How did all of this learning come to be? For the past eight months in my class, one day per week is known as “lunch club day”. Students have been put into groups of four, and we have a rotating schedule. One day per week at the paper-strewn table in our classroom, I eat lunch with a group of my grade four students. During this time, there is no set agenda, the students lead the conversation. Some of the groups are very organized and take turns asking each other questions. One of my more boisterous groups often erupts into debates about video games and even once had a hockey game on the floor using rulers and whiteboard erasers.
It is my firm belief that students do best when they feel connected and cared for. This lunch hour club gives us all a chance to learn about each other in a different setting, where there are no curricular demands. I have learned this year, that devoting one lunch hour a week to our class community benefits us immensely as we connect with each other. The first lunch club meeting was mandatory for each child, and since then every lunch group has been optional. I have yet to have a student choose not to attend. May the learning continue!
Sydney Fay is a parent, teacher, avid reader and aspiring runner.