A Fairfax teacher highlights diversity by bringing students’ cultures into her kitchen

FAIRFAX, Va. (WDVM) — One Fairfax teacher at Poplar Tree Elementary School is bringing diversity to the kitchen and celebrating her students’ cultures.

Kaylin Daniels, the sixth-grade teacher invites her students’ into her kitchen every week for a cooking show she calls “Dining With Daniels.”

“Getting to know my kids the first few days of school this year, we all had one thing in common. We all kept talking about our favorite food, and I was like you know what we all love food, food brings people together” said Daniels.

After collecting recipes from students and celebrating there cultures, she cooked up some ideas.

“I have a slideshow of the recipe and the ingredients, that I’ll put up on the screen for the students to follow along. I’ll collect them as we go on a slideshow, and I think we’re going to print it out at the end of the year and have a recipe book to give them,” said Daniels.

One of Daniels students said this class is a safe haven for her to take her mind of the academics of the school.

Amogha Gummadivalli, Student said, “It’s really fun being with my other classmates and talking, saying ‘Ms. Daniels, I think you need to do this’ and talking on the chat.”

Students said not only are memories and laughs being made, but they’re also brushing up on their math skills when they need to know the proper measurements to make the perfect recipe

Ikran Yusuf, Student said, “Sometimes I try the recipes from other cultures that the other students send in because they look interesting.”

With 15-20 students joining weekly some students describe dining with Daniels as exciting. Just some of the recipes that have been made thus far are banana muffins, Chinese candied fruit, vegan lemon bars, and “the best cookies.”