Day #15 Barbara Fitzgerald ELL Teacher

 In one 5th grade class today, we had been reading a story about a man whose career was in a small way inspired by a childhood memory, in particular, the smell of rain outside in the morning after a storm.The lesson ended and it was snack time, so we began an informal discussion during our break about certain things that reminded us of special times in our lives.   It being snack time, of course there were many memories of the scent of food during special occasions.  One of the students said that she missed the smell of her grandmother's sauce because she hadn't made it in a while.  I suggested that she find the recipe and keep the tradition going by learning how to make it herself.  I brought up one of my favorite food memories of the pie assembly line that my mother had organized at the kitchen table just days before Thanksgiving.  I told them how I loved the aroma of mincemeat pie.  It was quickly apparent from the look on their faces, that the students had no idea what mince meat pie was. I also realized that my mother was the last person I know of that had made a mincemeat pie.  I also realized that all of my pies had been "store bought" during the holidays! Today I learned that I should practice what I preach!