Another thread is discussing student birthdays. It made me think of an issue we dealt with this spring., and I wondered how some of you feel about the issue, or how your school deals with it? Our state has been really pushing health care-rightfully so! We had to implement a schoolwide health plan this spring. They didn't want to out and out forbid sweets for birthdays, holidays, or rewards, BUT they are strongly encouraging that more healthy foods are chosen for these things. I do think this is important, but somehow, I don't really think an occassional m&m or tootsie roll reward is the real culprit. Maybe pop and chips, etc. and sitting in front of the tv from 4 until bedtime may have a bigger impact. Oh, well, we need to start somewhere, I guess.
There has been rumor about a plan like that at my school. I think it's a good idea. There are a lot of snacks that can be brought in that are healthy. We have "snack time" in my room and we already have the rule that it has to be a healthy snack. I very rarely give candy as treats. When I do give treats, I always have some type of non-food treat available as well. I agree that it's important to have some kind of plan. I'm amazed at how overweight some of my 3rd graders are. It is really sad.
I have a daily snack time in my classroom, and the parents provide the snack. At the start of the year, I give them a list of "OK snacks/Not OK snacks." On my not OK list are: candy, soda, cupcakes, twinkies, chips of any sort, etc. On my OK list are: fruit, yogurt, pretzels, cheese sticks, graham crackers, veggie sticks, etc. I tell parents that for birthdays, we relax these rules, but cupcakes are still OUT. They just make too big of a mess. I encourage other things: Rice Krispies treats, frozen fruit bars, doughnut holes, cookies, etc. These things are treats - once in a while splurges - and that's what celebrations are for! It's the parents that allow this kind of junk, and worse, on a daily basis that are ruining the kids' health. I had one kid this year who ate McDonald's EVERY DAY for breakfast. His mom told me all of this: she would drop his big sister off at school, and they'd have a half hour to kill before this kid had to be at school. He'd have, no lie, 3 hash browns and a Sprite for breakfast. For snack, he'd bring a Trix yogurt (which may as well be candy for all the sugar that's in it) and, waiting in the car for him after school was one of those individual bags of chips and another soda, because he was always "starving." Then, he'd go home and not want lunch (wonder why?), so she'd put him to bed for his nap with an 8 oz BOTTLE! of milk. Needless to say, at four, this kid is already about 85 lbs. Kim
Yesterday we celebrated a student's birthday. She brought in cut up fruit (melon, strawberries and grapes) and marshmallows. She also had skewers and we made fruit kebobs! The kids loved it and it was healthy. I had other classroom teachers come in and make their own too with the leftovers.
Ah-ha! My state is one that has banned any food rewards from schools. The schools have strict guidelines that they have to follow for breakfast and lunch. We are allowed to have 9 "celebrations" which include our three parties. We have found that if we can tie a framework with using food, we can use it in the classroom (like making graphs with candy, or teaching fractions with Hershey bars). I celebrate student birthdays by letting them be a line leader for the day. Also I give them a pencil, sticker to wear, postcard (with a note from me), and a book that I've purchased for them. I actually get a lot of books from Scholastic for cheap or with bonus points and put in a bin. They get to choose which book they want. I also tell parents that since we are not allowed to celebrate with food, that they may donate a book to our classroom library by the child.
Great ideas Miss W. I wish we would have a similar policy. One thing that our school does allow is that when the child brings in a treat that child can go around and give each teacher one. In turn the teacher gives the child a treat in return, it can be candy, a pencil, bookmark etc. I think that is an awful policy. I think it teaches kids that it is OK to go and give someone something and expect something is return. Plus we have 400 kids in our school so it does get quite expensive.
California is currently working on a new health in schools policy. Rosieo the treat exchange at your school is bizarre. What a waste of time and money.
There is a charter school in my district called Healthy Living Charter School. I've heard great things about it.
