Some thoughts on current education issues--But, of course, what do I know? I’m just a teacher.

Friends and family members often ask me about my thoughts on various changes and trends in education and education reform. The latest such question has left me dwelling on my thoughts on various issues with education reform. (These issues surround me on a daily basis, so they're never really too far out of mind.) 

The issue of fixing public education in American is most certainly big and complex. Our students deserve the very best education, and there are dedicated teachers, administrators, and advocates out there who are working towards positive change. I most certainly do not think that I have all the answers to the complex issue of fixing our educational system, but I definitely have some thoughts based on my years in the classroom and the impact that reform efforts have had in my classroom and on my students.

1. We need to realize that it’s not as simple as blaming “failing” schools and “bad teachers.” We have a flawed system and failing societies. Read and follow Diane Ravitch. Enough said.   Check out her book The Life and Death of the Great American School System  
2. Standardized testing is NOT the answer. It sounds like a good idea to have standards and to measure those standards. Despite the fact that standardized tests are not authentic assessments, they are being treated as the way to determine what a student has learned and can do. The standardized testing that has come with NCLB is not used as a diagnostic tool; rather, it is used as a weapon.  Yes, it points out that there are achievement gaps, “under-performing schools,” and links between academic achievement and social economic status, but it’s not fixing the problems.  Rather, it’s making them worse because of the focus on testing. Additionally, with the pressure to make AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress), some teachers, administrators, schools, and districts have resorted to cheating so that they pass. (And notice who is cheating in these situations. The students are not often stressing over those tests, but the teachers and administrators are. That alone should indicate a major problem.) For more about what is going on in “failing schools,” check out this TIME magazine article on the 10^th anniversary of NCLB And then there’s this interview with George W. Bush. He clearly has no clue about the real impact of NCLB. 

3.       Teachers want to see their students succeed, and we want to help them reach that success. NCLB implies that teachers are willingly, knowingly leaving students behind. Good, true teachers are not out to get their students. Teachers also know that a student’s true worth and achievement can’t be measured by a standardized test.

4.       Enough with the testing! Standardized testing is flawed in so many ways. Many teachers find themselves having to “teach to the test” so that their students will pass the test (and so that they and their school “pass," too). Some subject areas have to struggle with the curriculum crunch more than others, but many teachers find themselves cutting activities and more authentic assessments for the sake of preparing for the tests. Note: I do believe that, as teachers, we can work against the “teach to the test” mentality and provide authentic assessments and ensure that students have the skills necessary to pass mandated tests. However, this mentality is a reality of the times.  Daniel Dyer has a wonderful blog post about how education has changed from when many of us were in school.

In addition to the crunch in the curriculum caused by the “teach to the test” mentality, testing takes up a lot of TIME! Because of testing, students miss valuable hours that could be spent on true, meaningful learning opportunities. Teachers miss hours of time that could (and should) be used to plan these meaningful learning opportunities and assess students’ work because we must go to training sessions to prepare for administering these tests. And then we spend hours each school year monitoring these tests. (Note-These hours come out of our planning periods and class time.) We pace up and down the rows of students taking tests, making sure that no one is cheating. And we often have to wake students up because they have fallen asleep while taking the test! (Remember—they’re not really stressing over these tests.) As proctors, we can’t work on anything because we must remain vigilant at all times. I work through lesson plans in my head. It’s really a truly productive time. (Can you hear the sarcasm?) This year, our state is piloting an electronic version of the writing test. Most of our standardized tests have been electronic for years, but the writing one is just making the change. Because we must pilot the test, my students have to take a test (that won’t count) over two days later in March. Oh, and this pilot test happens weeks after the real one. More valuable instructional time is just slipping away this coming month.

