<p>I also remember that when I was in elementary school we were allowed to walk off school grounds to the center to town for lunch. My children were not allowed to do this. In fact, they are not allowed to that until they are in eleventh grade! </p>
<p>I have also noticed that there are some kids who do excercise, and are part of afterschool programs that are not sedentary, but they are still quite overweight. I know that this is because of diet combined with their family genetics.</p>
<p>I’ll be a little contrarian here–no, cupcakes are not the problem. But neither are they helpful towards teaching better eating habits. I always sent them in for my kids’ birthdays, as did pretty much everyone else in the classs, so that means once or twice a week, they were eating cupcakes at around ten in the morning (snack time). Surely, for a parent who was trying to teach an over weight kid better habits, that must be a nightmare. Do any kids need a midmorning cake break? Proabably not.</p>
<p>I don’t connect this to the good old days, because when I was growing up, this was not the norm. I don’t remembe anyone sending in birthday treats–I don’t think there was the same mania to observe every moment like there is today–birthdays were family events, and parties were a few friends over to your house, maybe to a movie if your mom was very adventurous. No one sent anything to school.</p>
<p>Like Momof2inca says, every treat was a treat in those days, not business as usual. Eating fast food was very rare; we went out to dinner maybe 2 or 3 times a year. We didn’t have soda in our house; that also was a treat. We also didn’t buy school lunches, nor did my kids. (Actually, I don’t think my elementary schools served lunches.)</p>
<p>So, I agree, the problem is not cupcakes. But cupcakes are part of the continuum that is causing the problem. Eliminating school cupcakes won’t change anything, nor will different school lunches. We need a whole different mindset which would redefine what we consider treats, how often we expect to have them, and what we want to tell kids about what’s good for them. </p>
<p>And a lot less television, computer game, and video game time (I plead guilty there, for sure.) I think plain old being outside more would really make more difference than anything else.</p>
<p>Cupcakes were the norm for BDs when I was growing up. It just was not a problem. I agree that it is not helpful though.</p>
<p>We also did not have the lunch menu that were offered to my kids. Hot dogs, bagels, nuggets, pizza, BK, sub sandwiches on the daily lunch menu (one of these items is served each school day). These are the foods are served daily in our elementary school through the PTA (we do not have a cafeteria, so outside vendors provide these lunches). They have never offered an orange, a salad, string beans, grapes, yogurt, cheeses, apples, etc. What is going on?</p>
<p>Oh, and as I was growing soda was never in our home either! We did go out to eat at least every other Sunday, but we were never allowed to order soda! I can tell you that I must have had soda no more than 5-10 days out of the year (only when another child was allowed to have it, or at BD parties).</p>
<p>As the parent of a child with diabetes, I applaud the no cupcake rule. When my D was in second grade, it seemed that there were “treats” brought to school everyday. It reached a point where the moms and step-moms were competing to see who could send in the most cookies, brownies, and cakes!</p>
<p>(Needless to say, the kids actually liked it when we brought in the healthy treats…)</p>
<p>well that does seem a bit much 1sokkermom
if classrooms are having parties everyday- it seems that would take time from doing school related activities–if parents were devolving into a competition and i was the teacher- I perhaps would decide to have a birthday celebration once a month- and have parents contribute to a fund to honor all the birthdays that month rather than get into the treadmill of forever raising the bar of sugar consumption</p>
<p>Ds classroom had parents bring snack everyday- it worked out to everyone bringing snack for a couple weeks.-
I made english muffin pizzas a lot, since they were easy and cheap.
