It pays to be an AAFCS member. An e-mail was sent out for teachers that have students sewing prom dresses from the AAFCS headquarters. I responded and two of my students were interviewed. The story was distributed March 12, 13 and 14 and has been in 8-10 papers that I know of, it was great fun for my students.
below is a link to the Baltimore Sun. You may have to paste it to your computer header at the top of your computer.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/parenting/bal-diy-prom-0311,0,1415506.story
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Consumer Skills Story
Kara Mullen Teachers Consumer Skills at North High School. As part of our curriculum we have adopted assembling a personal file for adult years that Max Peterson perfected with her Senior Strategies course at Centennial High School.
Last week at the end of the tri, students proudly took their file boxes home after school and as they did I announced to them "you're officially an adult."
Monday, March 8, 2010, Kara reported to me that one of her students had her purse "taken". She reported it to the police. Before she went to the station she went home grabbed her file box and had all of her documents needed to find her purse. The police officer said to the student, "Young lady, you tell your teacher everyone needs to have one of these file boxes. I'll get right on this because you have all of the information we need."
Last week at the end of the tri, students proudly took their file boxes home after school and as they did I announced to them "you're officially an adult."
Monday, March 8, 2010, Kara reported to me that one of her students had her purse "taken". She reported it to the police. Before she went to the station she went home grabbed her file box and had all of her documents needed to find her purse. The police officer said to the student, "Young lady, you tell your teacher everyone needs to have one of these file boxes. I'll get right on this because you have all of the information we need."
Friday, March 5, 2010
Taking it to the Streets
I am on the national committee called taking it to the streets. We called it that so that we could work on topics that were important and changing so that AAFCS could be part of national efforts with out starting new programs everytime something "new" came up in the news that needed FACS attention.
The H1N1 virus was our first focus.
As a team member of the committee I would like to report some of the things that you did in your work or classroom to combat the virus. It does not have to be something new. It can be the good old safety and sanitation hand washing video. If you have something to share or pictures to share with it please post it here or contact me personally.
Jane Hinrichsen
The H1N1 virus was our first focus.
As a team member of the committee I would like to report some of the things that you did in your work or classroom to combat the virus. It does not have to be something new. It can be the good old safety and sanitation hand washing video. If you have something to share or pictures to share with it please post it here or contact me personally.
Jane Hinrichsen
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Obesity Issue
Since our first lady has taken on the Obesity Issue the national committee "Taking it to the Streets" (which has been focusing on the the H1N1 issue) is planning on adding Obesity one of their major issues and causes.
February 16th I attended a meeting with a local representative from Woodbury and addressed nutrition and obesity is support of physical and nutrition education. Cherry Cramer and Wendy Ambrose were also in attendance.
After telling stories from my classroom the representative asked me to write her about these stories so that she could share them with her committee members. The following is the letter that I sent. Jane Hinrichsen
It has come to my attention that there are bills being written to add standards to physical education to address the obesity issue that seems to be increasing in society.
I am pro physical education but I find that there should also be education on healthy eating in nutrition.
I am a Family and Consumer Sciences (formerly know as Home Ec) teacher at North High School in North St. Paul. (Grades 9-12) I live on the northern edge of Cottage Grove.
As a Family and Consumer Sciences Educator it has been well known that the image of what we do is "just cook and sew", it was often assumed that we just re-enforce what children learn at home and should know how to do these things because of the examples they see.
I can honestly say that this is no longer true.
I have countless examples of students growing up in environments where healthy food is not the norm and supplies that many take for granted are not available.
When a students misses a cooking lab they often have to make them up at home. I have had students tell me, "We don't have measuring cups and spoons and we can't afford to buy them what should I do?", "I can't make up a lab unless it's pre-made and goes in a microwave that's the only food we buy at my house." "I can't make that recipe we don't have sugar or flour at our house."
I could once assume many things in a classroom but I can no longer assume that a students knows basic things like, before you put hamburger into soup or chili it should be browned. Yes, I have had students put it in raw.
I can't assume that students know you should cook in a sauce pan or frying pan, I've found them cooking in metal bowls with the bowl on the burner.
Do I go through instruction before cooking? Yes. Do I require they read and write the recipe before cooking? Yes.
These are basic things that we once assumed that children and would know and learn in their lifetime from home. We can no longer assume that that is true. Students need Basic food and nutrition courses because society either does not have the means to cook at home or they choose not to cook at home and use convenience to make life simpler.
I hope that when congress works on budgets and education standards that we look at basic needs along with the test scores that seem to drive what is important in education today. We need to teach to the masses and requiring more difficult courses is not going to make our students smarter mostly just more frustrated.
Very sincerely,
Jane Hall Hinrichsen
February 16th I attended a meeting with a local representative from Woodbury and addressed nutrition and obesity is support of physical and nutrition education. Cherry Cramer and Wendy Ambrose were also in attendance.
After telling stories from my classroom the representative asked me to write her about these stories so that she could share them with her committee members. The following is the letter that I sent. Jane Hinrichsen
It has come to my attention that there are bills being written to add standards to physical education to address the obesity issue that seems to be increasing in society.
I am pro physical education but I find that there should also be education on healthy eating in nutrition.
