such as a college student looking to learn about cooking without venturing beyond the comfort of their home (also at zero cost to self).
• Provide a human outlook and personal/relatable  perspective on cooking. No one wants to be taught by a teacher but by a friend or acquaintance with the same level of skills.
• Usually contain information from the basics to mastery skills which can be browsed at any rate for each individual person. This is perpendicular to college or cooking classes that teach at a regular rate than a personalized rate.

5.  What printed source best supports your answer?

David Lebovitz.com on the subject of food blogging

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2011/02/food-blogging-food-blog/ 

6.  What other source supports your answer?

http://www.dailydot.com/opinion/garson-food-blogs-killing-joy-of-cooking/

7.  Tie this together with a concluding thought.

Food blogging has become a relatable source of information in the cooking sphere. Food blogs can teach the same skills with  a more human flair and personality whilst also teaching at a personalized rate for each viewer. 

Blog 17: Interview 3 Reflection

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  

From this interview, I've learned that it doesn't necessarily take extensive schooling or professors/professional to be good at what you want to do. Sometimes, just practice, experience and drive can improve one's own abilities. Case in point is one of my fellow employees/mentor Carmen (who I interviewed) who has become an excellent cook without the need to attend any prestigious facilities.

2.  How has your approach to interviewing changed over the course of your senior project?

My original approach was simply understanding the person themselves as they gave their opinion on my subject. As Interview 3 wraps up, my approach now follows how the interviewee interprets their personal feelings about how others should see the topic or how they could better understand/take their first step into the world of cooking.

Link Here --> https://soundcloud.com/anclark98/chatting-with-carmen-interview-3  

Link doesn't seem to work on Blog posts, but works in the side-bar!
Copy and paste!

Blog 16: Independent Component 2 Approval

Content:

Please review the component contract in the senior project packet.   The Independent Component 2 is an opportunity for you to add a dimension of creativity and/or an additional outlet for research.  The goal of the component is for you to explore your answers in more depth.  On Friday, April 22, 2014, you will be turning in the following to your blog to prove completion of this component:

• Blog post answering specific questions posted by senior team
• Log of hours clearly delineated as Independent Component 2 on the senior project hours spreadsheet (with total number of hours included)
• Evidence of the 30 hours of work (e.g. transcript, essays, tests, art work, photographs) as digital artifacts   

For this blog post and approval, please answer the following questions.

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

-For this second independent component, I plan to spend half of the 30 hours creating a food blog based off the recipes my family cooks. This blog will contain recipes, how-to's and basic cooking tips. The second half will be a mini pamphlet which will be inspired by the "For Dummies" books to illustrate culinary skills and tricks.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

-For this idea, the project itself shall be the evidence. A link to this blog/waiver as well as progress updates for this should be evidence enough

3.  Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.

-One of the biggest sources of culinary knowledge other than schools and restaurants are Food Blogs. This blog should help me funnel my knowledge and expertise into a location where anyone would be able to learn about my subject and how to succeed in it.

4.  Post a log in your Senior Project Hours link and label it "Independent

Component 2" log.

-Done

Independent Component 1

(Me at mentorship after learning how to slice and dice up tomatoes)

• LITERAL
  (a) “I, Anthony Clark, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”
• (b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component. "How Anyone (Yes, Even You) Can Learn to Cook" Greatist. N.p, March. 2014. Web. 27 Aug. 2015 <http://greatist.com/health/busting-excuses-cooking-at-home>
• (c) Update your hours in your Senior Project Hours link. Make sure it is clearly labeled with hours for individual sessions as well as total hours.
  
  
• (d) Explain what you completed.  
    For my independent component, I went back to my mentorship at Cantina Grill to achieve an extra 30 hours of mentorship experience. While there, I became more familiar with my own role in the restaurant, learned more concepts first-hand, and was finally able to cook at the grill with one of my side-mentors, Carmen (the main cook).
  
