The topic I chose was nutrition/malnutrition. I chose this topic because malnutrition is seen so often around the world and truly has an impact on the way a child learns. A child who does not eat and comes to school hungry and tired, is going to struggle. A child needs an adequate meal for every meal and there should be no excuse for that to happen.
One place that I found that has a huge problem with malnutrition is the Philippines. It is not only said that this is a third world country but malnutrition affects mostly the youngest of the population and sometimes leads to death. They are not facing a shortage of supplies but actually have an abundance of supplies and food and are not putting it to the right usage. The kids there are struggling in the school system because they have such a poor diet and in turn can not focus on what is being taught.
Malnutrition is seen sometimes in our school. We offer a free breakfast for such students and there is a huge difference in those students who can have a good meal at school. I have witnessed first hand a student who was malnutritoned and came to school sick constantly and wanting to sleep. She was beyond thin and very unhealthy. After getting on the free lunch program, her academics came to life and she was progressing wonderfully! That continues to impact the way I teach myself and am always on the look out for students who may suffer from malnutrition.
I had a little girl in my class last year that when she came to school the poor thing would devour her breakfast and lunch. I always made sure she had a little extra. But there was only so much I could do and everyone at the school. One could tell she was a sad little person. She shared how she went to sleep hungry because her mother did get her money. Her performance in school had its ups and downs. She was either too tired or grumpy. She left the school in the middle of the year, and do date I wonder how she is doing. I look at other children who throw away their food and its so sad to see that.
ReplyDeleteLynette-
ReplyDeleteI had the same experiences in my first couple years of teaching. About 90% of our students recieved free breakfast AND lunch, and it was often not enough. I appreciate your information on the Phillipines. I wonder what their reasoning is for having an abundance of supplies, but not giving it to the children. This is very sad.
-Melanie
Hi Lynette
DeleteI did not realize how many childrenn suffer from malnutrition challenges in the US; but I have seen children,come to school hungry and tired. If breakfast has ended for the day, I find something in my lunch bag or the classroom to give them. I do not want them distracted by a growling stomach. At our school, we have two programs, that attempt to meet the hunger problems, for the students in our school: Blessing in a back pack; food(mac&cheese, granola bars, ravioli, fruit cups etc.)for the weekend is placed in the children's back pack on Friday afternoons and the fresh fruit program: twice a week, fresh fruit is issued to students in each classroom, for afternoon snack. The children look forward to both programs!
Lynette-
ReplyDeleteEvery child needs a nutritious meal before they start their day at school. It’s as important as educators that everyone truly know the importance of this and provide all the resources needed to parents so that they can see if their child qualifies for free or reduce lunch at school. In the state of Tennessee all children if they get to school early can receive a free breakfast which I think is so important.
I do not know how, in a country like ours, there is malnutrition but I have also seen it first hand. When I lived in North Carolina for a while, I taught at a public school and had a student who was so hungry. I knew I shouldn't, but I let him have food from other children's plates that would have been thrown away. I saw a news story about a school who not only offer a morning meal, but an after school snack and a dinner if they participate in the school's tutoring program. I'm sure it comes at a high cost to the school district, but the program offers a needed service. Thank you for you information about the Philippines. It sounds as though new government authorities are needed in that country with better priorities.
ReplyDeleteLynette,
ReplyDeleteI like and have enjoyed the topic in which you selected. It's always sad to hear of such topics that occur, but as we know other countries are less fortunate than the United States.
I have also experienced malnutritioned children at my last employment; where a set of siblings, brother and sister were recently taken from their biological mother and given custody to grandma. They were so malnourished and only thing that they were accustomed to eating were plain spaghetti noodles. After being enrolled in the center, the children then became apart of the breakfast program, where they were allowd to have breakfast every day as long as they arrived in the classroom by 8am and if it was after, they would send one child down to the cafeteria to ensure that they ate.
Great post, it also makes us aware of the small things that we take for granted.