Change is Good

I got a call today with an offer for a new job. Some of you know that I was a Chef in an earlier life. I got an offer to be the Culinary Instructor at The Strawbridge School in Baltimore; an alternative learning center for troubled, abandoned and at-risk kids. http://www.boardofchildcare.org/html/strawbridge_school.htm I've accepted the job; it's what I've always wanted to do, but never had the accredation to do; apparently my 30 plus years of experience count for more than I thought, and I have a couple of years to complete my Bachelors with mucho assistance. These are kids that have been "pushed out" of the public school system because of disruptive behavior...I'll be trained in "restraint" techniques; cameras in all the halls; lockdown and controlled access; every teacher has a TA, as much for constant supervision of the kids as for teaching. I know I'm up to the actual teaching part; it's the getting through to the hard cases that I'm concerned about. This is an opportunity for me to share a vision of opportunity for these kids... I hope I'm able to pull it off. I'm equal parts scared and excited. School starts in two weeks, the program is in a shambles (I don't know for sure, but the previous instructor may have lost his enthusiasm; not much materials and notes, dirty facilities, clutter and disorganization) so I'm going to have to scramble to put something decent together AND extricate myself from our family business. Time to stick it in hyperdrive.:crazy:

Congrats and Good luck!! :dthumb:

My Vette club can be of some assistance....We will be coming up there next weekend to a show. It's a good thing you are doing. Let me know if you need something.

That's pretty cool OTB. Keep us informed. That's one of those jobs that can be extremely rewarding if you can get through to them. :dthumb:

My Vette club can be of some assistance....We will be coming up there next weekend to a show. It's a good thing you are doing. Let me know if you need something. WOW! Thank you for the generous offer: I'm not actually starting for another week or so, (because we're working with kids, I have to be fingerprinted, bonded and undergo a background check) so outside of some preliminary organizing and planning, I actually can't start doing much. (THE cause for my concern).

WOW! Thank you for the generous offer: I'm not actually starting for another week or so, (because we're working with kids, I have to be fingerprinted, bonded and undergo a background check) so outside of some preliminary organizing and planning, I actually can't start doing much. (THE cause for my concern). Our major charity is Stepping Stones house in Rockville. We are looking for a new challenge-I would be glad to meet you and pitch it to the club.

OTB - Before I got into screenwriting, I worked at a youth center whose main target was at-risk kids no one else wanted. These were the kids who needed a hand the most. The hardest part is understanding that its really not personal (i've been sworn at, had paint thrown at me, etc). They've most likely dealt with adults in their lives who walked out on them or were crappy role models, or worse. Their behavior is just an expression of a tough life. You'll be surprised at how they open up when they know you won't give up or walk out on them. I think you'll be really fulfilled with it, though it can be draining. Congrats on the new job. :luck:

:dthumb: :cheers:

Good luck, very cool that you're going to do that. What kind of food do you specialize in cooking? Italian, French, etc?

Our major charity is Stepping Stones house in Rockville. We are looking for a new challenge-I would be glad to meet you and pitch it to the club. PM'ed

PM'ed :cheers:

thats really cool! good luck with it. :dthumb:

Good luck, very cool that you're going to do that. What kind of food do you specialize in cooking? Italian, French, etc? Primarily Regional French and Northern Italian, but to confuse the issue, I dabble in German and Swedish (my ancestral background) although today, with so much crossover and such creativity and experimentation on both sides of the pond, the lines between Continental and American, Asian and South American Cuisine are so blurred at the cutting edge as to be almost meaningless. You see things like Chilean Sea Bass and Black Beans served with Miso Sauce and Baked in Puff Pastry...what cuisine is that? But that's another story for another day.....

Primarily Regional French and Northern Italian, but to confuse the issue, I dabble in German and Swedish (my ancestral background) although today, with so much crossover and such creativity and experimentation on both sides of the pond, the lines between Continental and American, Asian and South American Cuisine are so blurred at the cutting edge as to be almost meaningless. You see things like Chilean Sea Bass and Black Beans served with Miso Sauce and Baked in Puff Pastry...what cuisine is that? But that's another story for another day..... Thanks, now I'm hungry. :drool:

good luck, hope it turns out better than expected :dthumb:

That sounds like a real good thing. I :clap: you because I don't have the patience to teach kids like that.

:dthumb: Great job. Keep us posted.

:dthumb: Great job. Keep us posted. I am sure it will be rewarding for you. My mom works at a school here in CT similar to what you described. :) Good Luck!

Don't get stabbed.

OTB that's very cool. Congratulations on the job and good luck. That is one of those jobs that requires passion and perseverance. You will get as much out of it as you put into it. However, it's very nice to put your head down at night and know that you have made a difference in some unfortunate kids' lives. I did a job similar to this for a while. Really rewarding. Congrats. You are a standup member of not only TWF, but society as well. :dthumb: That's pretty cool OTB. Keep us informed. That's one of those jobs that can be extremely rewarding if you can get through to them. :dthumb: :iagree: :withstupi Our major charity is Stepping Stones house in Rockville. We are looking for a new challenge-I would be glad to meet you and pitch it to the club. That's great of you guys. Rep worthy, but there are no reps anymore :lol:

Don't get stabbed. Nothing I haven't had happen before. When I went to the interview, the Director of Education gave me her standard "This is what you can expect here" speech; "You'll be trained in restraint, CPR and First Aid techniques; sometimes we have to call the police, sometimes the security people ( they have a dozen full time security staff for 50-60 students) put the really out-of-control kids in padded "time out" rooms. Still interested?" So I showed her the visble scars from a knife fight with a disgruntled employee on work-release, told her about being stabbed in the back by a coked-out waitress in the middle of dinner rush; about watching my Banquet Chef die from an amphetamine-induced heart attack ( he had a 100 hit-per-day habit) in front of my eyes.... She said "I guess we won't be showing you much new here then, will we?" Prolly Not.

