A Rhode Island Catholic elementary school has recently implemented a "no talking" lunch after 3 choking incidents. The quote that gets me:
Christine Lamoureux, whose 12-year-old is a sixth-grader at the school, said she respects the safety issue but thinks the rule is a bad idea.
"They are silent all day," she said. "They have to get some type of release."
"They are silent all day," she said. "They have to get some type of release."
This is socialization? This is the great unspoken reality of schooling these days. Children are constantly shushed and hushed all day so they can "learn." What is learning without asking questions? Without discussion? If they must be silent, perhaps the school could adopt a practice of our household, reading aloud to the children during meals. When we are in the middle of an exciting tale, such as Journey to the Center of the Earth then the children beg for me continue, even while they are shoving peanut butter and jelly into their mouths. If I stop for a sip of water or to pick up Timmy they will impatiently urge me to get back on task.
1 comment:
Kat, I remember when my children attended Catholic day school and I did lunch duty. The teachers would get on a microphone and "scream" at these kids to be quiet. There were over two hundred children in the lunch room at one time. Even if these kids were whispering, it would be loud. I was always amazed that they wanted them to be quiet even during lunch. How frustrating to be a kid!
Enjoy your blog,
Barbara
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