Many of the students I teach are transported to school. They take the 'short bus', which is a term for special education busing. A majority live far from the school that provides services, as many neighborhood school don't have special education teachers, speech therapists, O.T.s or school psychologists on site. The routes can take considerable time, and might necessitate a child to be picked up quite early in the morning. If school starts at 8 a.m., a student might have to leave home by 6:30 a.m. in order to attend. This means there are some mighty hungry kids at my door when the bell rings.
I started providing snacks for students early on in my career. I don't get reimbursed for the expenditure, but it is SO worth it. If I don't give the kids something to eat during the day their energy flags, they grow listless and inattentive or irritable and even irrational. Well placed mini-meals throughout the day make a big difference in classroom behaviors. I also use snacks as enticements (okay - bribes) for testing. Special ed. kids HATE standardized tests! The tests are mandated to be at grade level, even though the students’ ability levels are two to four years below level in my learning handicapped class. This keeps them at a level of frustration and discomfort for all the days of testing. Well timed snacks help bring some comfort and self-care to the children.
Never assume the students have enough to eat at home, or that the cafeteria will take care of their hunger. The days are long and arduous for all students. Kids deserve treats - and it helps their brains as well as their attitudes.
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