UGH!!!! We're not allowed to have candy!!!

We were told this year that there isn't to be any cupcakes or candy sent for birthday parties. No candy rewards. eek. When we introduced fractions we read the Hersheys Candy Bar fraction book, I don't remember the name, but we gave each student a plain chocolate candy bar and divided it in half, fourths and etc as we read the book. Guess, we aren't going to be allowed to do that activity. We gave a mint candy before our big state test, with a note of encouragement attached, after the test we gave the students an apple.

Our students love dill pickles. We are going to try giving the tiny stickers on a chart, when the chart is full they earn a dill pickle and some of the things that have already been memtioned.

Teachers are not allowed to have cake even in the teachers lounge. We draw names and bake a cake for each other to celebrate our birthdays. I don't think teachers will appreciate dill pickles.

It gets harder every year.

 

ARGGHHHHHHHH! I truly appreciate the health conscious attitude of the state, but come on......what other job regulates what you can eat on your lunch break?? Some teachers leave school grounds at lunch to smoke....will we eventually be forced to leave school grounds to eat cake?? HEE HEE

Seriously, we do skittle graphing, we made Missouri shaped cookies and used candies to represent important cities, blue icing for major rivers as well as making johnny cakes and homemade butter at Thanksgiving. I wonder if all of this will be banned for my school?

 

Try www.reallygoodstuff.com. They have cheap pencils that you can get whatever you want printed on. They have other reward stuff, too.

Are you in MD? We have a new policy that says the same thing. No candy, regulates the vending machines and the cafeteria, etc.
Kim

 

kimrandy1,
I'm in Missouri.

 

Good for you! How exciting!

Good for you and especilly the kids! Obecity is a problem that should be taken seriously and maybe this is a good way to get everyone focused on not using candy for educational purposes?

If the kids need to be bribed, maybe using money-token systems of some sort or marbles could do the same trick?

Your classroom is likely to be filled with kids less high on sugar. Great for getting them to focus better.

Remember: You set the standards. You'll do great without candy and you have gotten many great tips about alternatives here.
And who says you have to hand out something? Limit handing things out to once every term to help the kids focus long-term. Great for the economy too. It is not necessary to hand out stuff to be a good teacher.

Keep us updated on how it turns out

 

As long as I can sneak some caffeine into MY system at some point during the day, I think I'll be ok!!

 

I hear that!!!

 

I'm going to use the popcorn in a jar idea. When the class is showing great behavior, I will put a scoop or three into an apple shaped jar. When the jar is full, we'll have a popcorn party.
This works great for class behavior, but not so great for the individual.

So...I'm also using the green/yellow/red/ traffic signal. If the child stays on green all day, they get a stamp on a chart. When they get to 10 stamps, they can choose from the treasure box. Inside the box I'll put stickers, small trinkets and yes...the dreaded candy!!! I don't think one piece of Starburst every ten days will cause them to gain weight.

 

As a parent, who has to deal with children not having candy or nuts due to retainers, I appreciate teachers who give out (and my daughters especially like) small "bug" toys, free choice time, cool pencils w/ eraser top, instead of the candy.

I've had many times when my children came home with candy in their backpack as a "reward." Nothing like handing out a piece of candy my child can't eat!

 

Okay! That is a really cool idea! I do class celebrations every once in a while, and that will be a great addition!

We started with the new nutritional guidelines in AR last year, and I went into it kicking and screaming! My theory was that my kids weren't getting fat on the 3 skittles that I was giving them for winning a game! HOWEVER!!!!! I absolutely LOVE not being able to give my kids candy. They know that I can't, so instead of asking "will I get candy if I do this/that?" they don't usually ask for ANY reward (I'm thinking b/c they're not really sure what to ask for!)! I'll let kids that win a game get a treat out of the treat jar. Usually when kids ask "what do we get if we ____?" (BIG pet peeve of min, btw), my standard reply is "the satisfaction of a job well done!" (not a big hit with 2nd graders! ). Now that they can't get candy, they actually ARE satisfied with a job well done! Trust me...after the initial shock of no-candy-land...you'll LOVE it!

