The Peak School

We create an ingredient signup sheet the week before to assure that we have what we need, and that no family is overburdened. We have 4 electric hot plates now, and students bring in needed pots and pans. I bring in utensils, cutting boards, a wash-bowl, dishrags and dishtowels, and the electric griddle as needed. So far this year we have made mixe... d fruit salad, Navajo Tacos with our own fried bread, and Cinnamon Pumpkin Pancakes for October. This group of students works together so smoothly when we are cooking and this carries over to all aspects of the classroom. As a teacher of history, math, language arts, and science, as well as a love for art, I am thrilled to be able to incorporate my creativity into all my subjects because I know these students are a team. We will find out in November about a grant, for which I applied this past Summer, which could fund a project to study environmental sustainability, water reclamation, native plant restoration, human habits of composting and greenhouse gardening. The ultimate goal of the project will be to plant a herb pot for every Peak School family, from herbs sprouted in compost, by our class. About the author: Elli Chapman is a teacher of 7th and 8th graders at the Peak School, a charter school in Flagstaff, Arizona. She has lived in Flagstaff for 19 years, been a mother for 18, a vegetarian for 12 and teacher for 4. Her mission as an educator is to teach students to invest in themselves in all ways possible, and that eating, as a method used every day, is something over which they have tremendous power.Read More