  
  (The kitchen and Prep area for Cantina Grill. I usually work in the back for prep, but i've been able to finally work within the kitchen)

INTERPRETIVE 
Defend your work and explain its significance to your project and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  

The significance of my independent component (or independent learning) was the need to get hands-on experience to be successful in the world of cooking. Though I have had plenty of in-school research and plenty of mentorship hours, I felt the need to get out and learn to be more self sufficient and broad with my cooking skills. For this reason, I went back to my mentorship with the idea that I try to take on more roles and learn more about the different dishes I could make. Over these last 30 hours, i've broadened what skill set I have; not just being able to make new foods, but being more sure of my ability in the kitchen as well as going outside my comfort zone and taking risks (even if those risks are bladed and/or on fire).

(Just an example of some condiment slicing. The onions were a lot harder to work with than tomatoes..)

(To be able to abide by the FDA's standards for chilling food, we had to come up with a pretty original solution to chilling our pot of beans every week. Our result: Giant reusable water containers. We drop these in the beans and they will be near 40 degrees in no time flat.)

(The slicer for Jalapenos. In about 15 minutes, I was able to grind about five pounds of these into thin slices. Roast these puppies up, mix with garlic and onions, toss in some boiled carrots and we have the restaurant's own Pickled carrots and peppers.

(Here, I made my own guacamole at my own house alongside my dad. However, we learned just after making this dish that we should have bought the avocados a little sooner to the presentation (which explains the ripe coloring)).

(An example of a meal I helped prepare with the chef, Carmen. While she prepared the main dishes, I would serve side dishes such as beans, rice, side salads, condiments and even helped her fill burritos with vegetables and cheese blends)

APPLIED
How did the component help you understand the foundation of your topic better?  Please include specific examples to illustrate this. 

Cooking, as i've mentioned before, is all about being able to work with your hands to make amazing creations. These 30 hours have helped me look at Culinary arts less as a chore or another project but as an art form. Each dish is in itself a work of art and should be respected as such. Cooking is not tedious nor robotic if you set your mind too it. For example, I was helping the cook Carmen prepare plates during a busy hour dishing out side meals and condiments while she cooked the main dish (whether it be tacos, quesadillas, or burritos). While one outside the field might have seen me preparing salads and view it as a monotonous task, I saw the concept as a way to create distinct and unique plates. Each plate isn't just another couple dollars for the business but another point of experience towards being a skilled chef or home cook.

Grading Criteria 

• Updated log in Senior Project Hours Link (Check)
• Evidence of 30 hours of work (Check)
• LIA submitted to blog (Check) :)

Lesson 2 Reflection

Content:

1.What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?

I'm most proud of my activity (teaching the class how to make guacamole to the groups) for this 2nd lesson. I feel that my instructions were clear, the process was simple, and that the activity really helped to give students their first push into the world of Culinary Arts. Additionally, I had many compliments from the audience regarding it's originality and creativity.

2. a.What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE      

   b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.

Judging by the requirements for a P, my presentation fits all the criteria. My presentation appeared to be solid, punctual, easy to follow, and transitioned well between slides. I annunciated well giving said presentation as well as making sure to cite numerous sources and present a clear argument for my answer. I believe the positive reception as well as the meaning behind my activity stand above and beyond many other activities in terms of depth and entertainment.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?

For lesson 2,what worked well was starting early on the entire presentation. I started about the second day after being assigned the presentation and I spent a couple minutes each day looking at what material I would want to cover as well as discussing with family and teachers what might work for an activity. I did not procrastinate as much as others and finished my presentation with days to spare, which I used to proofread and revise. 

4. What didn't work? If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?

To be honest, I felt prepared, organized, and all around ready for this presentation. If I had to change anything, I would simply have gone back in time to buy less ripe avocados for my activity, as I saw many students groan at the sight of them.

5. What do you think your answer #2 is going to be?

My EQ is "what is the best way to teach a beginner to the culinary field how to cook". My first answer was to gain first hand experience in the field by practicing dishes. My second answer might be something regarding learning concepts through online resources or literature.