5.      Merit pay doesn’t work. Check out Daniel Pink’s eight points about why merit pay doesn’t work  Pay is not a motivator. Teachers didn’t enter the profession for the pay, trust me. We’re motivated by working with our students and watching them succeed. We’re motivated by sharing our passion for our subject area. I already work very hard (all year long, I might add). I want to improve, and I am constantly working on improving my teaching methods. And I revise lessons constantly to best meet the needs of my current students. More pay will not make me work harder. I can’t think of how I could work harder than I already do without completely sacrificing my sanity. If you haven’t checked out my Starbucks story, this would be a good time. And, if you’ve never seen it, watch this video of Matt Damon defending teachers. If you have seen it, watch it again, especially if you’re a teacher. It’s a great morale-booster!

6.       Teacher education programs need to raise the bar. Yes, there are, sadly, “bad” teachers in our public schools. But, as Matt Damon points out, there are “bad apples” in every profession or career. This is a reality, but it should not be our only focus. This being said, I believe that teacher education programs need to raise the bar. I’m aware of more than one instance in which a mentor teacher has recommended that a student not continue with her education program and receive certification, but the education program directors at the student’s school ignored this recommendation, and the student was certified and is now in a classroom. (Note-She had passed her Praxis exams, standardized tests. But does that mean she’s ready to teach?) Students in teacher preparation programs need to be fully prepared to enter the classroom. This means students in education programs must spend plenty of time  in a variety of classroom settings. They must have real teaching experiences and receive a lot of feedback before beginning a teaching career.

7.       Authentic teacher evaluation systems need to be created and put in place. A two-minute walk-through twice a year, or even one half-hour visit each year, is not enough to truly evaluate a teacher. A teacher’s evaluation and/or pay should not be determined by these superficial assessments. Granted, administrators have full plates, too. But there needs to be a better system. And good teachers want to improve. Although it may be uncomfortable at first, many teachers would probably welcome comments, observations, and suggestions from honest, well-meaning colleagues.

8.       Teachers shouldn’t be evaluated based on their students’ standardized test scores, and pay shouldn’t be tied to student achievement on standardized tests. Imagine that a doctor tells her patient that he has high cholesterol.  She writes a prescription for medication and advises her patient about dietary choices that will help improve the condition. The patient doesn’t take the medicine like he should and doesn’t make the dietary changes necessary. The patient has his six-month check-up and it’s obvious that the condition has worsened. Should the doctor now earn less because her patient hasn’t improved? This would be crazy, right? Yet this is the idea that many have when it comes to education reform and teacher pay and rankings. 

      It’s also unfair to rank teachers based on student achievement because not all classes are created equal. In our state, students take the reading and writing tests in the 11^th grade. I teach IB HL 11^th grade English. My students will do quite well on their standard-level reading and writing test. But does this mean that I should earn more than a colleague who teaches regular-level English 11? Of course not!

These are just some of my thoughts on some of the hot topics concerning education and education reform efforts right now. But I’m just a teacher. What do I know? Clearly the legislators (non-educators) have it all figured out.

Giving students the tools to become stronger, more confident speakers

This past Tuesday, my English department spent our in-service day discussing oral communication skills. We started with a discussion of Erik Palmer's Well Spoken. After reading some good reviews of Palmer's book (and seeing that Kelly Gallagher wrote the foreword), I purchased and read the book last spring and then recommended it to my department chair. She then purchased copies for every teacher in our department, and we decided the book would become the focus of a department workshop. We worked together to create what became a very productive in-service.

There are a plethora of books on public speaking out there, and as a Speech & Debate teacher and coach, I've read (and own) many of them. Palmer's new book is perhaps the best resource for teachers of any content area. It is concise (only 148 pages), clear, and organized, with practical ideas and suggestions that can easily be implemented into any classroom, not just English classrooms. The question of how to teach oral communication skills more effectively seems to come up quite a bit in my English department, and Palmer's book is the perfect little handbook full of answers and ideas to get teachers started! (You can also check out Palmer's website.)

