Culinary Arts Teachers Job Description
Those who want to improve their cooking skills and those who want to work as chefs for a living can benefit from instruction given by culinary arts teachers. Culinary arts teachers are vocational teachers who teach about cooking and food in a variety of educational establishments. These teachers not only offer students the basics of cooking, but many have very specialized knowledge such as food technology and raw food preparation.
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Function
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Culinary arts is an educational discipline that specializes in food and the cooking and preparation of meals. Culinary arts teachers instruct students in the art of cooking. Some instruct students who intend to work as chefs or other food service workers, while other culinary arts teachers teach amateurs interested in cooking better meals at their own homes. Students are taught to cook, bake, decorate, utilize a variety of cooking tools, clean and improve food safety. They are also taught nutrition, food preservation and food technology. Culinary arts teachers also often help students find food industry contacts, so that they can advance their careers.
Education
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The amount of education that a culinary arts teacher has varies. Those who can prove that they have extensive knowledge as chefs can sometimes teach at some community centers and other informal learning establishments. Other times, an associate's or bachelor's degree is needed. With a bachelor's degree and added teaching experience, a culinary arts teacher can often find work as a high school culinary arts teacher or teach at a vocational school.
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Skills
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These teachers need good communication skills and interpersonal skills in order to effectively communicate with students. They must demonstrate expertise to their students in order to maintain respect. They also need organizational skills, patience and creativity, since they must often come up with ways to engage student thinking.
Conditions
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Culinary arts teachers are possibly exposed to all of the same hazards of cooking such as burns, cuts and electrical shocks. However, these teachers are expected to teach by example and follow careful safety procedures. Vocational teachers experience stress when dealing with uncooperative students and large class sizes. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that some vocational teachers are even exposed to violence from the students they teach. Vocational teachers usually work 40 hours a week, but they commonly receive two months of vacation.
Outlook
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the need for vocational teachers was expected to grow 9 percent between 2008 and 2018. The reduction in demand is driven by a shift in focus in educational programs toward reading and math and a focus away from career-specific education. The median earnings for vocational teachers in 2008 was $47,870.
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References
- Photo Credit cooking image by AGITA LEIMANE from Fotolia.com