I realize taht there will always be kids with various health issues that can’t eat certain foods, and when I know about those, I do try to provide things that either take that in consideration, or just bring them something that is equally as celebratory, but I think it is hypocritical for school systems to decide that having an occasional sweet ( I think the classroom with the everyday treats is an exception- in my kids classrooms, it was probably a few times a year), as unhealthy, while serving the kids, high salt & fat foods in the cafeteria</p>
<p>What really disturbed us was that this same school was “rewarding” students for achievements in various classroom activities with candy on a routine basis!</p>
<p>I can’t imagine too many teachers who would put up with daily celebrations. What could they possibly be celebrating everyday? I understand the desire to celbrate birthdays but even if every family did it, it would only be ~25 times a year, assuming 25 kids in the class. In our experience, maybe half of the families would do something like that. And competition never entered into it because, frankly, how would the moms even know what someone brought in? As part of the beginning of the year communication, the teachers would let families know the ‘rules’ about such things, including dietary restrictions, and that one item per child was the maximum, so that there wouldn’t be the possibility for any type of competition, even if someone were so inclined and could find out how to compete! ;)</p>
<p>sokkermom, that reward system boggles my mind. I know that if that had occurred in any school my kids attended, the parents would have put a stop to it very quickly. Didn’t anyone object?</p>
<p>I objected, but was pretty much told that the school can’t cater to the child with the individual needs! If the teacher gave out candy, my D would just have to learn that she should decline. </p>
<p>Good news. I just found out that that school has indeed stopped with the treats. It was the food allergies that finally broke them I think…</p>
<p>“OTOH, I don’t expect that school administrators should be allowed to tell me what my own children can or cannot eat. I am not even a libertarian (much), and his makes my libertarian streak come out too, Bethel! If there is an obesity epidemic, educate people, but don’t control the food of people who don’t need controlling!”</p>
<p>I totally agree with that. It gets my back up big time, as does Nanny Bloomberg’s proposed ban on trans fats in restaurants.</p>
<p>I would be upset if teachers used food as a reward for behavior or acheivement on a daily or even weekly basis.
Yes schools do often use classroom pizza parties as motivations for raising the most money for a food bank and the pizza party could also be the theme of the end of the year girl scout celebration, but I think in general the reward or punishment should be related to the goal or misbehavior,if a tangible reward is even needed.</p>
<p>I read an Op-Ed piece today tying childhood obesity to the fact that most mothers work outside the home.</p>
<p>I’m all for healthy snacks at snack time and healthy school lunches. But I think it is over the top to not allow a birthday treat as a tradition. Here, the elementary school classes only have about 15-17 kids, so how many birthdays is that a year (many have summer birthdays). These schools ought to put more energy into what is served at lunch and provide adequate recess and gym and after school activities. By the way, when I taught elementary school, we had AM recess and then lunch recess. They either still have that or many classrooms, particularly the older classes, don’t have the AM recess but everyone at the school has a 25-30 min. midday recess outside. PE is just twice/week. </p>
<p>But birthday treats once in a great while is not sending the wrong message. One can eat healthy but on a special occasion, have a treat. </p>
<p>Interesting that I am reading this because my kid is turning 18 later this week and I have made very special birthday cakes every year for my kids, and actually I used to do it on every half birthday too. They are often decorated or shaped in a theme, etc. She is a soph at college and I just want her to have this “tradition”, blow out the candles, share it with others, etc. even if far away. This kid is VERY into healthy eating and normally doesn’t eat cake or cookies, etc. I don’t care if she ever takes a bite of the cake but I just want her to have the yearly “tradition.” Today, like I did last year when she was in college, I am baking her a cake and decorating it on a theme and mailing it to college. Even if she just blows out the candles and has fun giving some to friends, and never has a bite, I don’t care. I see it as a tradition associated with birthdays and a little “love” from mom. It doesn’t mean serving cupcakes on a daily basis.</p>
<p>I see it the same way at school. The school should only serve healthy lunches and only have healthy “snack machines” as our elementary school does. Also, in preschool and K where parents might rotate the AM snack duty, only healthy snacks should be allowed. But like anything in life, having a treat on a special occasion, is just that.</p>
<p>Zoosermom–I thnk there is a big difference between telling you what you can’t send in for your own kid (which I would seriously object to) and telling you what you shouldn’t send in for other people’s kids.</p>
<p>Thus, I think it’s “nuts” 
to ban kids from bringing their own peanut butter sandwiches, but perfectly acceptable to say, don’t send them in for other people’s kids.</p>
<p>As far as NYC, I imagine it would satisfy your non-Nanny instincts if, instead of requiring the banning of trans-fats, they instead required the posting of when they’re used. I think having knowledge gives us all better equipment to make our own informed choices.</p>
<p>And, Bad Mother alert here, after baking cupcakes enough times at six in the morning because I didn’t get a chance the night before, I would have welcomed being told not to! ;)</p>
