Honoring Aunty 3M: Tate's Bake Shop Chocolate Chip Cookies

This week was a full week at work.  By "full", I don't mean just a mere 5-day work week.  I mean full of STUFF.

Some of us are finding that as it gets closer to graduation day, some seniors are making poor choices.  The principal announced on Monday that four seniors would not be "walking the line" (they will still earn a diploma, provided they pass their classes and earn enough credits in the required areas).  Being disallowed from "walking the line" happens for a variety of reasons:  fighting, possession of illegal/contraband substances, assault, repeated insubordination, etc.

Seniors are repeatedly warned about the consequences of Chapter 19 violations, but every year, there are at least 5 seniors who do not participate in commencement exercises (yet earn a diploma).  School personnel recognize that "walking the line" is a symbolic gesture meant to honor both the graduate and the support system (family, friends, teachers, etc.).  From months ago, some families have been planning graduation parties.

When seniors jeopardize their participation in commencement, I am always hit with mixed feelings.  While I am a firm believer in tough love, I think about the people who, for 18 years, have given their support to these kids, only to have it thrown away with, potentially, a single episode of lapse in good judgment.  Some parents, having never walked the line themselves, have waited all these years for the joy of seeing their own child accomplish what they failed to do.

In class, my students are reading Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult.  There is an exchange in Chapter 4, where Alex tells Josie that sometimes, doing what is best may not be what is right.  I feel like I'm a character in the novel.  Turning a blind eye to student infractions just so they can walk the line is not morally right, yet turning students in for infractions sets in motion a series of events which could lead to banishment from commencement.  This is where my role as a teacher and as a parent collide.

Where is this rambling going?  Am I crazy?  This week, I was faced with such a decision.  It was a hard decision, but I chose the latter.  Thankfully, the decision of whether a student walks the line is not mine to make.  I initially thought that admin makes the decision, but after pondering over it, I realized that the student is the one who makes the decision. . .the decision to make the right choices. 

I wonder how high the "not walking the line" number will rise before the end of the month.  I wonder how many stupid kids will feel they are invincible and above getting caught.  It's silly and just downright foolish for them to think they can get away with shit.  There are so many eyes on them.

On a more positive note, the Kikukat blog would like to extend a huge congratulatory shout out to Aunty 3M.  Aunty 3M will be getting paid the big bucks!  This week, she was selected for a coveted position.  Way to go!!!
 
In light of Aunty 3M's accomplishment, this week's post is dedicated to her.  Aunty 3M is an expert baker and a crispy, buttery cookie aficionado.  Every Christmas, she bakes close to 20 batches of cookies for gift-giving purposes.  She even makes cookies for special events:  baby showers, baseball fundraisers, etc.  Her favorite chocolate chip cookie comes from the Tate's Bake Shop cookbook.  I was lucky enough to receive the cookbook as a gift, so I have the recipe in my collection.  But the recipe for these buttery discs can be found here.

While Aunty 3M, usually makes this with semi-sweet chocolate chips, you can also use a variety of odds-and-ends chips.  They taste just as good.

I don't want to anger Aunty 3M, but I need to issue a caveat.  These buttery, snapping-crisp cookies are great for eating out of the jar (or Ziploc bag), but they are not the best bet for ice cream sandwiches.  The fairly low flour content, in proportion to the amount of butter, makes them too fragile (my opinion only).  If you want a cookie good for dunking as well as for making ice cream cookie sandwiches, try this recipe here.  While not as ostentatiously buttery, these so have the flavor of butter and will hold up better with a mound of Ben & Jerry's between them.

And if you're still with me, and even BIGGER shout-out goes to blog reader and pal BT.  You are beast!  I'm gonna miss you.

This week was a full week at work.  By "full", I don't mean just a mere 5-day work week.  I mean full of STUFF.

Some of us are finding that as it gets closer to graduation day, some seniors are making poor choices.  The principal announced on Monday that four seniors would not be "walking the line" (they will still earn a diploma, provided they pass their classes and earn enough credits in the required areas).  Being disallowed from "walking the line" happens for a variety of reasons:  fighting, possession of illegal/contraband substances, assault, repeated insubordination, etc.

Seniors are repeatedly warned about the consequences of Chapter 19 violations, but every year, there are at least 5 seniors who do not participate in commencement exercises (yet earn a diploma).  School personnel recognize that "walking the line" is a symbolic gesture meant to honor both the graduate and the support system (family, friends, teachers, etc.).  From months ago, some families have been planning graduation parties.

When seniors jeopardize their participation in commencement, I am always hit with mixed feelings.  While I am a firm believer in tough love, I think about the people who, for 18 years, have given their support to these kids, only to have it thrown away with, potentially, a single episode of lapse in good judgment.  Some parents, having never walked the line themselves, have waited all these years for the joy of seeing their own child accomplish what they failed to do.

In class, my students are reading Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult.  There is an exchange in Chapter 4, where Alex tells Josie that sometimes, doing what is best may not be what is right.  I feel like I'm a character in the novel.  Turning a blind eye to student infractions just so they can walk the line is not morally right, yet turning students in for infractions sets in motion a series of events which could lead to banishment from commencement.  This is where my role as a teacher and as a parent collide.

Where is this rambling going?  Am I crazy?  This week, I was faced with such a decision.  It was a hard decision, but I chose the latter.  Thankfully, the decision of whether a student walks the line is not mine to make.  I initially thought that admin makes the decision, but after pondering over it, I realized that the student is the one who makes the decision. . .the decision to make the right choices. 

I wonder how high the "not walking the line" number will rise before the end of the month.  I wonder how many stupid kids will feel they are invincible and above getting caught.  It's silly and just downright foolish for them to think they can get away with shit.  There are so many eyes on them.

On a more positive note, the Kikukat blog would like to extend a huge congratulatory shout out to Aunty 3M.  Aunty 3M will be getting paid the big bucks!  This week, she was selected for a coveted position.  Way to go!!!
 
In light of Aunty 3M's accomplishment, this week's post is dedicated to her.  Aunty 3M is an expert baker and a crispy, buttery cookie aficionado.  Every Christmas, she bakes close to 20 batches of cookies for gift-giving purposes.  She even makes cookies for special events:  baby showers, baseball fundraisers, etc.  Her favorite chocolate chip cookie comes from the Tate's Bake Shop cookbook.  I was lucky enough to receive the cookbook as a gift, so I have the recipe in my collection.  But the recipe for these buttery discs can be found here.

While Aunty 3M, usually makes this with semi-sweet chocolate chips, you can also use a variety of odds-and-ends chips.  They taste just as good.

I don't want to anger Aunty 3M, but I need to issue a caveat.  These buttery, snapping-crisp cookies are great for eating out of the jar (or Ziploc bag), but they are not the best bet for ice cream sandwiches.  The fairly low flour content, in proportion to the amount of butter, makes them too fragile (my opinion only).  If you want a cookie good for dunking as well as for making ice cream cookie sandwiches, try this recipe here.  While not as ostentatiously buttery, these so have the flavor of butter and will hold up better with a mound of Ben & Jerry's between them.

And if you're still with me, and even BIGGER shout-out goes to blog reader and pal BT.  You are beast!  I'm gonna miss you.