Rules for fine dining are not something typically mixed in with multiplication and fractions at school. Yet for one fifth-grade math class, it became a part of the curriculum.
Patrice Lamar-Beya teacher at Chester, Pennsylvania’s Chester Community Charter School, taught her students lessons that go far beyond the classroom by instructing her kids in restaurant decorum.
Lamar-Bey told ABC 6 Action News“A lot of my scholars have never been to a five-star restaurant before and it’s very important that we show them now, and that they’re worthy of being at a five-star restaurant.”
The teacher posted a TikTok showing her redecorated classroom and well-dressed students as they checked in for their “reservations.” According to ABC 6 Action News, the students were taught everything from which fork to use when to proper noise level and behavior.
Lamar-Bey clearly went to great lengths to make her classroom feel like a five-star restaurant. A musician played piano in the corner and a fireplace was projected on her smart board, adding to the ambiance of the experience. She even employed waiters to serve the students Caesar salad, baked or fried chicken, string beans, and mac and cheese.
When asked how they would rate the experience, students gave it top marks, with many expressing it deserved an “infinity” out of 10.
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NBC News reported that to make her students’ fine dining lessons even more special, Lamar-Bey started a fundraiser to earn enough money to take her students to a real restaurant. When she had raised the necessary amount, she took them to The Capital Grille.
The students were treated to a three-course fine-dining experience in the real world. At the end of it all, the restaurant surprised Lamar-Bey by telling her they would cover the cost of the meal so that she could keep the money raised and use it for her classroom.
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While the concepts learned in school are typically limited to English, math, science, history, and the like, many are pushing for practical life skills to be included in the classroom curriculum. Long division and fractions are important, but they are not the only lessons worthwhile — and most people agree.
A study conducted by Panorama Education and YouGov found that 91% of American adults think life skills should included in a student’s education.
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There are so many valuable lessons that young people are not taught at school, from restaurant etiquette to paying bills and filing taxes. They are expected to learn these “real world” lessons at home and that puts those who don’t at a disadvantage.
“Not every child gets restaurant experiences,” one commenter pointed out. “It’s so important to teach them how to deal with a host (and) waitstaff (and) how to present themselves. Thank you for giving them this.”
Teachers like Lamar-Bey are doing their students a major service, teaching them important skills that will take them far in life.
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Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