Here are some highlights and additional thoughts on teaching public speaking skills in the classroom:

• I have heard a lot of teachers complain about how their students lack presentation skills. Others are noticing, too. In his introduction, Palmer discusses the National Association of Colleges and Employers survey. The results of "NACE's Job Outlook 2011 survey suggest that 'New college graduates looking to crack the still-tight job market need to hone their verbal communication skills...verbal communication skills topped the list of 'soft' skills they seek in new college graduates'" (5).  Palmer goes on to discuss similar findings in a survey of 104 Silicon Valley employers. Perhaps the most striking observation is that "employers sought improved oral presentation skills more frequently than they did written skills" (6). We need to readjust our thinking and teaching of oral communication and presentation skills. Instead of thinking "the presentations are so bad," we need to think about how we can better teach the skills. Also, we must provide opportunities for students to present and improve. The weak skills will not magically improve if students are only giving presentations once or twice a year, or even just once a quarter. Instead of thinking of presentations as an "add on" to our curriculum, we need to consistently integrate speaking opportunities. And not all speaking opportunities need to be formal. Think-Pair-Share discussions, group discussions, whole-class discussions, Socratic Seminars, group presentations, informal and/or impromptu presentations...all of these provide opportunities for students to practice their skills!
• Students also need an opportunity to reflect on their presentations. It's one thing for a student's teacher and peers to tell him/her what they need to work on, but it's a whole new, more meaning experience when a student sees these areas for him/herself! Palmer suggests that students tape themselves at home. I encourage teachers to videotape presentations in class! Aside from providing meaningful opportunities for students to practice their presentation skills, I believe that videotaping presentations, and having students watch and reflect on their presentations, is the best way for students to work on and improve their presentations skills. I record presentations in my Speech & Debate class (and team), of course, but I also record presentations my English 10 and IB English I students deliver. At first, students can be a bit anxious about the idea that their presentations are being videotaped, but they quickly see the incredible value of videotaped presentations! Students watch their video and write a critique in which they focus on their strengths and weaknesses and create goals for future presentations. NOTE: Be sure to include a statement and explanation about videotaped presentations in your course policies/syllabus! 
• We need to create a culture of comfort in our classrooms. Students need opportunities to practice their presentations skills, and they need to have a safe, comfortable environment in which to do so. There are many things that go into creating a "culture of comfort." Always starting with positive comments is essential to creating a "safe zone" in the classroom. Palmer tacks this idea on as almost an afterthought in his discussion of creating a "safe space": "Finally, let students know that positive comments are appreciated" (101; emphasis added). Starting with positive comments should be the first step in creating and maintaining a safe zone in the classroom. Not only do I require students to start positive when giving oral critiques, but they also have to start with positive comments when they write critiques of their own presentations. It makes a difference for confidence and comfort in the classroom.
• Students need to understand that visual aides must enhance presentations in order to be effective. All too often, students get so excited about creating their visual, be it a Power Point or a poster, and they start planning the visual before they plan their message! Palmer has a great chapter about using visual aids. I'll just add a helpful tip our librarians share with our students: the "10/20/30 rule" for Power Point presentations. 10/20/30: No more than 10 slides. No more than 20 words per slide. Size-30 font.
• Assessing presentations--Palmer emphasizes the importance of teaching and evaluating content and delivery separately, and he provides some helpful rubrics as well as some critiques of rubrics. As Palmer points out, though, "not all speeches have to include all elements of effective oral communication" (114). You can add skills onto the rubric as they're covered and practiced. You can even let students decide which elements they want to be assessed on based on their goals from their critiques. 

There is so much more I can say about the importance of public speaking and our responsibility as educators to incorporate meaningful presentations opportunities into our class activities and lessons! I'd love to hear your thoughts, comments, questions, and ideas! I'll plan to share some public speaking teaching tips every now and then in my blog posts.

Teaching: "the most overcompensated profession"? Try under-appreciated and disrespected

I spent some time grading papers at Starbucks tonight. Usually, my Starbucks grading sessions are very productive, but that was definitely not the case this evening. A group of women sipping lattes on the couches in the corner were distracting me with their loud conversation about their husbands’ inadequacies. The husband-bashing was enough to distract and annoy me, but then the conversation turned to school and teachers and I became infuriated. The four women discussed their frustrations about daycare options for when school was closed or when students don’t have school because of “teacher workdays.” One woman, the ringleader bitch, if you will, complained about the existence of teacher workdays and in-service days (“why do they even need them?”). She then went on to tell her friends that “new studies show that, when you take everything into consideration, teaching is the most overcompensated profession. I mean, think about it—they get summers off, their day is over by two or three. I should just be an f***ing teacher!” (Oh, please don’t!)