<p>My son (third grade) had his birthday a couple of days ago and flat-out refused to bring in treats. He just couldn’t have cared less. Thank heavens for me. No way was I baking, I’d have had to pay D2 to do it.</p>
<p>Well, Having been married a long time to a excellent elementary school teacher, whose 29 years of teaching have made her a respected name in the community, I have to say, you guys have thrown her under the bus. </p>
<p>She does have treat jars in the classroom. She does allow parties. She does whatever it takes to get kids to learn and learn at an exceptional level. Let me take a second to go through the whys and hows. </p>
<p>The treat jar has penny candies (and sugar free as well) when students score a 100% on a test or paper. A treat can also be earned for exceptional behavoir. We buy the stuff and while it’s still called penny candy, it isn’t. It is a simple reward for something done well. It works. She also has a points system that allows kids to earn “lion lute” to purchase small toys once a month. So unless the kids are hitting 100% on every paper and sit still and are cooperative every mommnet, the chances are the teacher is responsible for weight gain are fairly minimal. </p>
<p>With 25 kids from various backgrounds and lifestyles, education is alot like cat wrangling. </p>
<p>Even the excellent children (according to moms) are problems because they are so used to being the center of the universe at home, they have trouble in a classroom setting. Does the parent understand? heck no. Their child is “gifted” and should be nutured because they are “so special”. However, the problem is the special child can’t shut up for 10 seconds so kids around them can learn. This is why alot of “gifted” students don’t stay gifted over time. Their nice kids, not detrimental problems, but without picking up learning skills eventually they struggle. </p>
<p>As far as the peanut butter stuff, unfortunately there are kids with nut allergies. Parents should let their school know so medication can be administered by the nurse. I can understand why a school district would ban it as IF a child became sick, the district would be sued for millions. </p>
<p>My district is being sued for 25 million (along with the county for 25m) for a student getting hit by a bus in a pitch black morning, wearing all black clothing, earphones on hooded sweatshirt up, cutting across the street on a skateboard. He is a nice kid, a good student and involved in school. While it’s unlikely his family will get 50 million, they’ll probably get 10-15 million out of court. And the police determined he was at fault in the accident. So I can understand a school district trying to avoid risk. </p>
<p>There are alot of things teachers would like to do for kids. However, with the demands placed on the education of children today, because of course, every politican is an expert on childhood education, alot of things are pushed aside. Arts,PE and other subjects are being pushed aside or condensed into name only type activities that we grew up with. Things that we grew up with remembering with fondness from our school days are now a 15 minute activity every two weeks because they aren’t part of NCLB.</p>
<p>Opie, you bring up LOTS of things in your post and I am sure your wife is a superb teacher. It is a very difficult job, as you know.</p>
<p>I used to teach elementary school. I don’t recall ever using candy as the “rewards”. I recall stickers being VERY popular as rewards. </p>
<p>I recall one of the main “reward” type things I used. Each kid sat down with me at the beginning of the week and “contracted” for something she/he needed to improve. For some kids, it was something behavioral. For others, it might be academic. For some it might be social. Whatever it was, it was an individual “goal”. At the end of the week (it may have been the end of the day…I’m forgetting!), if they had accomplished that goal, they got a “smile-o-gram” (I forget what it was called, either that or similar) which was a positive note home about reaching whatever the goal was that week. These “happy grams” really meant a lot to kids. Having their parents get such a positive note about whatever the thing was, seemed to go over well. </p>
<p>I’m all for positive reinforcement. I am not sure we need sweets for that. </p>
<p>On the other topic, I agree with Garland that what you send in for your own kid’s snack is not the same as what a school might allow someone to send for a group snack. The latter ought to be healthy. Also, if someone in the class has a peanut allergy, no peanut products should be in the room. But birthday treats seem like a once in a while treat for a special celebration, which doesn’t imply to kids that they ought to eat that stuff all the time but rather only on a special occasion. I can’t see doing away with that.</p>
<p>"I recall stickers being VERY popular as rewards. "</p>
<p>Yes they are, and she uses them a great deal too. Whatever works for the kid. </p>
<p>Education has changed in the last few years. More and more restrictions on time and content come about. That one on one contact time you wrote about is quickly dissapearing. You’ve probably done many things the same way. Chances are you aren’t doing them under NCLB. Basically, if it isn’t going to be on the test, you aren’t given time for it. She really laments about the loss of 1 to1 time with kids compared to the past. </p>
<p>She taught multi-age for the last 11 years until a few years ago. The 2-3 and 4-5 classes were disolved as they aren’t part of the NCLB matrix the district had planned. Regardless if the results for the kids were better. It was different. Different is being pushed out these days in education.</p>
<p>re rewards
my kids both attended private school till 3rd grade- when younger one changed to public alternative
Their birthdays are literally one day apart and as I am not the most domestic even on good days, I have to admit that I don’t think routinely bringing in birthday treats was on my agenda.
