Candy to Share

My children go to a private school. In every grade they've attended, their teacher has provided incentives of some type out of her own pocket. In Kindergarten, towards the end of the school year when the weather started getting really hot and the kids were antsy, Mrs. Phillips gave a piece of candy each day to any child who didn't get his/her name on the board. At the end of the week, if a child hadn't had their name on the board all week, they got a candy bar.

In First Grade, Mrs. Jackson gives every child a treat every Friday, like a Little Debbie cake or a pack of M&M's for good behavior. In Second Grade, Mrs. Cosper sets up a store in the classroom every Friday to teach the children about commerce. She gives each of them play money and they get to take turns going to the store and making purchases. They can buy candy, gum, or small toys. The items in the store and their prices vary so the children get to experience figuring out how much money they have, whether or not their money will pay for their items, and actually making a purchase. All the items she "sells" in the store are things she's purchased for the children from her own money.

The Third Grade teacher, Mrs. Routhier, has a candy dish on her desk that she uses to inspire good behavior. She also gives out small items, like erasers or pencils, as part of her incentive program.

It took me two years to figure this out but, finally, when Deanna was in Second Grade and told me about the store, I asked her teacher where the items came from. She explained that any extras other than books or specific curriculum items had to be purchased out of her pocket. I did my best to send items in with Deanna for the store to help defer her costs. It's much easier for one parent to spend $1 or $2 than for a teacher, who's pay is minimal, to provide these items for all the students all the time.

I've continued this practice this year. A couple of times, I've sent candy for the candy jar and erasers or pencil grips from the Dollar Store.

Dane was invited to a birthday party last Saturday. Of course, the party began at 6:45 - right during our birthday dinner for Deanna. I could have just opted out, but Dane has a small class and, generally, all the boys are invited to birthday parties. If he had not attended, he most likely would have been the only boy in his class not there. On Monday, while the other boys were talking about the movie or the game they played, Dane would have been left out. So we made a valiant effort.

I called the parents of the boy whose birthday was being celebrated and explained that Dane would be late because of his own sister's party. Then, on the way home from Veracruz, I dropped Dane at the party house. When his daddy picked him up later, he had a huge treat bag FULL of candy.

On Sunday, I was standing at the stove in the kitchen and heard Deanna and Dane talking. I glanced over at the kitchen table and they were sorting the candy from his bag. Deanna must have made the suggestion, but I heard Dane saying that he thought he should send some of his candy into Deanna's classroom for Mrs. Routhier's candy jar.

"It's only right," Dane commented. "I have so much candy, it's just the right thing to share with your class."

Wonderful sentiment. I'm just not sure why he never considered taking the candy into his own classroom.