Running a Coffee Cafe in Class Offers So Many Lessons for Students

At 9 a.m. on certain Wednesday mornings, the students in Maria Goldman’s room “perk up” because they know it is coffee day and time for them to go to work. For the next 40 minutes, they’ll be taking orders, making change and sending their customers out the door with a to-go cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

The class started a coffee café selling hot beverages to staff several times a month. Instead of Wednesday morning DEAR time (drop everything and read), these students are setting up the sign in the hallway, putting on their aprons and plastic gloves, filling up the Keurig machines with water, setting out cups, lids, creamer and sugar, and counting change.

On the days it operates, the café draws a dedicated stream of new and repeat customers from the staff at the middle school and the district office. All beverages are $1.50 and only staff can purchase.

The Amherst Central Perk coffee shop was the brainchild of Mrs. Goldman to provide her sixth- to eighth-grade special education students with an opportunity to learn about running a business, various jobs, customer service and communication skills. Since the pandemic put a hold on work-study programs outside of the classroom, this project has shown the students what goes into running a business and how to be a good employee.

“In previous years, we have had students do work study programs at Anderson’s and TJ Maxx, but due to safety concerns amid the pandemic, it was wiser to discontinue that for now,” said Mrs. Goldman. “The coffee shop is the perfect solution to allow the students to gain those skills right here at school.”

Proceeds are put right back into the business to purchase supplies and an donation is made annually to the Tiger's Den Food Pantry that serves district families and operates in partnership with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. 

“The students are definitely improving in their ability to do their jobs correctly and well. They are moving faster and with more confidence each week. The students are using their communication skills, eye contact, functional money skills and listening skills every time they work at the coffee shop in an environment with trusted teachers and staff cheering them on,” said Mrs. Goldman. 

They even created merchandise; a white coffee cup with a painted image of an orange mug. The students painted the mugs in art class and the art teacher fired them in the kiln. With a price of $5, the mugs sold out in just one morning.

It’s an assembly line process and, depending on the order, cups are marked with a “C” or “T” or “HC” and placed in line to be filled. One Keurig is dedicated to hot chocolate, one for hot water and two for coffee. Each machine is manned by a different student. Others are runners, taking the cups from the machines to the customer. It’s a streamlined operation and they all work together so a customer does not wait long for their order. They all share in the jobs and they rotate from being the Barista to being the support staff.

Mrs. Goldman even started an Employee of the Week and that student’s photo is displayed right near the order area.

"I love stepping into the coffee shop every Wednesday morning! Mrs.Goldman's students always greet their guests with a cheerful hello and it truly brightens my day," said Christina Klein, middle school art teacher. "It's something that I look forward to each week! With our district unable to take field trips this year, the cafe has been a creative way to boost morale and build school community connections, all while bringing valuable experiences to our AMS students. It allows Mrs. Goldman's class a chance to practice conversation while using eye contact, making change for customers, and other valuable skills."

“The biggest surprise for me, other than the lines out the door, is the teamwork among the kids,” said Mrs. Goldman. “These are kids who don't typically initiate conversations with others and now they are talking to each other, helping one another and expressing their needs to get the orders filled. It's putting all of their hard work in speech and the classroom to real world use!”