( not to mention as my MIL will attest, I didn’t like cake or candy, and restricted their intake as I felt that especially the food coloring had negative effects)
Younger D, also was hypersensitive to * any* attention, she doesn’t like it, and forbade me from bringing treats for her birthday.
Someone earlier pointed out that our generation didn’t have treats in the classroom & I agree, I don’t remember it at all.
Now that I think about it more- I do remember bringing stuff on their birthdays, but I wouldn’t say it was every year, and since I don’t really bake, I probably was more likely to make up a baggie of gummy worms and stickers for each child, which I then could adjust for those with food sensitivities, then bake cupcakes for everyone.</p>
<p>Opie I agree that occasional food rewards aren’t the cause of food issues & I am really disappointed to hear that your wifes district is doing away with mixed grades.</p>
<p>My oldest attended two classrooms in elementary school.
One had two teachers- ( who had team taught for years), and it was K-3. She was in this classroom for two years. ( 1st & 2nd) The next year, they expanded a bit to another building, and she had one teacher in a 3rd-4th and 5th gd class for three years, when she then “graduated” and went to a different 6-12 school.
It was a wonderful experience for her.
I think however, that a teacher who can teach multi ages, is more skilled than one who has a single grade and teaches to the middle.
I think also that some parents don’t understand the potential benefits and are nervous about their kids being in with kids younger than them.</p>
<p>The reason that I chose the public alternative for my younger daughter-( who had attended a small private school for K-2- all mixed grades- they had teachers for different subjects) was because they had many ( and still do ) mixed grade classes. Unfortunately, despite my requests, she always was placed into the single graded classroom until 7th grade- where the school had three core middle school classes, where you stayed for both 7th & 8th grade.</p>
<p>I value mixed grades, because I think, kids learn a lot from being with peers where they can teach things to, and also learn from. As well as giving the classroom more continuity.
I think it must be much more challenging to run a successful classroom that way though, but how frustrating for teachers who are successful at it, who are then told that they can’t do it that way anymore.</p>
<p>I hear you on the changes. I taught a multi-age grade 1/2/3, which is also what my children were in (I taught at their elem school before they were born but not when they attended). Every year they were in multi age classrooms. The school has changed to two year multi age rooms, so they have classes like grade 1/2, 3/4, 4/5, 2/3, 5/6. While there are more standards to meet and all, and it has changed since I taught there, I still believe that they do not teach strictly to tests. When I taught, I taught completely individualized and differentiated curriculum and also thematic integrated curriculum. I used no text books, though utilized some math workbooks for the practice level but all concepts were taught hands-on. I know there are more ‘series’ used now in my kids’ old school than when they attended (I know as I still substitute there even though my kids are now in college). But the basic principles of meeting individual needs, integrating curriculum and so on, still exist. I had more freedom back when I taught and so there are some aspects of the changes that I don’t like so much but overall, my kids’ elementary school is really great. No complaints. I wish the middle and high school were as good and as tuned into individual learning needs. </p>
<p>I have to say that when I do go into the local elementary schools even today, they still do a GREAT deal of one to one work with students, and in very small groups. Our schools value small class size. There are often several adults in the room and so there is a lot of individualized attention. There are one to one reading and writing conferences. That is just one example. When I taught, every child’s spelling word list was individualized. No two kids had the same list. Every marking period, I wrote a narrative evaluation on every child to their parents. I spent hours each afternoon and night and weekend, planning creative activities, lessons and individualizing and didn’t follow any set curriculum or book. My job involved so many countless hours (not complaining) which is why I discontinued when I had my own kids. Now, I put that same kind of individualized help into the college applicant students I counsel, lol. In fact, I better get back to work. Anyway, getting off topic. </p>
<p>My class had Halloween parties, celebrated birthdays and Valentine’s. Other cooking projects were not all sweets but related to the integrated theme at the time.</p>