Just Say No–To Bake Sales!

Just Say No–To Bake Sales!

by | Dec 10, 2012 | Blog

No I’m not on a diet nor do I have anything against baked goods–although I’ve never liked cake brownies.  My harsh words about bake sales have nothing to do with the goods being sold, but the missed opportunities to teach students tangible skills through the event.  Now before you send the president of the PTA after me, give me a chance to explain myself. If your school is anything like the one I teach at, your mission and vision statement says something like “our students are globally minded international learners who are prepared for environmentally responsible international globalization.” Okay I’ll admit that sounds a little sarcastic, and it’s not because I don’t think we have a responsibility to provide our students with opportunities to impact their local and global community.  We do.  Yet so often we fail as educators to allow learning to guide our impact.  A bake sale is a perfect example of misguided giving with little impact on learning.  Sure the intentions are good; sell baked goods to raise money for some kind of charitable need in the local community, while simultaneously fulfilling service learning requirements for National Honor Society, IB, or some other program.  It’s quick and easy, but often the results are superficial and temporary. Whenever there is bake sale at school I’m always solicited to buy something (again no cake brownies please).  However, instead of giving into their demands I like to ask a few questions first.  For example, this week when an enthusiastic 11th grader asked, “buy a brownie?” I replied “sure, but first what were your input costs for these brownies?”  Unfortunately...