Hi I my name is Cathy and I work at a Catholic school in CA where we are dealing with the same issue. I agree that a treat once in a while is alright but if there is never an alternative than the kids will continue to eat too many sweets. There are so many alternatives that are fun. I had one parent bring in mini cupcakes. The birthday girl was happy and so were the kids but they got a lot less sugar and fat than eating a regular cupcake. Unfortunately some parents are not doing enough to provide healthy food for their children so the burden does fall to the schools to help educate them and their children about better eating habits. Cathy
hmmm....i understand about having healthy snacks for daily snacking, but if it's a student's birtday they should be allowed to bring in a cake or something. i mean geez...who wants to have some cut up bananas for your birthday? but maybe i'm just young *lol*
Massachusetts has also recently put a law into effect that says that all schools must have a health and wellness plan in place by the upcoming school year. There has been a lot of talk about healthy and unhealthy snacks. I do try to avoid candy and things for rewards, but I don't see anything wrong with a student bringing in some cookies to pass out on his/her birthday. Is one cookie really going to kill them? I think not! haha
One treat will not do much to a child. It deals with their daily diet and how much exercise they get.
Uhhh...have you ever had to take the time to serve cake or ice cream to a class of at least 20? Have you ever had a parent bring a cake or ice cream AND not offer to come back when it's time to serve it AND not bring plates/bowls/forks/spoons? Ugh! Cupcakes are better but they do crumble all over. Even if you do get fresh fruit as a treat it is something different and special and it's not like they aren't going home and having pizza, soda, and cake that night with their family and then on the weekend when they have yet another party or sleepover with friends. I think our country has set a crazy precedent on overcelebrating things.
I also teach in Arkansas, and our school is doing exactly what Miss W's school does in regards to the new nutritional guidelines. Last summer, I was VERY skeptical (and cynical) about implementing these new guidelines, feeling that my kids weren't getting fat on the 3 skittles I was giving them for winning a game, BUT!...I have actually enjoyed having these guidelines to follow. In years past it seemed like we were having treats ALL the time, in addition to candy for rewards, etc... Now, my kids know that I can't give them candy, so they've pretty much stopped asking for a reward (funny, kids don't seem to ask when it's a sticker, or to line up first for lunch! ) In my class, the behavior system I use incorporates a "class party" (that the kids get to vote for) when all have attained 5 stars on their behavior calendars. Last year the kids would ALWAYS choose some sort of unhealthy snack, but this year they knew the guidelines and would vote for things like an extra recess, or to babysit a beanie baby for a day...non-food things! And when they DID vote for food, it was a fruit party! Kind of expensive for me, but I have never seen 22 kids eat that much fruit!! All this being said, even if your state/school district does not have nutritional guidelines in place, make small changes in your classroom. One thing that was on the "okay" list for parents to send for a treat was the individual cups of ice cream (what is it, 4 oz.?) That seemed to be enough of a treat for birthdays that no one seemed to miss the cupcakes and cookies!
We have strict guidelines in Texas also. I agree that the kids expected a treat before , and now they know we cannot give it to them. It is so nice when they get to have a treat - they REALLY appreciate it!
Thanks, everyone, for all your comments! It is so interesting and helpful hearing all your perspectives on this issue!! Divey, it is good to hear the positives that came out of your school's plan! I was wondering if rice krispy bars-the original ones, made with marshmallows-were on your list of acceptable snacks. My oldest son is diabetic and that is on his list of acceptable snacks. Putting you on the spot....but do you remember any other things off your school's list? :thanks: (Viola, I, too, hate those times when parents send treats that take up too much of my teaching time. Root Beer floats are the worst!! Scooping out rock hard ice cream into cups for 25 kids!!! I don't mean to sound ungracious for the treat, but I wish parents realized what an extra chore it can be. )
I don't think that rice krispy treats were on the "okay" list...although I wouldn't swear to it. I didn't use snacks in my 2nd grade room often, so am not totally familiar with what is/is not acceptable, but am trying to remember what my friends in kindergarten used. Things that I can remember are animal crackers, goldfish crackers, pretzels, raisins, fruit, 100% fruit juice/popsicles/snacks, (I think granola bars were okay too) and only in the recommended serving size. (funny story...when my sped kids would do a cooking activity in their class they would bring me one of their treats. The first treat I got this year was a sno-cone...mmmm..it looked sooo good. Then when i took my first bite i puckered completely up b/c it had been made with 100% cranberry juice! rofl!!!).
