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 Observations from visiting the grandchildren’s cafeteria
by Tom Campbell
October 1, 2009
Grandparents never get enough face time with their grandchildren so my wife decided to surprise our two elementary school students recently by having lunch with them. The grandchildren were thrilled to see and show her off to friends proving again that spending time with children is more important than spending money on them.
First impressions are important. The cafeteria was clean and attractive but the food on this day wasn’t very appealing. Judging by what was on the trays the children weren’t thrilled with the choices. If we want kids to eat nutritious food it must look as well as taste good. It was equally interesting watching the choices children brought from home. What our children eat can go a long way in promoting good health and fighting childhood obesity.
During the two periods spent in the cafeteria approximately 20 teachers escorted classes in to eat. Teachers definitely need breaks from their students during the day, but it was surprising just how little interaction occurred between teachers and students during lunch hour.
One teacher started off segregating her students into three lines: those who receive free lunch, those who brought their lunch and those who chose to eat in the cafeteria. Wonder if the free lunch kids felt a bit awkward? This same teacher spent most of the period criticizing her students in a loud voice, telling them she was taking points off for various actions they took. This teacher certainly wasn’t enjoying this lunch period and we bet her students weren’t either. That can’t be good for small digestive systems and doesn’t make lunch period something to look forward to each day.
Why do we accept teachers who apparently don’t like children? Like the old axiom, I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care. Kids are smart enough to know when teachers like them and they learn better in an environment where it is obvious the teacher cares. To prove this point, think back on the teachers who made a difference in your life.
One young teacher stood out from the rest. One little boy, obviously upset, was crying in the lunchroom. This teacher quietly went over, spoke soothing words to the youngster and patted him on the shoulder. The boy immediately brightened up. As the period was ending my wife approached the teacher and told her she was impressed how the teacher had treated this young student, telling the teacher she was making a real difference in the lives of young people and was a credit to her profession. The teacher teared up and said, “Nobody has ever said anything like that to me before.”
Why not? Parents, grandparents, school administrators, all of us need to open our eyes to those teachers who are making a difference and tell them so frequently. Part of a role of the principal is to observe how teachers interact with students and give them feedback. Teaching is a difficult profession. There are plenty pointing out what is wrong, so when something is right we need to say so. A little loving kindness and encouragement might be the spark needed to turn a good teacher into a great one.
You can learn a lot by visiting a school cafeteria. Try it soon and share what you observed with others. |
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