Food technology has changed dramatically since the early days of the Maori, where they had only the essential to work with. Such as the wood, fruit and leaves off the trees, shells from the sea, and stone from the ground "Methods of cookery were severely limited the only containers to hold liquid were Hue (gourds), wooden bowls or vessels made from stone,” (Royal, 2001, p 1). Over the years, the cooking tools have changed and become more efficient, making things much easier.
The tools that assist in cooking such as bowls, measuring cups/spoons, and even mixing spoons have a technological aspect to them. Cooking technology is about the system of interactions that involves the tools and involved specific techniques to be able to complete the objective, (Kaplan, 2009). Honestly thinking about, before doing this reflection I never really thought about spoons and bowls in the technological way. I have now come to realise that as they are a very big part of cooking now a days, and if we did not have these items we would not be able to have the right measurement, it would have to be altered all the time. 
Cooking always plays a big part in the day to day learning for the children at the centre. The children are always doing some sort of cooking, whether in the family play area, sand pit, or cooking with real food alongside a teacher. Every day I am amazed to see the big interest that the children’s are showing. I can see that they are developing “connecting links between the early childhood setting and other settings that relate to the child, such as home,” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p 56). I feel that by having cooking tools in these areas, it is allowing the children to extend on their imagination. They are able to create, which builds on children’s development such as cognitive and language. I also feel cooking is great way to help develop children’s mathematics, science and literacy skills. The cooking tools support this as the children can count the cups used; the mixing spoon to mix ingredients and the recipe to read the ingredients.I love the idea of cooking with children, as I can see the children love being so involved with it. I believe it is a great way to build on skills such as turn taking, patience and problem solving, “solving problems together develops children’s understanding of how technologies can help them and others” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p 96).
I would like to be able to extend on their learning of food technology, by providing the children with other ranges of cooking such as the electronic tools. I wonder what their views would be on how the electronic tools work, what do you think?
Reference
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa .Wellington: Learning Media.
Royal, C. (2001). Kinaki NZ: Wild herbs. Retrieved on 13th September 2011. From http://www.maorifood.com/traditional.htm
Kaplan, D. (2009). Readings in the philosophy in Technology. Retrieved on 13 September 2011 from http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=NYKFv-m7Be8C&pg=PA115&dq=technology+spoons&hl=en&ei=_mNwTradBormiALbxdyPBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=technology%20spoons&f=false
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa .Wellington: Learning Media.
Royal, C. (2001). Kinaki NZ: Wild herbs. Retrieved on 13th September 2011. From http://www.maorifood.com/traditional.htm
Images retrieved from google images.
Mel you make me think deeply about the importance of the technological ways of using simple tools and equipment like bowls and spoons as you mentioned. I agree with you that this experience (Cooking) is nearly involved in most area such as sandpit, play dough, family corner, and even painting and drawing.This is also important because children can compare the olden days and the way they cooked to the modern ways of cooking. They can think of the advantages and the dis advantages of modern technology. I like the way you think back to the olden days of cooking.
ReplyDeleteMalo Mel!
Hi, Melissa, this is a great reflection. I believe cooking activity is one of the most popular activities in childcare centers and children just love this kind of activities. I quite agree with you that they help develop children’s mathematics, science, literacy skills and social skills as well. After making a real birthday cake with a teacher, we can often see that children use different toy cook utensils in the family corner or sandpit to make a birthday cake for a friend or a teacher. They not only copy what adults do or say, but also use their imagination to create new ideas. One evidence of this is that a little girl was taking a cake out of the oven. Realizing it was too hot, she put her socks on her hand. Isn’t it a cool idea? I like your idea about extending children’s learning of food technology with electronic tools. Children absolutely love them. In our center, we have an electronic toy hot water pot. When pressing the red button down, you can hear the sound of water boiling. The children enjoy making tea or coffee with it. Hopefully, more electronic toy cooking tools will be produced in the future.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, I really liked the way you started by acknowledging how much technology has changed in the field of food technology. Do you have any old cooking tools that you let children use in your center? I wonder what would happen if you introduced an old beater with a new electronic beater? This would be a cool way to teach children about how much technology has changed. I wonder which one they would like best. I think that cooking is such an awesome way for children to make home and center links as cooking is something that is essential for everyone. What do you think about asking children to bring in a cooking tool from their own culture?
ReplyDeleteKia Ora Melissa,
ReplyDeleteGreat to be reminded of how technology has changed and improved through out the years. Even my culture has gone through the same experience but has embraced the new technology tools which has made life alot easier. Yes cooking is exciting and a popular interest for children and it does offer a richness of learnign opportunity that you already mentioned above. I like how our vision's have been broaden with recognition of what technology represents.
Great to see you are questioning your curiosity. It would be nice to gain that knowledge of children's views. Why don't you find out? If you do let me know. My views on cooking technology, I am so glad these inventors are clever because without technology we would be still living in the old ages.
Ka pai Mel