One BIG problem with education today is that our schools and classrooms are forced by standards, rubrics, and college-admission processes to be more like cafeterias and less like potlucks. Let's change that and help students learn to create some signature dishes.

1. Why We Need More Potlucks and Fewer Cafeterias

2. While eating with your friends is great,
eating in a cafeteria is not so great

3. But potlucks are always great because people bring their best to
the table

4. MockTunaFTW
I have many signature dishes including my mock tuna sandwiches

5. But if you invite me to a summer bbq, you are going to get my
Endless Summer Crostini… and you’ll love it

6. It starts with a simple bruschetta: use colorful heirloom tomatoes
and add chopped italian olives to take it to 11

8. Two cups of walnuts toasted with shallots, fresh rosemary, and
some spices

9. Two cups of flat leaf parsley, three cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, the juice
from 2-3 lemons, glug of olive oil and ¼ cup water pureed

11. Top the toasted bread

12. BOOM!

13. School and student work is far too often like this because of safety
concerns, time concerns, laziness, and universal standards

14. Where is the column for taste, or smell or color?

16. Where was the rubric criteria for “this
blog makes me laugh and cry”?

17. Is there a rubric criteria for this?

18. Is there a rubric criteria for this?

19. there a rubric
iteria for this?

20. So how will you score
that?

21. What about: humor, persistence, compassion, friendship,
love?

23. ASBortheBBN

25. If you are from out of town you might think this A means the food
is great… it’s not, it just met the lowest standards for admission

26. This guy has NOT earned an A from the department of health’s
rubric, but his Tamales are AMAZING and I love sharing them

30. Grades, and rubrics and standards do more than keep kids out of
college they bring stress and strife into their homes

31. So do you want a school, a classroom, an experience to be more
like a cafeteria
or a potluck?

32. Students: if the “cafeteria” won’t approve of your food on campus
you are not a failure. Figure out your signature dish and find some
willing “friends” to SHARE your best work with.

33. so...
What’s Your
Dish?