If teaching is challenging, just imagine how demanding teaching kids how to cook can be.
We spoke to home economics teachers to find out how they get through the day without having a Gordon Ramsay-sized tantrum.
And before we even got near a hot stove, it became clear modern home economics teachers are tougher than the skin on Granny Ina’s porridge.
They need to be in order to hold the attention of a whole classroom filled with youngsters and a huge variety of tools and utensils that are either slicy, pointy or burny!
So the first talent you must have as a home economics teacher is knowing what will inspire kids to cooking greatness yet keep them from injuring themselves or burning down the school with a forgotten casserole.
In the heat of the kitchen classroom, it’s not just a case of fiddling with buttons when the projector starts playing up – it’s dealing with a pressure cooker dangerously full of clootie dumplings. And this needs a careful eye and a steady hand.
Home economics is about much more than food however. It combines aspects of science and nutrition, as well as parenting skills and finance.
There are also many out-of-hours activities.
Don’t worry though, this isn’t homework marking that involves sampling burnt scones.
It can mean day trips to organic farms and fruitmarkets or evenings spent in the company of masterchefs.
One teacher we spoke to had just accompanied her class on a food and culture tour of Italy that took in Pompeii, Sorrento, Rome and Milan over five days of a school trip.
So what do you need to sample a taste of la dolce vita in teaching?
Well, before you start warming the oven at gas mark 4, you’ll need to gain qualifications.
A degree in consumer studies, food and consumer studies, or consumer and textile studies can be paired with a Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE).
This will set you on your way to getting your first class making cookies.
Aberdeen, Dundee and Strathclyde University all offer the PGDE in Home Economics.
Once you have your relevant degree – with 80 Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF) points in food, consumer, food technology or textile technology – you can get the apron to go with the mortar board. Oh, and a salary that will range from just over £22,000 up to £36,000.
And now, with a little help from s1jobs, let’s set the oven timer to cook your career to perfection.