Feed the Hungry in My Classes!
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Hungry children find it difficult to learn when a majority of their time in class is spent thinking about their next meal. Its vital children have their basic needs met (clothing, food and shelter) before effective learning can take place.
I've been teaching middle school students for many years and one of the main roadblocks to effective learning I have observed is hunger. My school has been doing student surveys for many years and one data point that shows up over and over again is that 35% of students don't eat breakfast. A growling tummy almost always leads to distraction and behavior issues. Who can blame them? Kids are showing up to school hungry.
The remedial focus for the under-performing or not-meeting-standard student has become complicated: tiers and layers of training programs, differentiated instruction methods, and curriculum adjustments. Why not add something simple but powerful to the remedial process like making sure the child isn't going hungry.
I finally decided to do something about it. I started by paying off all over-due lunch accounts for a couple of months. My hope was that it helped those that needed the extra monetary help. I also started providing at least 150 snacks per day for my students. It usually requires 2 trips a week to Costco costing me about $100 a week.
I have been doing the Costco run for a few months now and have seen amazing anecdotal results. Assignment completion rate is up, pre and post assessments show good improvement, and behavior issues are down. The ability for students to focus has changed dramatically. They are engaged in the subject, are always tracking, and have loads of energy to make it to the end of the day.
I want to continue to provide a daily snack but I am finding that the weekly cost is starting to burden my limited financial abilities. I need help! I am asking for support that would allow me to continue the snacks for at least another school year.
I've been teaching middle school students for many years and one of the main roadblocks to effective learning I have observed is hunger. My school has been doing student surveys for many years and one data point that shows up over and over again is that 35% of students don't eat breakfast. A growling tummy almost always leads to distraction and behavior issues. Who can blame them? Kids are showing up to school hungry.
The remedial focus for the under-performing or not-meeting-standard student has become complicated: tiers and layers of training programs, differentiated instruction methods, and curriculum adjustments. Why not add something simple but powerful to the remedial process like making sure the child isn't going hungry.
I finally decided to do something about it. I started by paying off all over-due lunch accounts for a couple of months. My hope was that it helped those that needed the extra monetary help. I also started providing at least 150 snacks per day for my students. It usually requires 2 trips a week to Costco costing me about $100 a week.
I have been doing the Costco run for a few months now and have seen amazing anecdotal results. Assignment completion rate is up, pre and post assessments show good improvement, and behavior issues are down. The ability for students to focus has changed dramatically. They are engaged in the subject, are always tracking, and have loads of energy to make it to the end of the day.
I want to continue to provide a daily snack but I am finding that the weekly cost is starting to burden my limited financial abilities. I need help! I am asking for support that would allow me to continue the snacks for at least another school year.
Organizer
Jonny Hoehna
Organizer
Seattle, WA
