One method we like to use in cooking school is a "kickstarter"; it's basically a way to break the ice and get students to offer feedback on an event or topic that may be only loosely related to the curriculum. Every Wednesday, for example, I would read the New York Times restaurant review at the start of class. It became easier to elicit feedback and "prime the pumps", because we could all relate to a dining experience either as a customer, cook or server.
