English Learner class uses food to create community

District 230's Dororthy Guzy, Jay Jakocko, Ramis Habboub and Edgar Palacios created a new English Learner summer class that centered on food as a teaching tool. These English and Math teachers and Special Projects Coordinator truly embraced a growth mindset to step out of their comfort zones to develop a unique learning opportunity for English Learner students. They incorporated communication, mathematical and social skills into lessons about meal planning and shopping, food preparation and cooking, and ultimately the celebration of students' unique cultures. Students engaged with a professional chef, took field trips to grocery stores, farmers markets, and restaurants, all in the name of learning. The culminating activity was planning, preparing, and demonstrating the creation of a dish that celebrates the students' unique perspective in the world. The teachers reported that the students readily jumped in to assist each other with clean up and doing dishes because there was such a strong sense of community in the class.