FCS FLASH ISSUE 118:  March 9, 2010
Link to Complete FCS Calendar (color-coded by discipline for easy reference)
March 12-14: Sacramento:  CA-AAFCS State and Western Region Conference
April 8-10: Long Beach: CAYEC Annual Conference and Expo
April 9: Westwood: 2010 CCGG Annual Meeting “Preparing for the Next Generation”
April 14-16: Bass Lake: Community College CTE Faculty Preparation Workshop 
April 16: Downey: Student Culinary/Hospitality Symposium & Competition – Info and Registration links for Competitors!  Info and Registration for other Attendees available here!
May 14: San Jose: Hospitality and Culinary Arts Professional Development Workshop- Info and Registration!

FCS…News and View! Roger Gerard, Shasta College, takes a cautionary look at the new Airport Scanning technology…it’s enough to give frequent fliers pause for concern. Maria Claver, Cal State Long Beach, inspired by a recent conference experience, provides ideas for incorporating ethics into classroom curriculum, a helpful idea for all disciplines. Carol Lamkins, CID, CMKBD, provides us with a comprehensive look at the many choices and technical configurations of today’s kitchen appliances. Wendy Reiboldt, FCS Department Chair at Cal State Long Beach, offers another in her  series of “Turning Research into Classroom Practice”, this time for Fashion and Consumer Studies.

FCS FLASH Activity:  Student Success Goes on the Road
To motivate students to succeed in the classroom we need to make classroom learning more relevant and meaningful to them. One of the best ways to do this is by arranging opportunities for them to interact with interesting and engaged individuals who have a wide variety of life experiences. Inviting guest speakers, assigning students informational interviews, and taking advantage of programs like Road Trip Nation, are three great ways to inspire and connect the classroom to the world at large. Road Trip Nation encourages students to define their own road in life by talking and learning from others. Adventursome students from around the world have participated in road trips over the years and now share their experiences online, on PBS, and in a series of books and DVD’s.  In today’s activity, introduce your students to Road Trip Nation to view and discuss interviews with people connected to your discipline.

Try this:
Ask students questions about Road Trip Nation…how and what do they know about this project?
Distribute the Road Trip Nation Adventure activity and review the information and directions.
View this 2-minute interview, with Craig’s List founder, to give students the “flavor” of Road Trip Nation and their mission.
Choose and view video connected to your subject matter:
     Nutrition, Food Science, Culinary Arts : Warren Brown - Owner of Cake Love
     Fashion: Trelise Cooper - Fashion Designer Trelise Cooper Line
     Interior Design : Barry Brickell - Driving Creek Potteries and Railway
     Child Development and Family Studies: Pam Gaber - Gabriel’s Angels
     Gerontology: Charles Garfield - Founder of Shanti
     Hospitality : Buddy LaRosa - Owner of LaRosa’s Inc.
     Consumer Studies: Cecil Williams - Methodist Minister
Or choose an interview from the archive, that suits your students.
Have students complete their activity sheets.
Discuss their reactions to the interviews and what they learned.
Have students identify their own Road Trip Nation interview and explain how they will conduct and share those in class.

FYI: Most students respond positively to a well-organized course taught by an enthusiastic instructor who has a genuine interest in students and what they learn. Barbara Gross Davis, Tools for Teaching

This newsletter was brought to you by the California Community College Chancellor's Office Family and Consumer Sciences Collaborative Grant (#09-0160). Please contact Joann Driggers (jdriggers@mtsac.edu) or at 909/594-5611 x5203 with any questions.