Anonymous wrote:

The better way is to make sure all tables have the same number of kids and everyone sits next to each other and includes each other in conversation.

How do you do that? You can present opportunity--you cannot ensure conversation.

Could we possibly hold kids' hands any more than we already do? Is it any wonder they can barely cross the room by themselves? How on earth will they deal with the real world?!

My kids 6th grade class ended up with assigned seats for a while. This year it was because some of the kids were throwing food. Last year it was related to bullying behavior. I was okay with this.

Had a friend whose neighbor requested that their children be together. Problem--my friend wanted her daughter to make new friends.

The better way is to make sure all tables have the same number of kids and everyone sits next to each other and includes each other in conversation.

How do you do that? You can present opportunity--you cannot ensure conversation.

I'm not sure that's the solution. I think lunch is an important part of forming friendships. If there is assigned seating all the time, this doesn't really occur. And then I've also noticed that some parents will write in and ask that child B always be with child A, so it really doesn't solve this at all. The better way is to make sure all tables have the same number of kids and everyone sits next to each other and includes each other in conversation.

I agree with assigned lunch seating. There are children who are ostracized and have no one to sit with at lunch. That's wrong. It's an easy thing for the school to help them with.

Food fight!!!!!

Anonymous wrote:

Cut loose at lunch time?!! Have you been in the school,cafeteria at lunch time when the entire place is "cut loose"? Don't get me wrong, it should not be a silent lunch. Kids need to talk. They don't need to be yelling to kids at other tables or shouting out. Cafeteria management begins with set norms for the entire school of expectations that are then reinforced by the classroom teachers. I don't mean by the teachers themselves in the cafeteria, they need their break, but by class rules and norms that have been set into place ahead of time. I have seen assigned seats on occasion, as needed per class. Class discussions on this should be occurring. Management still needs to occur so students can talk, not be "cut loose".

Agree. And, remember, in lots of schools lunch is very short and if the kids talk too much, they don't eat. It can be a true circus if allowed to get out of control.

I agree 100% with this. We have assigned seats when necessary. When they're too loud (yelling over each other, etc) they aren't sitting down, or aren't eating. Assigned seats for a few days and a tighter lid on the "cutting loose" does the trick. When they get a grip on it they can go back to choosing their own spot.

Cut loose at lunch time?!! Have you been in the school,cafeteria at lunch time when the entire place is "cut loose"? Don't get me wrong, it should not be a silent lunch. Kids need to talk. They don't need to be yelling to kids at other tables or shouting out. Cafeteria management begins with set norms for the entire school of expectations that are then reinforced by the classroom teachers. I don't mean by the teachers themselves in the cafeteria, they need their break, but by class rules and norms that have been set into place ahead of time. I have seen assigned seats on occasion, as needed per class. Class discussions on this should be occurring. Management still needs to occur so students can talk, not be "cut loose".

Agree. And, remember, in lots of schools lunch is very short and if the kids talk too much, they don't eat. It can be a true circus if allowed to get out of control.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for all the feedback. I agree that eating in an FCPS cafeteria isn't a fine dining experience that requires hushed voices. I'm assuming that the teachers spend all day telling the kids to be quiet, so why can't they cut loose at lunch! Confronting the administration won't do much good. We have a Principal that does not like to be questioned or challenged in any way. The principal is young and inexperienced and has made a lot of mistakes in the first few years. And for the record, I am not at talking about Colvin run, which I have always heard was an excellent school.

Cut loose at lunch time?!! Have you been in the school,cafeteria at lunch time when the entire place is "cut loose"? Don't get me wrong, it should not be a silent lunch. Kids need to talk. They don't need to be yelling to kids at other tables or shouting out. Cafeteria management begins with set norms for the entire school of expectations that are then reinforced by the classroom teachers. I don't mean by the teachers themselves in the cafeteria, they need their break, but by class rules and norms that have been set into place ahead of time. I have seen assigned seats on occasion, as needed per class. Class discussions on this should be occurring. Management still needs to occur so students can talk, not be "cut loose".

My students go straight from recess to lunch.

We were told recently that lunch monitors can't keep kids back from going to recess for not picking up their lunch because parents don't want their kids to miss recess. I think parents get upset when a classroom teacher withholds recess because of something that happens in the classroom that's completely unrelated and think missing recess isn't an appropriate punishment. It's different if a lunchroom monitor says, you need to stay back and pick up your stuff from the table before going to recess. That punishment is related. Do other parents agree? I would not be upset if my child missed a part of recess to clean up their table.

At Wolftrap I just heard from DC of assigned seats starting. I'm totally against assigned seats, but was hoping it was just to help calm things down for a few weeks. If it's for a long time, I have an issue with it. Seems like FCPS needs some best practices for handling lunch time.

They do this in our k class at Navy. I don't like it either nor do I understand boy/girl alternating at lunch

My guess is that it is to keep down the rowdiness with the boys and the pecking order "who sits with who" among the girls.

They do this in our k class at Navy. I don't like it either nor do I understand boy/girl alternating at lunch