Our district is putting in place a wellness policy- hoping to get our kids/families to pay attention to healthy living. For the sweet treats on b-days, I feel like I am losing the battle. I've always sent notes home encouraging parents not to send sweets (espeically the dreaded messy cupcakes) but they keep coming...
Ran across this site and thought of this discussion from a while back about healthier snacks in the classroom. Thought it was pretty cool and that it might be helpful! The Home page: http://www.dole5aday.com/index.jsp Creating a Five A Day Classroom: http://www.dole5aday.com/Teachers/ClassroomResources/Instructional/T_Create5ADClassroom.jsp
That's a great site for incorporating a more healthy lifestyle into the classroom! Thanks for the ideas! I don't think I focused on my student's health the first year I taught. I think I did what a lot of first year teachers do and that is discipline with candy. It's a dangerous and expensive road to go down!
I am also in a school where cupcakes are handed out daily by birthday students to every teacher. I think that I am going to suggest this wellness plan at our first meeting. I never liked the cupcake thing, besides who knows what is "really" in those things anyway?
I make the students bring in healthy food for parties, and they bring a few sweets to go along with it. As for the birthdays, we celebrate them at lunchtime.
I didn't use candy at all last year because I had a student who was a diabetic. I used cheapo oriental trading trinkets in my 'goodie' box...as for b-days...I figure if cupcakes are coming...make the most of it. It is the child's birthday and that is okay...it wasn't a daily occurance. We would have them at the end of the day...custodians just loved birthday days.
Two years ago we implemented a "Crunchy Munchy, Juicy Fruity" snack program at my school (supported by donations form local businesses). At least 3 times each week we receive a bin of seasonal fruit or cut-up veggies to offer the students. The students may help themselves throughout the day as they need. Unfortunately, it hasn't stopped them bringing the unhealthy recess and lunch snacks, but my students really enjoyed it and missed it when we didn't have it. Once each term we had a "Healthy Lunch" pot-luck lunch in my room where each student brought a dish from one of the 4 food groups to share--this was a big hit! I don't think that we can change the students' eating habits completely, but we can certainly help.
We also have strict guidelines about not rewarding with food items. Also we are only allowed 3 parties a year (Christmas, Valentines and Last Day of School). When we first started this 3 years ago parents weren't even allowed to bring cupcakes for their students birthdays (this has since changed because the state got a lot of complaints) These are some of the approved snacks that I ask parents to supply: Trisquits, raisins, low sugar cereal, fruit snacks, 94% fat free popcorn, graham crackers, animal crackers, trail mix.
I'm very glad our school only allows birthday "treats" if they are brought into the lunch room and served during lunch time. Parents have to come in and do it themselves, unless they send something simple that their child can hand out at the lunch table. It keeps me from taking valuable instructional time to scoop ice cream, and cut cake.
Birthday Books My mentor did something similar to what is done at Miss W's school. For their birthday each child brought in a wrapped book that they had already read with their parents. Then the rest of the class had to play 20 questions to see if they could guess the book (e.g. Have we read a book by this author before? Is it informational? etc.). Then the student could choose to read the book to the class, have the teacher read it, or have their parent or sibling come in to read to the class. The book was then donated to the class library. The families usually included a picture of the child and a note with the date inside the book. The children always loved to look back at other books my mentor had received over the years, like ones from older siblings or friends. It was a really fun tradition and avoided sweets altogether! It was also helpful that the whole 2nd grade team adhered to this policy so that no students felt left out.