As I tried to concentrate on the in-class writings I was grading, I wondered if any of these women realized what I was doing just two tables over. Off by two or three, huh? Here it is, a Saturday night, and I’m spending my time at Starbucks grading essays. Clearly I’m overcompensated to the extent that I actually have a thriving social life!

I struggled through a couple more essays—not because the writing was poor, but because I kept thinking about these women and their view of educators. These women are the parents of children in our public schools—and this is how they view teachers? Educators deal with enough negative portrayals from a number of sources, but we really need the support of parents!

I decided that I couldn’t just leave without saying something. Unable to focus enough to fairly grade any more papers, I packed up my bag and headed out, stopping by the couches on my way out:

“Excuse me, but I couldn’t help but overhear your comments about teachers earlier.” I made eye contact with each of the four women but mainly focused on the one who had made all the negative comments. As I was speaking this first sentence, she looked at her friends and said, “Oh, God.”

Calm, but assertive, I continued: “I just wanted to say that the study I assume you’re referring to regarding teachers being overcompensated is very flawed. I am definitely not overcompensated, or even compensated for that matter, for the time I spend grading papers at a Starbucks on a Saturday night. And I’m definitely not fully compensated for all the hours I spend working on grading and planning at home in the evenings during the week. I would encourage you to look into the facts and spend a week, or even just a day, with a teacher to see everything we do. We work very hard for your children.”

No response. The ringleader just glared at me. Two of the women avoided eye contact. The fourth woman gave me a small smile and a nod and seemed to mouth something—a “thank you,” maybe, but I’m not quite sure. Then I left and they sat there in silence.

I knew I had to say something to defend our profession. I hope that I made these women think, but I wish I had said more. To think that teachers are overcompensated is absurd. No, “when you take everything into consideration,” teaching is not the “most overcompensated profession.” Rather, teachers are perhaps the most underappreciated, disrespected professionals in our society today. The conversation these four women were having, sadly, supports this notion. “Considering everything” to this woman meant the length of the contract-hour workday and summers off. But most teachers work well beyond the contract-hour workday. And the “summers off” benefit that non-educators like to throw at us is obnoxious. True, we may not be teaching during the summer, but many teachers spend time at conferences, some work with students in summer-enrichment programs and workshops, and many plan to teach new material and review and improve lessons. As an English teacher, I read and plan new works that will become a part of the curriculum the following school year. I also write letters of recommendation in the summer months because the school year is so hectic. I most definitely still work in the summer, just in a different way. Also, this woman’s notion of “considering everything” isn’t taking into consideration the insane pressure that many teachers and schools are under thanks to standardized teaching.

Teachers do not teach because of the amazing compensation and benefits. We teach because we care—about the children, their future, our future, and the subject matter. I teach high-school English because I’m passionate about literature and I love working with teenagers. For me, it’s the best of both worlds! I love what I do, but I surely don’t do it for the money. Teaching is a calling, really. No one goes into teaching for the money. In fact, one of the top reasons teachers leave the profession in the first five years is because of the salary. Someone would be crazy to go into teaching because of the pay! It’s a lot of work for the money that we make. I spend countless hours outside of contract-hours each week, including weekends, grading papers and planning lessons. But I really can’t see myself doing anything else. It’s a lot of work for an inadequate monetary pay-off, but the other rewards—seeing a student grasp a concept they had been struggling with, helping a student overcome a fear of speaking in front of others, seeing a student smile because of the ‘A’ he/she earned on a paper, having a student thank you for listening and understanding—this “compensation” is oh so worth it.

