We have put together the following guidance for teaching A Taste of African Heritage (ATOAH), A Children’s Taste of African Heritage (ACTOAH), and A Taste of Latin American Heritage in these challenging times.

  • We recommend teachers transition to a virtual learning environment.
  • Virtual classes must be taught “live” (streaming vs. recorded), and have a way for students to ask questions in real time and participate in the class virtually.
  • Excellent options for streaming live virtual classes include: Google Hangouts, Skype, Zoom, Facebook Live, Instagram Live, Whatsapp, and more.
  • Replays, recorded, and pre-recorded videos of classes cannot under any circumstances be posted online. Recorded videos cannot be posted on Youtube, Vimeo, Facebook, or other video sharing services. 
  • For cooking tips and ideas, please visit the Oldways resource library, YouTube channel, and A Taste of African Heritage Facebook group.
  • To make classes as secure as possible, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking advantage of all security features (such as the waiting room feature on Zoom) and double checking advanced participant settings before going live.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What platforms can I use for online teaching?

Online classes must be taught “live” (streaming vs. recorded), and have a way for students to ask questions in real time and participate in the class virtually.

Tools that can be used include Facetime, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Whatsapp, FB Live, Instagram, and more.

Facetime: This application is free. An iPad, iPhone, or Apple computer is needed to use.

Zoom: This application is free but the sessions are limited to 40 minutes. For unlimited time, the cost is $15/month or $150/year.

Can I record my classes?

To simplify the cooking demo aspect of classes, cooking videos may be recorded ahead of time and then played at the appropriate time during the class. However, these videos must not be posted in a public forum. Replays, recorded, and pre-recorded videos of classes cannot under any circumstances be posted online. Recorded videos cannot be posted on Youtube, Vimeo, Facebook, or other video sharing services.

How can I share my materials with my students?

There are many ways you can share your materials with your students:

  1. All current A Taste of African Heritage (ATOAH) licensees of the curriculum will be sent a PowerPoint version of the curriculum. They can use this as a guide when teaching their students. For teachers who had purchased the printed Teacher’s Manual and Student Handbooks for their classes, who then had to transition to online teaching and want to utilize slides for the remaining classes, please contact Kamisha@oldwayspt.org
  2. Teachers can split the curriculum using Adobe Split. The curriculum is in PDF format and a person can pick and choose to turn specific pages into separate documents. You can use this to email your students lesson by lesson. Or send them specific pages in the curriculum. 
  3. You may share your materials with your students in a CLOSED Facebook group, where only your students have access to the information. This can also serve as a place for students to ask questions, discuss materials, and for them to contact you.

How long should my classes be?

The length of classes are up to the teacher’s discretion, so long as the majority of the topics are covered. In-person A Taste of African Heritage classes are usually 1 ½ — 2 hours. However, feel free to cut down the time or expand as needed. If there were certain recipes or topics that you did not have time to get to given time constraints, please let us know when you send us the student surveys and/or teacher evaluations. Teaching the classes as intended is important to help us continue to have positive, measurable impacts on health. We understand that this is a difficult time and we want to be as flexible as possible while still staying true to the general guidelines of the curriculum.

Can I still charge for my classes?

Teachers may still charge a small fee for classes.

What equipment do I need for my online class?

  • Computer with Camera
  • Webcam (if you don’t have a camera already built into your computer)
  • Webcam’s are available to purchase online, below is one we recommend: Amcrest 1080P Webcam, $65 on Amazon.com

Note: Ensure that you have a stable wifi connection. You can connect an ethernet cord directly to your laptop for a clearer connection.

How many students can attend my classes?

The number of attendees for your classes is up to your discretion.

Are there any examples of a cooking class that I can view?

View an A Taste of African Heritage cooking demonstration.

Are there any current A Taste of African Heritage online classes that I can attend?

All current classes are listed in our class directory.

Who can I contact if I have more questions?

Reach out to Sarah, our Heritage Diets Curriculum Coordinator, if you have any questions, have an idea to share, and to let us know how your streaming classes are going! Wishing you good health and good luck with your classes!

Sarah Anderson
Email: sanderson@oldwayspt.org