It's Lunch Time!

First, let me paint a picture of what lunch looks like in a third grade classroom during COVID.  Twelve students stay in the classroom to eat their lunch at their desk, and the other eleven go to the Media Center to eat.  All of this is needed to keep the little ones six feet apart when they take off their masks and eat their lunch. I'm in charge of the classroom lunchers dispersed throughout our room as they eat and chat.  I'll be honest with you... listening every day to eight and nine year olds having lunch conversations runs the gamut from funny to gross and back again. Sometimes at warp speed.

Although I'm in the room to monitor lunch (and typically sitting 

at my desk checking email or grading papers) I feel my main job is to act as the referee.  I call out reminders of the lunch rules, alert them of time remaining, and also, at times, throw a flag on the play and stop particular conversations from veering off the rails.                                                                                         

Case in point: today's lunch conversation began with everyone declaring their idea of the "grossest food ever".  Sushi and several different vegetables were named and agreed on,  but soon they had moved on to disgusting combinations of food items and when I heard the words "bird poop", I called it and declared, "New Topic!" A familiar change to "reasons younger siblings are so annoying"  took hold with each student trying to top the other with lively stories of their siblings. Ah, to be a fly on the wall in some homes!   

After a bit, I noticed that they were all calling out endings to the sentence starter: "My town is called..."  For example, one little cutie says, "My town is called ice cream because I like ice cream."   Another played along with, "My town is called I have the most annoying brother in the world."  Still another declared, "My town is called supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"  You get the gist.  Most were really just nonsensical words put together that made everyone laugh. The game continued and seemed to be getting louder and sillier with each new participant.  Eventually, one boy jumped to his feet, and waving his arms announced, "My town is called I'm the best at sports and I am funny and great!"  Well.... kudos on the self confidence little guy.  However, we had five minutes left for lunch and I was tiring of their little game so I stood up, turned on my microphone, and declared, "My town is called time to clean up in five minutes and make sure you wash your desk off with an antibacterial wipe and put a book on your desk for IDR." I sat down to a silent room. "And my town can go outside early if they get ready!" 

Someone shouted out, "We've been roasted!"  The room erupted in laughter as the students began cleaning up. Touché little friends - two can play that silly game!  

For more fun, read an earlier post on how teachers are like stand-up comedians:  Two Juice Box Minimum