"Amuse-Bouche" What Does It Mean?
Amuse Bouche comes from French cuisine and means "mouth amuser." It's a small, bite-sized appetizer served before a meal, meant to surprise and delight the diner—often showcasing the chef's creativity and setting the tone for the experience ahead.
So how does this idea translate into teaching?
As a Teaching Strategy, some Amuse-Bouche examples
Introduces a lesson in a playful or intriguing way.
Sparks curiosity or emotion.
Set the tone for deeper learning.
Examples of "Amuse-Bouche" Activities in Teaching
A provocative quote or image on the board when students walk in
A short poem or video clip to open a discussion
A mystery object or artifact related to the lesson
A 5-minute free write on a surprising question ("What does silence sound like?")
A mini storytelling moment that ties into the day's topic
What does Amuse-Bouche in teaching Poetry look like? For Example:
Hall Duty Poem
Noor floats by, a lesser version of herself (she, who soared through debates, folded her mind around Shakespeare to find a new crease).
It takes a second before I understand the tableau unfolding in front of me.
Between Home Room and Calculus, this girl has decided the boy beside her (tall. blonde, an athlete) is her true North.
She orbits. He texts, distracted.
in the face of her attention. There is no room for both of them here, so Noor subtracts: certainty, decibel levels, wing-span;
folds herself into an envelope,
tightly serene. Later in the day, I see her laughing down the hall, brighter, light as rainwater returns to the morning stream.
understand these
Juxtapositions, see the same folds in my own story, in my mothers friends', cousins neighbours
I want to show her each version of herself as a star (one dull, one bright) a galaxy of choices between them,
a Milky Way of hope and string theory.
Amy Sheral
She will learn, one day, both versions belong to her, will heed her again and again, regardless, settings of where (or for whom) she leaves.
Strategy #1: Empathy Through Portraiture
Poem: "Hall Duty
Habit of Mind: Listening with Understanding and Empathy
Objective: Build descriptive awareness + empathy by stepping into another's shoes.
Build Engagement
Share a few 3-line portraits aloud (voluntary, option to 'read for
friend).
Quick discussion: "How does imagining change our response?"
Empathy Through Portraiture in the Classroom – What It Means
Empathy through portraiture is a teaching approach where students explore, create, or engage with portraits—visual or narrative representations of real people—to better understand different perspectives, emotions, and lived experiences. Portraits become windows into someone else's world. They help students see and feel what life is like for another person, building emotional connection and understanding.
What Does Portraiture Include?
In education, "portraiture" can mean more than just art. It can be:
Visual portraits (paintings, photographs, self-portraits)
Written portraits (biographies, character sketches, poetry).
Storytelling or identity work (sharing lived experiences).
Student-created projects about themselves or others.
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