Okay I'm not actually a lunch aide. I'm a substitute lunch aide. I'm not sure if they call it that everyone so let me explain.
When I'm called to work, I go to the school during lunch hour and supervise the students while they eat their lunch and then go outside with them for recess and supervise out there. Sometimes I collect the afternoon kindergarten kids and bring them in, although that will be different come September.
At the schools I work at, (and most of the ones around here,) students eat in their classrooms, not in a lunchroom like in the picture at right.
Each class has a few student monitors, which are students in higher grades. The adult lunch aides wander between the classes, supervising everyone and making sure rules are followed.
Although I only do this job every once in a while, I like it. I do have complaints but having a chance to work in a school is enjoyable.
I am curious how students in other parts of Canada, the United States and the world eat their lunch. Do they eat in a lunchroom or in their classroom? Do they go outside first or after they eat? Anything else?
My daughter's school near Baltimore, Md., has lunch before recess and they eat in a cafeteria. My only complaint is the kids are given about 20-25 minutes to eat, which is hardly enough time for a 9-year-old who's chatty to eat her bag lunch, never mind wait in the lunch line. She's always hungry by the time the day ends.
ReplyDelete--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
Anna.. Thanks for your thoughts. I think 20 minutes to eat is about normal, at least around here. Personally I think it's enough time, they can chat when they're outside playing. However my youngest (3) will have trouble in school because it normally takes her 40 minutes to an hour to finish each meal!
ReplyDeleteThat's true. I just think it's hard to get the kids not to chat and focus on their food when they've been in class all morning. I've been hearing that some schools are doing lunch after recess, though. Wonder if that would make it any easier?
ReplyDelete--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
Actually, they tried that out this year at the school my daughter will be going to. It works great as far as I can tell but I'm not sure if they are going to continue it.
ReplyDeleteWe are also doing a balanced day next year so instead of:
classes, recess, classes, lunch, classes recess
it will be:
classes nutrition break, classes, nutrition break, classes. Each break will be 40 minutes (20 for eating and 20 outside) and that way they get 100 minutes of uninterrupted teaching time between breaks.