 

If you hold the bubble wand up in front of your air conditioner it will send tons of bubbles throughout the room! I always have alternate snacks for those who have to have sugar free/non-chewy/etc.

 

"Air conditioner"???

 

Yes. What IS that???

(I do love the bubbles idea, though!)

 

I saw an art teacher who rewarded students with points at each table who was on task, ready to work, etc. The table who got to whatever number of points first got their artwork put on stickers! She bought those full-page labels and scanned or photographed a drawing of the student's choice to make into a sheet of stickers for them. I know the labels can be expensive, but it's a cute idea, very personalized, and motivating!

 

I don't know what we'd do without the airconditioner here in the south! It was 106 today- with the humidity at about a majillion percent !

I also had the green/yellow/red traffic light but this year our whole school has to do the same behavior system! I wonder how long it will take ME to remember the new colors!

 

I do have to say though that even though I think SOME candy is OK, there are some great ideas here! Thanks so much to everyone for sharing them!!!

In response to this though, I'd like to say that I never make a child choose candy; they always have an option to choose from those or small prizes such as erasers or stickers.

 

From what I understand, a parent can let their child bring what they wish; however, a teacher or member from the school can not give a unapproved snack to them, but a parent may not let their child bring an unapproved snack if it is going to be given to other students. I recently bought packages of peanut butter crackers to give to my students as reward (48 packages for 4 dollars).

 

I live in Oklahoma and we aren't allowed to give any candy! When we have our parties (Christmas and Valentines) we can not have any candy. We send home notes about the party saying please do not send candy and we give them a paper with suggested healthy snacks from the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

 

That sounds good, but what happens for the child allergic to peanuts!!

 

How about things like this instead:
http://www.smalltoys.com/c-1-15-cents.html

I buy from them all the time and they're easy to deal with. If you scroll down a page or two, you'll see things like toy compasses at $0.05 each. They're cheaply made (duh!) but kids love them!

 

I think it is good that states are regulating what students are being fed, I just hope they do it in the lunchroom as well. I don't think a small piece of candy now and then will hurt anyone, esp. if the lunchroom was teaching good eating habits by having healthy choices. I wish these "state legislators" could spend a few days in the classrooms before they make decisions like that, I mean who does it really hurt to have an M&M or a skittle (in moderation) and it is a fun reward to have along with other choices like the stickers/pencils/etc. Oh well. I will probably just do small rewards and porbably some sort of "money" system. I am not sure what Ohio's standard sare about candy, I will have to find out...

 

You're right!

You're right! You're not going to believe this, but I have fifth graders and I did the "bubble bath" and they loved it! Who knew my "grown-up" fifth graders would enjoy something so simple.

 

way around no candy rule.

Use the small fruit treats. I asked my parents to send some. They are ninja turtle fruit snacks.They are pure sugar. Also you could use fruit roll ups.Take your scissors and cut them into about one inch lengths and hand them out like candy. How about fruit loops or some other sugary cereal? Where theres a will us teachers will find a way.

 

You can leave the school grounds??!! We can't!

As a parent I don't mind teachers not being able to use candy in lessons (though we still can). I do mind that at our cultural holidays we can't do it in the style we've always done it. Come on...a halloween party without halloween candy?

 

another idea!! I just used gummy worms this past week. They are "100% fruit gummy worms" That is what it says on the package.

 

I heard today that there are schools telling teachers that they can not have candy in the building! If they want to regulate the kids, to teach them about nutririon--that is up to the school board, but if I want to have a piece of chocolate...

 

I give out stickers (just a few) during class time when students are following directions. The kids love it. They put them on their shirts for the rest of the day.