.......with so much crossover and such creativity and experimentation on both sides of the pond, the lines between Continental and American, Asian and South American Cuisine are so blurred at the cutting edge as to be almost meaningless. You see things like Chilean Sea Bass and Black Beans served with Miso Sauce and Baked in Puff Pastry...what cuisine is that? . :yesnod: There is a difference between fusion and confusion. Man, I am jealous, this is cool. I think you will be surprised on how well the "troubled" kids will take to this. Are you just teaching the cooking and creating side or do you get to go into the "real" side of the kitchen (pricing, menu development etc)? And when are you going to break it to them that it is not like Hell's Kitchen and the other shows? And finally, can I apply to be your TA? Man, so many ideas my head hurts. If I can help in any way, let me know!

wow I did not realize cooking was such a dangerous profession! I guess with all the knives laying around...

:yesnod: There is a difference between fusion and confusion. Man, I am jealous, this is cool. I think you will be surprised on how well the "troubled" kids will take to this. Are you just teaching the cooking and creating side or do you get to go into the "real" side of the kitchen (pricing, menu development etc)? And when are you going to break it to them that it is not like Hell's Kitchen and the other shows? And finally, can I apply to be your TA? Man, so many ideas my head hurts. If I can help in any way, let me know! I'll be teaching an Intro class to 9th graders...sort of an "Intro to the World of Food" class, with a general overview of the Hospitality Industry, and Food of the World, plus general nutrition and home cooking basics. Once the kids pick Culinary Arts as a career track, the 10, 11 and 12 graders get whatever I can teach 'em...front and back of the house, storeroom ops, and general cooking skills, (I'll likely structure it like a traditional apprenticeship skills program). They have a small 10 seat retail cafe' outlet that has not been utilized because of some "issues" with the health dept...so I'll need to resolve that immediatly so we can put the Seniors on the track to design ,organize and operate the cafe' just like a "real" one....in charge of putting on a meal on a regular basis. ..and you are right...my head is spinning with the potential for good with this. I will accept any and all suggestions and... ...I will keep you posted........

It's such a different experience being is a organized Culinary school... It's such a great opportunity for you Congratulations. I never would have never imagined that they would have a culinary class in a Hard-Knocks school... Something about bad attitudes and knives not really getting along with each other. I just hope you don't have to take a bat to school on your bike...

It's such a different experience being is a organized Culinary school... It's such a great opportunity for you Congratulations. I never would have never imagined that they would have a culinary class in a Hard-Knocks school... Something about bad attitudes and knives not really getting along with each other. I just hope you don't have to take a bat to school on your bike... I have the feeling that OTB is going to be the "cool" teacher, the Mr Carter of his area. Showing up to school on different bikes, teaching kids "real world" things, and we all know that he has the talant for explaining things. The inmates use knifes in prison kitchens (granted they are chained to the table) but yea, I think I might concentrate on baking.

but yea, I think I might concentrate on baking. :slol: :slol:

What does this do to our riding? :tt:

I have the feeling that OTB is going to be the "cool" teacher, the Mr Carter of his area. Showing up to school on different bikes, teaching kids "real world" things, and we all know that he has the talant for explaining things. The inmates use knifes in prison kitchens (granted they are chained to the table) but yea, I think I might concentrate on baking. I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing... What does this do to our riding? :tt: You ride?

You ride? :rofl3:

What does this do to our riding? :tt: Means I'll have a month off during the summer, a week in the fall, plus WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS and stuff I've NEVER had......HMMMMM....better go start lookin' at a second bike so I don't wear out the Bim........ Didja buy a pair of Vicegrips for that lever......

This job sounds way cool good lucj\k in your endeavor......:dthumb:

Means I'll have a month off during the summer, a week in the fall, plus WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS and stuff I've NEVER had......HMMMMM....better go start lookin' at a second bike so I don't wear out the Bim........ Didja buy a pair of Vicegrips for that lever...... Damn. Your time off sounds oddly similar to my wife's. I gotta become a teacher. Yeah...new lev's should be here any day.

Means I'll have a month off during the summer, a week in the fall, plus WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS and stuff I've NEVER had......HMMMMM....better go start lookin' at a second bike so I don't wear out the Bim........ Didja buy a pair of Vicegrips for that lever...... Hey dude, We were there until 1PM. It was 100 frikken degrees-so we bugged out. Hopefully we'll meet up some other time.

Hey dude, We were there until 1PM. It was 100 frikken degrees-so we bugged out. Hopefully we'll meet up some other time. Missed you by about 10 mins....just got home after they gave out trophies....lotta 100k cars there...wow! Where are you at??

That sounds like a real good thing. I :clap: you because I don't have the patience to teach kids like that. Me either- unless it was boxing or some other martial art. Then they could let out all their pent up violence, and I could knock them down a few pegs...

Me either- unless it was boxing or some other martial art. Then they could let out all their pent up violence, and I could knock them down a few pegs... I had a very gifted teacher when I was in high school he was not popular with the principal. He taught drafting and had been an engineer who retired and became a teacher he let us listen to music in class, smoke cigarettes, and introduced me to frank zappa. Most importantly he taught me how to draft by hand and on a computer, and while I have never done this for a living he taught me the importance of getting your work done right first and keeping your priorties straight. Long live Mr. Nix ...:sorry: :jacked: