A Look at Some Common Core Teaching Issues

A Look at Some Common Core Teaching IssuesThe Common Core State Standards has created an uproar among education reformers, as well as parents and school district officials across the country. These standards define how K-12 schools should educate students in math, reading, and science. Many of the Common Core Standards require teaching to the Common Core, even if that means teaching a broader range of topics in a different way.The Common Core Standards has sparked a debate between those who support the standards and those who are skeptical. Among those who support the standards are parents, teachers, education experts, and politicians, who all agree that the new standards will improve the learning experience for K-12 students. They also say that the Common Core standards will help increase the understanding of certain subjects for students, especially those who come from underrepresented communities. In addition, the standards can lead to significant cost savings for schools because they help them meet state and federal mandates.Still, the number of states that adopted the Common Core Standards has dwindled in recent years. For this reason, many schools and districts across the country continue to adhere to a more traditional approach to curriculum. There are some examples of how this has affected classrooms:Elementary school children who are taught in a traditional manner tend to underperform in their first two years of middle school, according to a recent study by the National Center for Education Statistics. Elementary school teachers often emphasize rote memorization and factual knowledge while ignoring creative expression. High school students, on the other hand, are held back by an overly analytical approach, the study found. They are expected to memorize and regurgitate facts rather than explore their learning through reading, writing, and thinking.In the school district of Littleton, Colorado, children of Hispanic immigrants were assigned to one of two classes -- one taught in English and the other in Spanish. The teachers who taught in English were given the opportunity to teach subjects that attracted their interest. Unfortunately, teachers who taught in Spanish were not given this same opportunity. Because of this, the Mexican-American students in Littleton were not exposed to subjects like music and art that were interesting to them.Over time, the Common Core has also been known to cause a reduction in the amount of creativity and originality exhibited by students. When children do not have any original ideas, they must rely on the few that exist in the course materials. In addition, when students lack creative thinking and critical thinking skills, they must rely on classroom repetition to fill in these gaps. This often causes students to become bored with classroom materials, which results in an overall lack of creativity.According to some school districts, the increase in standardized testing that has accompanied the implem entation of the Common Core has also led to less innovative or creative student curriculums. While more students are now required to take standardized tests, the most talented students are often the ones who do not take the tests. If teachers can give students a greater sense of control over their learning, this can only help boost creativity and innovation in schools.

Setting Your Child Up for Success When they need an Assessment

Setting Your Child Up for Success When they need an Assessment In my last post I discussed talking to your child about ADHD in a way that is supportive and helpful. But what happens when your child needs an assessment for academic challenges or ADHD symptoms? Many parents worry that their child will find the evaluation process intimidating, or wonder if their child will think they are being tested because there is something wrong with them. Other parents have concerns about how their overly active, distractible, or anxious child will tolerate the testing especially if their child struggles to stay on task under normal circumstances. The good news is that the psychologists and educators who conduct these assessments have a great deal of experience working with kids who have academic and attention problems. They typically love working with kids like yours! The positive one-on-one attention that your child receives during the evaluation process will help make it go smoothly and maybe even be fun for your child! And as a parent there are some thin gs that you can do to set your child up for assessment success: Work with a professional who you like and respect. If you respect and enjoy the psychologist or educator who is conducting the evaluation, then theres a good chance that you child will too! Kids and adolescents pick up on social cues from their parents, and if you seem to be at ease with the process your child will feel much more relaxed themselves. Discuss your concerns with the professional. Share your concerns with the professional who is conducting the evaluation. Ask them what types of strategies they use to help kids like yours have a positive evaluation experience. If you have suggestions for what might help your child, let the professional know. They might be able to use some of these same strategies during their testing sessions. Create positive expectations for your child. Have your child start off on the right foot by letting them know that youve met with the doctor (or educator), and you really enjoyed meeting with them. Tell your child that you think theyll like the doctor/educator too, and that you think theyll have fun during the appointments. Focus on learning styles. When talking to your child about the evaluation it can be very helpful to describe it as a process that will help you and your child figure out how they learn best. Let them know that everyone learns differently. For example, some kids learn best by watching a demonstration of how something is done, other kids learn best by reading about things, while others learn best in a hands-on way by doing things. In addition, let your child know that it will help everyone understand which subjects are harder and easier for your child, and how they can help your child be successful in the areas that are more challenging. Even resistant kids can enjoy the process. If you have a child who is resistant to going to an evaluation appointment, try not to worry too much. Just because your child might not want to go doesnt mean that theyll have a bad experience once theyre there. Ive had plenty of kids and teens come into my office feeling reluctant or even upset about having to attend the appointment (especially when its on a Saturday). But once things get started and we get to know each other, the kids settle in and forget that they didnt want to come in the first place. Usually they are even happy to come back for a follow-up appointment. After all, its not often that kids get so much uninterrupted time from an adult who is so interested in what they have to say! Assessments can be powerful tools for learning about your childs strengths and weaknesses, and the things you can do to help them succeed academically. Proactive and positive communication before and after the assessment are key to helping your child feel comfortable so you can both get the most out of the evaluation process. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

School Volunteering - Sashas Story

School Volunteering - Sasha's Story The Tutorfair Foundation helps children who can't afford private tuition by organising school volunteering placements for top tutors. Not all placements take place during the school day. Medical student and maths tutor Sasha tells us about volunteering at an after school club. For the past few months Sasha, has been volunteering with Stretch Academy after school club, at Woodberry Down Primary School. At Stretch, Sasha  supports children with learning 11+ style content. He helps with all the material, “particularly aiming to help out with the tricky maths and non-verbal sections.” As a big believer in social mobility, he was drawn to the Foundation. Sasha says,  â€œit's massively important that access to one-on-one (or similar out-of-school) teaching is available to all children, not just those who can afford to pay privately.” How does a working medic find the time to volunteer? Sasha tells us he wanted to do some volunteering last year, “but unfortunately my medical school timetable was unrelenting. None of the sessions were at times I could do. This year I'm free on Thursday afternoons, so I signed-up straightaway! Woodberry Down is also very close to my home, so it was ideal!” School Volunteering Stretch Despite having years of tutoring experience Sasha, like many of our volunteers, was nervous to begin with. He tells us, “I was a little daunted, to be honest! It'd been a while since I'd last done any classroom-based work, let alone in a primary school.  So I guess I was also unsure of exactly what to expect. Thankfully Alex is an exceptional teacher and all of the students in the group were so engaged and hard-working. It all fell into place and I was really enjoying helping out by the end.” Fast forward to several months in and the nerves are all gone. Sasha says it's relaxed as, “the students all know me, by now, and are much more confident in asking questions, and making the most of the time. This is great, as it means Alex has more time to focus on other students and make sure everyone can contribute and learn to the best of their ability! The class are really fun and welcoming, too, so I always feel at ease and really enjoy helping with the work.” School Volunteering  positives Each day has different positives, Sasha’s favourite session so far was, “when the topic was codes, using algebra. Maths has always been my favourite subject to teach (despite its general reputation!) and it was so rewarding to see the kids racing through the worksheet with bright smiles. Some actually volunteered to take unfinished work home to do as homework! That's not something you see everyday.” As well as the joy of seeing children develop a love of maths, volunteering has had personal benefits for Sasha. He has found it “a real pleasure teaching the children at Woodberry Down, particularly given our similarities in background. It so inspiring and motivating to see these children staying in school, and working until 5pm on a Thursday, just to stretch themselves that bit further and expand their education. I'm glad they've been offered this opportunity. I'm all the more glad that they seem to be grasping it with both hands!” School Volunteering Stretch Though it is fun and inspiring now it was challenging to begin with. Sasha remembers finding it tricky, “adapting to the new students, particularly to teaching in a large-group environment. Everyone has their own style and way of understanding things, so you just have to be really patient and make sure that you're using the best explanation for that particular student.” One thing that helped in getting ready for the placement was the training day. Sasha tells us, “Alex actually led the Primary session, on the training day, and it was largely based around the way he delivers the Stretch Academy sessions. It was an excellent insight into the way he teaches and the way he covers certain topics, so I at least felt prepared for that, on my first day!” Are you low on time but thinking of volunteering? Let Sasha encourage you to get involved: “I'd highly recommend it! There's such a great range of volunteering opportunities, across various subjects and age groups, and it really is such a satisfying and rewarding way to spend an hour (or more!) of your week. It's also an excellent chance to work with brilliant students who otherwise may never have the opportunity to ask those extra questions, or seek that bit more help.” You can book  Sasha on Tutorfair

Is It Worth It Pros and Cons of Ordering Food Delivery

Is It Worth It Pros and Cons of Ordering Food Delivery via Unsplash The Pros: Convenience You can’t deny that ordering food delivery is one of the most convenient services we have in present day. With just a few clicks on a keyboard or swipes on your phone, you can have a delicious hot meal delivered right to your door in under an hour. Ordering food is great for the busy college student who may not have time to prepare a fully home-cooked meal. You don’t want to have to worry about when you’re going to eat next or if you’ll have time to cook it. Ordering food ensures that you won’t go hungry and will enjoy what you eat. Saves Time In just under an hour, depending on where you live and who is delivering, you can receive a full hot meal right to your doorstep. You don’t have to worry about going out to the grocery store and buying all of the ingredients to your favorite meal. You don’t want to spend time at home preparing and cooking those ingredients. Instead, you can just call up your favorite restaurant and have it delivered. A busy and dedicated college student doesn’t have time to waste spending an hour cooking and cleaning up their lunch and dinner every single day. There is nothing better than crossing things off of your to-do list while waiting for your food. You have much better things to do! No Mess When ordering food, the restaurant will usually provide you with plastic utensils, napkins, and any condiments you may need. They also make their packaging so that you can eat your meal right from it. What does this mean for you? No mess! Ordering food means you save time preparing your meal and cleaning up from it. All you have to do is throw it out. That means you have more time to spend with friends or studying for your next exam. Choices are Endless Ordering food means that you have endless choices of what kind of food you can eat. This is especially true if you live in a city known for its food options. No matter what you’re craving, you can most likely have it delivered to you. It also gives you a chance to try foods from different cultures. When cooking at home, we tend to stick to what we know because we don’t want to make a mistake or put any effort into cooking a new dish. When ordering food, you just have to take a chance and order a dish you’ve been meaning to try. It’ll open your mind and tastebuds! Great Food How many times have you tried to cook for yourself and it turns out bland or burnt? You are left hungry, frustrated, and probably thinking about ordering food for the night anyway. Ordering food is great for those of you who don’t know the first thing about cooking. Sure, you can live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, scrambled eggs, and pasta, but it sure gets boring after a while. Ordering food means that you’ll be sure to have a tasty meal that won’t be burnt so you won’t go hungry. Coupons Some restaurants offer rewards for ordering from them a certain number of times or coupons to their most loyal customers. You don’t want to always pay full price, so use coupons to optimize your food delivery. This will save you some money while ordering your favorite food. Online Ordering The beauty of today’s technology is that everything is done online. Long gone are the days of calling a busy restaurant, ordering your food, and hoping that they heard you correctly. When ordering food online you decrease the chances of the restaurant messing up your order. Mobile apps such as GrubHub and Eat24 make ordering food that much easier. GrubHub will even text you updates on the status of your order! Not only does it decrease miscommunication, but you can view a restaurants full menu. You may find something that you never thought the restaurant offered with different options and substitutions with their online menu. The Cons: Can Get Expensive It’s undeniable that eating at home is much less expensive than ordering food or eating out. When you eat at home you don’t have to pay for the Infographic by Brittany Loeffler labor that it takes to make your meal, sales taxes, or tips. Instead, you just have to pay for the food that you are going to eat, which is ultimately very inexpensive. On average, an American will spend $45 every two weeks ordering food. Just think of how much money you could save if you stopped ordering food and cooked at home for three months. Delivery Minimum and Other Charges Many restaurants have delivery minimums when customers are ordering food. This is to ensure that sending their delivery driver is worth it for them financially. So, when you plan on ordering a burger that is $7 but the delivery minimum is $10, what do you do? You’ll probably add another food item. The chances of finding an item for $3 are slim so you will end up paying more than $10 to have your food delivered. On top of the delivery minimum when ordering food, there are additional fees such as sales tax, delivery fee, and the tip. When ordering prepared food, a sales tax is added on. When buying unprepared food at a grocery store or farmers market, sales tax is not added. It may be a small percentage, but it definitely adds up when ordering food multiple times a week. Sometimes you can spend an extra $10 just on these additional fees! Consuming More Calories Food prepared at restaurants are packed with calories. The most common foods people buy when ordering food are fried and full of fat. Pizza, French fries, burgers, wings, and Chinese food are among some of the most common foods people order. These fried foods can sometimes contain a day’s worth of calories! Surprisingly, even food that you may assume is healthy, such as a salad or wrap, may also be packed with hundreds of calories. A Caesar salad from a restaurant can easily be over 500 calories while at home it can be as little as 200. If you are looking to eat a healthy diet, then ordering food is not the best option. You Don’t Know What’s In Your Food The best thing about making food at home is that you know exactly what is in your meal. This is beneficial to people who watch what they eat or have food allergies. When ordering food, you probably have an idea of what kind of ingredients are used to make your meal, but you can never be one hundred percent sure. Not knowing what is used in your meal can also make it difficult to track calories, especially because it isn’t measured. Chefs will use usually use butter when frying something in a pan, but you may never know because it’s melted and you can’t see it. One tablespoon of butter is around 102 calories. That’s a lot of calories for something that melts and used to season your food! Unaware of Restaurant’s Cleanliness A disadvantage of ordering food is that you have no idea how clean the restaurant you are ordering from is. There are times you walk into a restaurant, intending to eat there until you notice the place doesn’t look very sanitary. So, you decide to leave. When ordering food, you never step into the restaurant so you don’t have a feel for the kind of sanitary conditions it may be in. Of course, the country has a food and health code that restaurants must follow, but not everyone follows them to the T. Large Portions America is already known around the world for the large portions that restaurants serve. It’s easy to eat a day’s worth of calories in one sitting when ordering food from a restaurant. These large portions lead to overeating, which then leads to weight gain and other health risks. It’s important to recognize that the portions served when ordering food are not normal and you should only eat half of what is served. You may also overeat because of delivery minimums that require you to order more food than you intended. Keep in mind the portion size you receive when ordering food and try to make it into two meals. Not only will you keep from overeating, but you now have a meal for tomorrow! More Likely to Eat Unhealthy Food There are more restaurants that serve unhealthy food than restaurants that serve healthy food. A restaurant’s job is to make their food taste good for its customers, which means cooking with lots of fats, sugars, and carbohydrates. Biologically, that’s just what we crave! So, when ordering food you’re more likely to buy fried and fatty foods than a healthy meal like a salad. Looking at a restaurant’s menu you may feel more tempted to order a dessert or side to your dinner too. Won’t Learn How to Cook If you depend on ordering food to eat, then you will never successfully learn how to cook. Cooking is a skill that will benefit you throughout your life, so it doesn’t hurt to start early! When you grow older and have a family, you’ll want to cook at home because it is cheaper. If you like to host during holidays and celebrations, you’ll have to cook food for your guests too. When you stop ordering food, follow recipes, and teach yourself how to cook some of your favorite meals, it will result in healthier eating and spending less money on food. via Unsplash Cooking for Yourself If you dedicate some time to cooking for yourself, you will definitely see a great change in your bank account and your health. Meal Prep You see fitness stars on Instagram do it. You read articles for tips on how to meal prep. Now it’s time to actually put it into your routine! Every Sunday, cut out two to three hours to cook yourself five to ten meals for the week. You should make lunch and dinner that consists of protein, vegetables, and a grain. It’s so easy to pop one of your meals into the microwave. It may even be faster than ordering food! If you just put some time aside to cook your meals ahead of time, you will learn how to live a healthy lifestyle, learn how to cook, and save money. It doesn’t get any better than that! Is It Worth It? Now that we have explored the pros and cons of ordering food, it’s up to you to decide, is it worth it? We know that ordering food is extremely convenient and will save you a lot of time especially if you don’t have time to cook that day. However, the money you spend on ordering food can really add up. You don’t know what you’re eating and are probably consuming more calories than is recommended. When you cook for yourself, you’ll save money and learn an essential lifelong skill. Taking just three hours at the beginning of the week to prepare your food ahead of time will make it easier to eat healthily and save money. So, is ordering food worth it?

Why The Pen Is Mightier Than The Keyboard

Why The Pen Is Mightier Than The Keyboard Photo by jaypacres via Flickr. Researchers in the 1970s began delving into the act of writing and the affect it has on the brain. During a study involving children and their memorization of abstract shapes, they found that the children who retraced the shapes with their fingers memorized them more efficiently than the children who just looked at the shapes. There have been several more studies since that time that highlight the link between writing by hand and better memorization and learning, such as the  study  conducted by researchers Anne Mangen,  of the University of Stavanger in Norway, and Jean-Luc Velay, a French neuroscientist, which show that learning letters in an unfamiliar alphabet by hand rather than typing may lead to longer-term memories, and suggest that handwriting has unique cognitive properties that help to shape how children learn to read and write. The study also suggests that the act of holding a pencil and shaping words connects with the motor area of the brain, creating a motor memory, and making it easier to recall the information connected by the movement. The fact that Johnny B. was copying down his notes twice was, in fact, instilling a motor memory into his brain, so he was more likely than the rest of us who just stared at the chalkboard to remember the steps to solving the problems on our tests. Once I began mimicking this, I didnt become a whiz of any sort, but my test scores did improve, and I did feel a mental focus I had been lacking before I started writing down each step in the problems. John Paul Titlow, technology journalist in Philadelphia, speaks on this phenomenon via  Readwrite. Ive long noticed that when Im writing in a paper journal, it mentally feels different than when Im typing out my thoughts on a computer, he said. Technology versus pen and paper The advent of technology has certainly made the process of writing by hand a lengthy one, as it is much quicker and more efficient to tap a few keys than to engage in shaping letters. However, Velay, the French neuroscientist in the above study, mentions that writing is essentially what has created technology. Citing  studies by Jay David Bolter, professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Walter J. Ong, professor of English literature, she writes, From using clay tablets and animal skins via the medieval manuscript and the ancient papyrus roll, to the mechanization of writing with the printing press and the current digitization, writers have always had to handle physical devices and then apply these to some substrate. It would be foolish of us as a civilization to not fully realize the effects writing has on not only our childrens development, but our development as adults and our journey through college. As more and more technology is involved in our learning process, the less writing were engaging in. For example, the law in Illinois does not require handwriting training and leaves it up to the districts to decide how it will be taught. Athough  Mary Fergus,  spokeswoman for  the Illinois State Board of Education, said most of their schools take the time to teach longform, she also said that there has been a heightened focus on typing skills. Developmental and learning benefits aside, writing also increases productivity and focus, whereas typing and being plugged in can prove to be immensely distracting. As Chris Gayomali for Mental Floss wrote, The computer in front of you is a time-sucking portal to puppy videos and ex-boyfriend/girlfriend stalking. Typing and doing work on a computer indeed offers plentiful ways to distract yourself and procrastinate, whereas a pen and paper only allow doodling as the biggest distraction. Leveling the writing field There are many apps that attempt to mimic the art of handwriting, such as Penultimate and iTrace, but many question this attempt. The whole idea behind writing is to form the connection between the brain and the motor skills of the hand, and while tracing letters on an iPhone may be better than simply tapping keys, its effect isnt the same. Wendy Carlson, a handwriting expert and forensic document examiner, said in an interview  that if you are typing or texting, its a matter of punching and finger-moving. You are doing very little thinking because you are not allowing your brain to form neural processes, she said. While the advent of these various apps is a great attempt to bring handwriting and technology together, there is still more research to be done in order to discern whether, say, Johnny B., would have received the same benefits by writing with an app on his iPhone than actually writing with a pen and paper. Writing may be deemed inefficient or even obsolete in the years to come, but with 33 percent of individuals having difficulty reading their own handwriting, I think its safe to say its an area that should be of great concern. With our laptops, tablets and smartphones, many of us may scoff at the romantic notion of handwriting, labeling it an ancient and crazy pastime. Just remember, while students were scoffing at crazy Johnny B., he was scribbling to the top of his class.

Uloop Morning Mix Princeton tops college rankings, iPhone X and Irma cleanup begins

Uloop Morning Mix Princeton tops college rankings, iPhone X and Irma cleanup begins Flooding from Hurricane Irma wasnt as bad as expected in Florida, though damage is still widespread from the massive storm. (Image: YouTube screenshot/Al Jazeera English) Florida residents are beginning to survey the damage across the state, as the massive storm slowly rolled into Georgia. The New York Times reports that, the damage in Florida was not as bad as some had predicted, partly because there was less flooding than expected. Still, more than 60 percent of residents are without power, and the Keys sustained heavy damage. The damage in the Caribbean region is far worse than what the U.S. mainland appears to have sustained. In some areas, it could take years to recover from the trail of destruction that Irma left behind. NEW IPHONE TO BE REVEALED TODAY via GIPHY Apple is back in the spotlight, today revealing what some experts are calling its most important line of products in years. The star of the show which will be the first press event held in the new Steve Jobs Theatre is a new iPhone, which could cost up to $1,000. According to Recode: The company is expected to announce new iPhones â€"  including a high-end device, potentially called the iPhone X  â€" plus a new Apple Watch and Apple TV device, and maybe some more information  about its HomePod speakers. For all you Apple nerds out there, heres how to watch the event live. AND FINALLY,  A FEW TIPS ON HOW TO BEAT WRITERS BLOCK Image via: www.pexels.com Yes, we know its only like the third week of classes or something, but youve already got papers due. Which means you might already be having trouble with what to write. No worries, Kennisha Crawford of Southern New Hampshire University is here with tips that can break up even the toughest writers block. Read them all right here.   Thanks for reading hope our Tuesday is great and remember: Hump Day is only one day away, whoo-hoo!

3 Life Lessons the Food Network has Taught Me

3 Life Lessons the Food Network has Taught Me FN personalities.Courtesy of: http://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/grub/2012/05/11 As they say in Family Guy, it seems today, like all you seeis sex on TV. But. The Food Network defys this rule. Its the best part about cable, and it doesnt feature any crude material.  It makes viewers hungry, inspired, and slightly jealous; but it also teaches many life lessons to those craving wisdom about life. 1. Dont mess around at your job, you might be on caught on camera. Restaurant Stakeout with host Willie StegelCourtesy of: http://theashleysrealityroundup.com Cue Restaurant Stakeout and Mystery Diners! Both of these shows involve hidden cameras and the things employees do when they think their manager isnt looking. Lets put it this way, the situation never ends up too good for the employees, and sometimes it even ends up getting people fired on the spot for their bad behavior, i.e. a valet person stealing a Mercedes to do a delivery order. I know first hand from working at a nice grocery store that cameras are in every building built after the new  millennium.  The less conspicuous and sketchy activity you do at work, the better off you will be. 2. Always try to make fresh food. Iron Chef America and Chopped make us all want to bring out our inner ninja chef. But most people dont want to spend more than five minutes dealing with food, unless its prepared and ready to cook. Fresh food can get a little expensive, I understand. However, at least produce is not too extravagantly priced, (just DONT go for organic kinds, they are not worth the high price).   Pasta with onions and herbs.Courtesy of: http://www2.worldpub.net/images/saveurmag/ A tip: try herbs (parsley, oregano) or white onions on spaghetti for an extra kick of flavor that regular pasta sauce does not provide on its own. 3. Explore food and its cultures. It might be scary at first, but Guy Fiari makes a living doing so. In his show Diners, Drive-ins Dives, he travels as far away as Portland for fresh, organic food, and as close as Cincinnati  to eat hometown chili. Eating food from all over gives insight into different cultures and makes you think more creatively about what kinds of food you can make. I.e. if you have had Cincinnati chili, you might want to try and make it yourself now that you have had it somewhere else. And there you have it, kiddos. Watch the FN and not only will you learn how to cook and appreciate food, but you will learn that sometimes certain foods are worth waiting for. Enjoy your food!