Gluten-Free Goodness in Provincetown--Karoo Kafe

Bradley and I are officially getting back into the swing of things after a wonderful, two-week vacation together. We spent the first week up on Cape Cod, and we spent our last day of that week in Provincetown. Finding places that are willing and able to accommodate gluten-free diets (not to mention all our other food allergies/intolerances) is always a challenge, especially on vacation. When we were in P-town last August, we spent a great deal of time walking up and down Commercial Street, searching for a gluten-free restaurant that we had found online. We were finally informed that the place had gone out of business. Starving, we ended up at Big Daddy's Burritos. (Ummm...yeah...) We were thankful to have found the place. Mexican food is often a safer option for us as we can usually modify the dish pretty easily. While the food rescued us from starvation that night, we had been hoping for something a bit different. 

This year, we discovered Karoo Kafe! We actually walked by Karoo Kafe in our wanderings last August and we almost stopped to check it out. While I wish that we had checked it out last year, it was an amazing discovery this trip! 

Karoo Kafe is a lovely, casual restaurant featuring South African fare. The staff was more than willing to take the time to help us figure out dishes that would work not only with our gluten-free diet, but also with our plethora of other food allergies and intolerances. 

We each enjoyed an appetizer. (Sorry I don't have a picture to share! We were so excited and started digging in right away!) Bradley had the Vegetable Pakoras and I enjoyed gluten-free falafel, one of their new items. Delicious! 

Bradley enjoyed the Curried Lamb Stew for his entree...

...and I enjoyed the Peri-Peri Chicken Wings

Amazing! I've had cravings for this dish since eating there a couple of weeks ago! Seriously. And the dish isn't too spicy. I typically can't handle much when it comes to spicy foods, but this dish was just right.

As you can see from the pictures, Karoo also offers gluten-free Redbridge beer. Awesome!

As we were finishing our meal, Sanette Groenewald (chef and owner), came out to chat with us. She explained how they've just started labeling gluten-free menu items this year. After having many guests ask if they served gluten-free dishes, Sanette realized that some of the dishes were naturally gluten-free, and others only needed some modifications. She said they used this past winter season to experiment and then rolled out the new menu this season. It's obviously a hit! In the time that we were there, Bradley and I overheard at least three other guests talking about the gluten-free dishes. Sanette is committed to working with guests to meet their dietary needs. Because everything is made fresh, it's easier to accommodate special diets. But Sanette also says she'll be honest about ingredients and possible dish creations; she won't just throw something together and claim it's safe like other places might. She's obviously very careful and committed. 

As we were heading out, the staff shared a couple of recommendations for South African restaurants in DC. We'll definitely be checking them out! (And I'll be sure to share the scoop.) And we'll definitely be back to Karoo Kafe the next time we're up in Provincetown! Unlike other business in P-town, Karoo Kafe has been around for a while. In fact, they're celebrating their 10th anniversary! Congratulations Karoo Kafe, and thanks for offering an amazing gluten-free dining experience!

Gluten-Free Goodness: Sweet Potato Waffles

I like to eat a hearty breakfast. But having a plethora of food allergies can complicate any meal--especially breakfast. Gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, potato-free, oat-free, citrus-free...these words do not really go with breakfast. While a bowl of cereal with some fruit won't cut it, I hate spending a lot of time in the kitchen, and I don't have the time during the school year. So, as a sort of compromise, I double, triple, and sometimes quadruple recipes for things like bread and sweet potato waffles, our breakfast staple. The recipe is easy, prep is quick if you plan ahead, and they are delicious! Bradley and I quadruple our sweet potato waffle recipe so that we have enough of our breakfast staple to last a week to a week and a half depending on whether we eat one or two waffles each morning.

Below is the sweet potato waffle recipe we use, along with notes about our modifications and preparation. The recipe is a modified version of Carol Fenster's recipe in Gluten-Free Celebrations (a must-have cookbook for any with celiac disease).  NOTE: This recipe is for a single batch. We quadruple this recipe each time we make it.