Also, I have warning sticks as part of my discipline plan in the classroom. If a student has not received a warning stick for the day, they get to pick out of the prize box. I draw two names of students to do this. The incentive is for them to make good choices for the day for the chance to choose from the prize box. (stuff I have bought from the dollar store that will probably break before they get it home)

 

I am a teacher as well as a parent in this same district. A few weeks my son took a peanut butter sandwich (not a homemade one but a frozen uncrustable). The nurse, who polices the lunches brought from home, told him she didn't think he could bring those because they have too much fat. I sent another one the next thinking he misunderstood her. When I questioned her about it she told me the same thing, that she wasn't sure and that I needed to ask the super. At the same time we were "discussing" this new policy the kids in the cafeteria eating breakfast were having biscuits and gravy. How much fat do you think that has in it???? When I asked her why they could eat that, but not sure why they could not have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich her response was that THEY were teaching them moderation. Okay, am I over-reacting, but I have a real problem with the school teaching my children moderation, but I can't by sending them something in their lunch? Oh yeah, I forgot to mention along with my son's lunch he had carrot sticks, an apple and was drinking the mild the school provides.

 

Mykidsrgr8, that's just hypocritical. For one thing, peanut butter is a more healthy fat than GRAVY! DUH! She was B.S. her way out of that one. They can't police the whole world. We do need healthy eating habits, but it all can't be changed overnight. Changing the school is a good start (like fast food places offering at least half their menu with healthy options). People have slowly been eating junkier for generations. We can't change it overnight.

 

Uncrustables are offered daily as an alternative to the main dish in our hot lunch program in our district! Perhaps your school nurse may be interested to hear that!

 

I use the tickets for free homework pass, no spelling homework, sit with teacher, free water break, free bathroom break, stand anywhere in line, line up first, sit anywhere at lunch, etc. The students hoarded these like they were gold. They loved earning them much more than any candy I ever gave.

 

Mykidsrgr8, I really think you should share that info with the school nurse! I would like to watch!!

 

I have already shared enough with her. I'll leave that one up to you.

 

I give out goldfish and teddy grahms. My kids love getting them.

 

Do you give out small packages, or individual crackers? I was just so used to handing out one tiny tootsie roll or whatever that I just can't seem to find something small and comparable that motivates the kids.

 

The only way I can see a school NOT allowing peanut butter would be in the case of peanut allergies. I know that my daughter's daycare center is a "Peanut Free" school. However, peanut butter is loaded with so many important things...good fats, protein, vitamins. It is not like you sent him to school with a huge vat of PB to munch on....UGH!

 

WOW! This is a real eye opener! At the school I teach at the lunch room sells ice cream and frozen "fruit" drinks. The teachers have begged that this practice be stopped because it is so detrimental to the students. We were told it made money for the lunchroom and it would continue!! Needless to say, the children bring ice cream money, buy ice cream and they don't even touch their lunches! One of my students had 2 popcicles on my lunch duty day last week. I took one back and got his money back. (There was no way he had time to eat two... and he surely did not need that much sugar!) Our children also get to choose chocolate or white milk.
Two years ago our district started enforcing 15 minutes of mandatory recess per day....because the kids are obese! (has nothing to do with the ice cream or chocolate milk apparently!)

 

I order books with my bonus points from Scholastic Book Club. Every so often we have a "raffle" for these books...the kids love it. My teaching partner has a Friday raffle with stuff from Oriental Trading. Only those kids who've earned tickets during the week get to participate.

 

We ask for healthy snacks..but there is really nothing we can do about parents who don't listen.....

As for giving out candy, I never have....with all of the food allergies out there, I try very hard to stay away from giving out food......it is saved for birthday parties and other class parties (and parents almost always donate for this one...)

 

Rewards

I have little trinkets from oriental traidng . com and i have taken stickers etc. and i have made a treasure chest box. I give that instead of candy. As much as my kids have been to the dentist i prefer to not use candy. I like stickers and other small items they can pick from the treasure chest.