Rivka Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 (edited) Some sixth graders in Minneapolis wrote an op ed, published in the Star-Tribune, protesting that they are given less than 15 minutes to eat lunch. The lunch period is followed by a recess period which is also less than 15 minutes. "Lunch is an important social time. Teachers always tell us to socialize at lunch and recess, not in the classroom. But we cannot do that if we are scarfing down our lunches in 11 minutes." This is corroborated by a teacher, in the comments section: "I believe that lunch time should be 30 minutes long. Not only does it give time for students to eat, but socialize as this may be the only time during the day that this can happen." The comments are pretty horrifying. One parent notes that in her school district, not only is recess only 15 minutes long, but the kids are required to run once around a half-mile track before they can play. Several students comment to say that their limited time for lunch and recess is made even less by requirements for lining up and achieving perfect silence before they can be dismissed. But those homeschooled kids! What about their socialization, huh? Edited April 20, 2012 by Rivka left out the link! D'oh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonlight Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 :lol: we recently did an interview and was asked about socialization. my new response is "i know. we really need to stop socializing and make time for school!" it threw the poor lady off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pqr Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erinjo Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Some sixth graders in Minneapolis wrote an op ed, published in the Star-Tribune, protesting that they are given less than 15 minutes to eat lunch. The lunch period is followed by a recess period which is also less than 15 minutes. "Lunch is an important social time. Teachers always tell us to socialize at lunch and recess, not in the classroom. But we cannot do that if we are scarfing down our lunches in 11 minutes." This is corroborated by a teacher, in the comments section: "I believe that lunch time should be 30 minutes long. Not only does it give time for students to eat, but socialize as this may be the only time during the day that this can happen." The comments are pretty horrifying. One parent notes that in her school district, not only is recess only 15 minutes long, but the kids are required to run once around a half-mile track before they can play. Several students comment to say that their limited time for lunch and recess is made even less by requirements for lining up and achieving perfect silence before they can be dismissed. But those homeschooled kids! What about their socialization, huh? Do you have a link to the article? I was discussing this topic on facebook just this morning. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 Do you have a link to the article? I was discussing this topic on facebook just this morning. :) Do we have a forehead-smacking smiley? I can't believe I left it out. http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/147833575.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erinjo Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Do we have a forehead-smacking smiley? I can't believe I left it out.http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/147833575.html Hey no worries. It's Friday. :) Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 :lol: we recently did an interview and was asked about socialization. my new response is "i know. we really need to stop socializing and make time for school!" it threw the poor lady off... I am definitely going to use that one in the future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petepie2 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 When I was a kid we had 15 minutes for lunch followed by a 10 minute recess. During the 15 minutes we had to be quiet. If collectively we got too loud we spent the 10 minute recess period lined up against the wall as a punishment. Seriously, I think prison sounds better. When I was in the third grade, the principal would come into the lunchroom and bang his paddle on the table to get kids to be quiet. One day the girl sitting next to me wouldn't shut up. I guess the principal thought we were both talking. He walked up behind us, snatched both of us up, and whacked us on the rear with his paddle. I was extremely upset. My teacher took pity on me because she knew it was the other girl who was talking. She let me move to another seat in the classroom. (We had to sit in the same order during lunch that we did in class.) Anyway, the story ended with my dad doing a little "socializing" with the principal at his house that evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I always love the socialization question. I have fond memories of sitting in the hallway during 7th grade science. I was in that class with four of my best friends and the only seating arrangement the teacher could come up with to keep us five from socializing required that one of us sat in the hall. :lol: I remember Mr. Beckman standing over us screaming, "You are not in school to socialize!!!" Thirty years later I am questioned how my homeschooled child can ever be socialized if he doesn't go to school. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 When I was a kid we had 15 minutes for lunch followed by a 10 minute recess. During the 15 minutes we had to be quiet. If collectively we got too loud we spent the 10 minute recess period lined up against the wall as a punishment. Seriously, I think prison sounds better. I don't usually moan about my ps education (cause it was mostly good) but I always remember the year in school where we had 18 minutes for lunch, had to sit with people in alphabetical order (there seems to be something missing in most people whose last name begins with W) and weren't allowed to speak. The teachers would come around and smack the tables with sticks (really!) if we talked. Prison does always look better in the movies. I'll always remember that there was a teacher who seriously asked me, seemingly actually concerned, if everything was okay because I had looked so unhappy at lunch. Like, really? I think I gave her this look. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 :001_huh: (My df from Texas has a dd who has a schedule like this and if you don't follow the rules you loose your recess.) Her dd is high energy and it is a nightmare. Some sixth graders in Minneapolis wrote an op ed, published in the Star-Tribune, protesting that they are given less than 15 minutes to eat lunch. The lunch period is followed by a recess period which is also less than 15 minutes. "Lunch is an important social time. Teachers always tell us to socialize at lunch and recess, not in the classroom. But we cannot do that if we are scarfing down our lunches in 11 minutes." This is corroborated by a teacher, in the comments section: "I believe that lunch time should be 30 minutes long. Not only does it give time for students to eat, but socialize as this may be the only time during the day that this can happen." The comments are pretty horrifying. One parent notes that in her school district, not only is recess only 15 minutes long, but the kids are required to run once around a half-mile track before they can play. Several students comment to say that their limited time for lunch and recess is made even less by requirements for lining up and achieving perfect silence before they can be dismissed. But those homeschooled kids! What about their socialization, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 When I was in the third grade, the principal would come into the lunchroom and bang his paddle on the table to get kids to be quiet. One day the girl sitting next to me wouldn't shut up. I guess the principal thought we were both talking. He walked up behind us, snatched both of us up, and whacked us on the rear with his paddle. I was extremely upset. My teacher took pity on me because she knew it was the other girl who was talking. She let me move to another seat in the classroom. (We had to sit in the same order during lunch that we did in class.) Anyway, the story ended with my dad doing a little "socializing" with the principal at his house that evening. LOL at the bolded. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Funny, I just talked to a mom who was complaining that her kids do not have many friends from school, because they have no time to get to know them at school. They do extra activities each week for socialization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I was surprised to see that the article was written by students at a Montessori school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRG Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 :lol: we recently did an interview and was asked about socialization. my new response is "i know. we really need to stop socializing and make time for school!" it threw the poor lady off... love it!:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 When I was in high school we had two 15 minute recesses and 45 mins for lunch. In primary school, it was the two recesses and an hour for lunch. :001_huh: Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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