Recipe for a single batch of sweet potato waffles:
*1 cup of brown rice flour
*1/2 cup tapioca flour
*1/4 cup corn starch (We use corn because I'm allergic to potato. If you have a corn allergy, or just want to try a different variation, you can mix up the flours to suit your needs/tastes.)
*1 TBSP sugar (We often leave the sugar out of the mix.)
*2 tsp. baking powder
*1 tsp. cinnamon
*1/2 tsp. salt (I go easy on the salt.)
*1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
*2 TBSP canola oil
*1 medium cooked sweet potato *Be sure to see the tips below!*
*1 1/4 cups milk (We use rice and soy. For our quadrupled recipe, we use one carton of Whole Foods' rice milk--equal to 4 cups--and then one cup of soy. You could use cow milk if you don't have a problem with dairy.)
*1 tsp. vanilla

We mix all the ingredients using our Kitchen Aid stand mixer, and then we use our Krups 4-slice Belgian waffle maker to cook the waffles. These two appliances are probably tied for 3rd most-used appliance in our kitchen. First is our coffeemaker, of course, and second is our newly-purchased Ninja blender. More on the blender and some delicious, food-allergy-friendly smoothies another time... Back to the waffles...

Tips for making delicious sweet potato waffles:
*We've learned that the best way to handle the sweet potatoes is to cook them in the oven just before making the waffles. Since sweet potatoes are a staple food in our house, we bake a bunch of them at a time. We place the scrubbed and poked sweet potatoes in glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray, cover them with aluminum foil, and bake for about 45 minutes at 450 degrees. We use four sweet potatoes for our quadrupled batch of waffles. Once they're baked, the sweet potatoes are fairly easy to scoop out from the skins and add them to the batter. Another (time-saving) option for the sweet potato prep is to bake them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to make the waffles. Since it's outdoor-grilling season, Bradley has even baked some on the grill while grilling another meal to save time with this step.

*Add applesauce to keep them moist. We used to add applesauce (1/2 a cup to a cup for our quadrupled batch) to help keep the waffles moist. Bradley finds them to a bit dry, particularly when they're reheated, but the applesauce addition did the trick. Since discovering that I'm allergic to apples, this addition to the recipe is out, but Bradley still eats his waffles with applesauce.

After making a big batch for the week, we store the waffles in Ziploc freezer bags and freeze them so we can enjoy them throughout the upcoming week or two. We reheat them in the microwave using the defrost setting. Since each microwave is different, it might take a bit to find just the right setting and time to reheat your waffles to perfection.

We enjoy our sweet potato waffles with some Smart Balance and syrup or buckwheat honey. Enjoy them with some fresh fruit...and maybe a few slices of turkey bacon. The waffles have been a hit with family. We make a big fresh batch when we have guests over for breakfast.

Just be careful if you have a dog like ours...Tucker loves sweet potato and is always trying to get his paws on some of the waffles! :) Here he is waiting patiently, just hoping that the stack might fall over.

A balanced summer day

As we are now nearing the end of July (can it be true? already?!), I think I am finally settling into summer mode. In fact, I think that today was my most productive-yet-relaxing day since school let out in June! And I didn't take a nap today. (That's saying something, trust me.) The key to today? I did some school-related things, and I did some "me things." It was a wonderful balance.

I spent some time at Starbucks this morning finishing up reading through course evaluations from this past school year. Doing school work at Starbucks is always more enjoyable than working at school or at home, and reading through the course evaluations is actually enjoyable...and somewhat entertaining. It's interesting to read what the students really thought, and the variety of responses is both interesting and reassuring. Reading the evaluations reminds me just how much I love teaching. Not that there are times when I question my life-calling, but it's nice to have a mid-summer reminder.

As I left Starbucks this morning, I decided that it's okay that some of my happiest moments are teaching moments, and it's okay if I can't completely part with "teacher work" in the summer. It makes me happy, and it keeps me feeling productive, whether it's reading English Journal or other articles, reading (or re-reading) a work I'll be teaching, reviewing course evaluations, etc. In fact, it's probably healthy that I don't drop the" teacher work" all summer. I don't want my students to stop reading during the summer, so why should I stop learning, preparing, and improving over the summer? No, this is by no means revolutionary, I realize that. But today I had a moment in which I recognized and fully embraced this truth. And then, for the whole afternoon and evening, I did "me" things--I organized photo albums, played my violin, and read a book that I'm not planning on teaching. Today was balanced.

