The more a woman likes her job, the better her self-image and the more she enjoys her life. Grace Baruch
At the beginning of this new year I set a goal for myself to share a suggestion for improving the image of FACS on this blog each week of 2013. Well, the five of my readers who expressed some enthusiasm for this challenge have probably been disappointed in my efforts to this point. I have to admit that it’s pretty hard to get excited about a project that has met with such a tepid response. So I’m going a slightly different direction to keep myself inspired. I’m going to share projects, recipes, ideas and activities that I hope will inspire you to live a FACS life instead of just preaching it to your students. As the old saying goes, “practice what you preach.”
I thought it would be a good idea for me to share some of my thoughts on living the FACS life so that my upcoming posts would make more sense. You see, one of the things that I love best about being a FACS professional is that our subject can be as practical or as theoretical as we choose to make it based on our approach to a topic. For example, baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies can be a very simple exercise in measuring and mixing ingredients. Or it can be a complex exploration of food chemistry and nutrition. It all depends on the points you choose to emphasize and the depth with which you explore each aspect of the recipe preparation.
I made it a practice in my classroom to give each topic and activity as much depth as I could reasonably expect my students to accept and understand. That’s what I always referred to as teaching in layers. I wanted to add as much content to my lessons as possible. This added value was to everyone’s benefit—my students, the administration and ultimately, my own. The more practically and academically challenging my courses were, the more respected and valuable my program was to the school district as a whole.
In the days ahead I plan to share photos and reflections on the things I do every day that apply the skills, techniques and knowledge that are integral to FACS. I truly live a FACS life. I’m constantly trying new recipes, working in my sewing room, redecorating areas of my home, and working to make our money work for us. Can you say the same? I challenge each of you to ask yourself if you are truly living a FACS life. Are you an example to your students and your community?
The first project I plan to share with you is the master bedroom redecoration project my husband Dusty and I are currently working on. Come back to see how the project develops and the FACS skills required to make the project a reality. Hint: The room design is based on the quilt pictured above.
Ramona
FACSessorize 