I am a Family and Consumer Sciences (formerly know as Home Ec) teacher at North High School in North St. Paul. (Grades 9-12) I live on the northern edge of Cottage Grove.
As a Family and Consumer Sciences Educator it has been well known that the image of what we do is "just cook and sew", it was often assumed that we just re-enforce what children learn at home and should know how to do these things because of the examples they see.
I can honestly say that this is no longer true.
I have countless examples of students growing up in environments where healthy food is not the norm and supplies that many take for granted are not available.
When a students misses a cooking lab they often have to make them up at home. I have had students tell me, "We don't have measuring cups and spoons and we can't afford to buy them what should I do?", "I can't make up a lab unless it's pre-made and goes in a microwave that's the only food we buy at my house." "I can't make that recipe we don't have sugar or flour at our house."
I could once assume many things in a classroom but I can no longer assume that a students knows basic things like, before you put hamburger into soup or chili it should be browned. Yes, I have had students put it in raw.
I can't assume that students know you should cook in a sauce pan or frying pan, I've found them cooking in metal bowls with the bowl on the burner.
Do I go through instruction before cooking? Yes. Do I require they read and write the recipe before cooking? Yes.
These are basic things that we once assumed that children and would know and learn in their lifetime from home. We can no longer assume that that is true. Students need Basic food and nutrition courses because society either does not have the means to cook at home or they choose not to cook at home and use convenience to make life simpler.
I hope that when congress works on budgets and education standards that we look at basic needs along with the test scores that seem to drive what is important in education today. We need to teach to the masses and requiring more difficult courses is not going to make our students smarter mostly just more frustrated.
Very sincerely,
Jane Hall Hinrichsen
Get "Fired Up!"
After attending the MAFCS State Conference, I have been inspired to get "Fired Up" and be proactive. I have made a list of parents and students (along with their address, phone numbers, and e-mails) who are supportive of Family and Consumer Sciences. I am also making a list of companies and organizations who I believe would be supportive of our area, and I have set a goal of writing at least one letter each week to a company or organization asking for their support. I challenge each of you to do the same. It is time for all of us in the profession to promote what we do. Given the economy and budget cuts facing our schools, it is to our advantage to be ready to have our statistics and supporters waiting in the wings if we need to call on them. I love interior design and textiles so my first letters will be to those industries. I will report back in a couple of weeks to let you know of any progress I have made. My challenge to other educators reading this blog is to do the same and report back in a couple of weeks.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Meeting with Senator addressing the obesity issue
If you are able to go to this session (listed below) on the obesity issue please do so. It is important that we join Physical Education on this campaign. I am trying to join forces with physical education in my school and propose an every other day course with them. One day would be exercise and fitness with Phy Ed and the other would be with FACS covering personal growth, self motivation, and nutrition with labs promoting healthy food choices and preparation.
Senator Kathy Saltzman and Representative Marsha Swails on February 1 6, 2010 from 5:30-6:30pm at Woodbury HP Clinic -- 8450 Seasons Parkway, Woodbury, MN.
Hope to see you there. Jane Hinrichsen
Senator Kathy Saltzman and Representative Marsha Swails on February 1 6, 2010 from 5:30-6:30pm at Woodbury HP Clinic -- 8450 Seasons Parkway, Woodbury, MN.
Hope to see you there. Jane Hinrichsen
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Productive and Informative MAFCS Conference
The Minnesota Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, February, conference held in Bloomington, MN was a huge success. We would like to thank Linda Keller and Debbie Larson for their impeccable organization and coordination that was put forth as conference program chairs.
We would like to congratulate Marsha Chizek Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Donna Butterfield Friend of MAFCS award (Sew Easy Designs), Debbie Larson Business Leader of the Year award. Anupama Pasricha for the New Achiever award. Donna Butterfield and Alice Lysaker for the Service Award.
Marsha will represent us at the national level this summer in Cleveland, OH and Anupama Pasricha will represent us at the national level in 2011 for each of their awards.
We had many powerful speakers with informative messages. Once we receive the links for their power points I will post them on this blog.
Information for the Economic Benefits of Early Childhood Investments is at Minneapolisfed.org
Please remember to use the education guide that was placed in your packet at the conferences and use the reference tools and resources that were compiled and listed for you and your school programs. We would like to thank Donna Butterfield Debbie Larson and Cherry Cramer for their hard work on this project. We would also like to thank Donna Butterfield and her company Sew Easy Designs for funding the printing of the educational handouts.
We would like to congratulate Marsha Chizek Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Donna Butterfield Friend of MAFCS award (Sew Easy Designs), Debbie Larson Business Leader of the Year award. Anupama Pasricha for the New Achiever award. Donna Butterfield and Alice Lysaker for the Service Award.
Marsha will represent us at the national level this summer in Cleveland, OH and Anupama Pasricha will represent us at the national level in 2011 for each of their awards.
We had many powerful speakers with informative messages. Once we receive the links for their power points I will post them on this blog.
Information for the Economic Benefits of Early Childhood Investments is at Minneapolisfed.org
Please remember to use the education guide that was placed in your packet at the conferences and use the reference tools and resources that were compiled and listed for you and your school programs. We would like to thank Donna Butterfield Debbie Larson and Cherry Cramer for their hard work on this project. We would also like to thank Donna Butterfield and her company Sew Easy Designs for funding the printing of the educational handouts.
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