A relaxing, gluten-free get-away in Annapolis, MD

This past Friday, Bradley and I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary. To celebrate, we took a short trip to Annapolis, MD. Bradley planned the entire trip, and he did a wonderful job! The trip was relaxing and refreshing! (Yes--I really did relax.)

We arrived in Annapolis Thursday afternoon and checked into the lovely Marriott on the waterfront. Then we went on our first sail (ever) aboard the Woodwind. (We learned that the Woodwind is the sailboat featured in The Wedding Crashers.)We had a two-hour sail out to the Chesapeake Bay. The crew was wonderful, and the weather was just perfect for sailing! Bradley would love to learn to sail and (eventually) own a sailboat, so this was a good test for us. Neither of us had been sailing before, and I am prone to motion sickness. We passed the test, though! We both enjoyed the sail, Bradley even had a chance to help raise the sails, and I did fine wearing my "sea bands"! Hopefully more sailing is in our future!

After our sail, we freshened up and then headed out to dinner. Bradley had made reservations at Chart House after doing some research online and seeing that they were known for accommodating special diets, specifically celiac disease. We took a water taxi over to Chart House (right across the river from the Marriott). When we first started looking at the menu, I was very discouraged. But when we told our server, Jason, that we had several food allergies, he assured us that they could provide a great meal for us and he brought out Chef Chris LaCasse.Chef LaCasse was amazing! He spent several minutes talking with us about our food allergies and intolerances...and we certainly presented him with quite the list! 

We started by telling Chef that we both have celiac disease and, therefore, cannot eat gluten. Additionally, we are both allergic to eggs, and Bradley is extremely lactose intolerant and I can only tolerate small amounts of dairy. Then we went on to some of my other allergies. I'm allergic to beef and fish. There was only one chicken dish on the menu, so I asked if he might be able to modify that dish. "Not a problem," he said, and then we went over the modifications. The side for the chicken entree is a potato dish, but I'm allergic to potato. Chef said he would make me grilled chicken breast with asparagus sauteed in olive oil and garlic. Perfect! We let him know that I'm also allergic to citrus, just in case. Bradley's dish was easier to modify. Bradley and Chef worked out a salmon dish with green beans sauteed in olive oil and garlic. 

Then Chef asked if we would like any appetizers and we told him that we had been eyeing up the Hummus Trio. Chef let said that we couldn't have the edamame hummus, but the other two were safe. Also, since the pita chips were obviously out and the plantain chips are fried in a shared fryer, Chef said he would prepare slices of cucumber and carrots. He was concerned that the traditional hummus has a bit of lemon juice in it, but I told him I could "cheat" a little bit with the little bit of lemon juice. (And I cheated a bit more with one glass of wine, too--a delicious Pinot Grigio our server recommended. But, thankfully, my citrus/citric acid intake was small enough and I didn't have any swelling!)

Dinner was delicious! Chef LaCasse came out again during our meal to see how everything turned out. Fantastic! We were so impressed with the service and the food at Chart House and had such a wonderful anniversary dinner! We were so excited (and hungry!) that we didn't think of taking a picture until it was too late. Next time!

After dinner, we took the water taxi back to the Marriott and then walked around downtown Annapolis for a bit. Pretty much everything was closed, but the town was all lit up. It turns out that there was a Lincoln commercial being filmed that night. Below is a shot of the downtown "square" area lit up. Here's a link to more photos of the shoot: http://www.flickr.com/phot​​os/9628602@N03/sets/72157​6​27146384826/ (Flicker pics taken by a guy we met downtown)

Friday morning we had fruit (bananas) and coffee at the downtown Starbucks. (This was a very small breakfast for us, but it is extremely difficult to eat breakfast out with all of our food issues!) We walked around the harbor and the shops for a bit and then we headed home where we were lazy and watched two movies (The Joneses and One Week) via Netflix Friday afternoon/evening! See, I did relax! :) It was a wonderful little get-away!