Thursday, September 19, 2013

Teacher to Teacher Question

Someone asked me for my "Seminary Casserole" recipe, which reminded me of a question I would like to ask other teachers. This mostly applies to the early morning teachers, but I would like to hear any input out there.
How often to you serve food in Seminary-not the object lesson type food, but a treat or breakfast-y food?
What types of food do you serve?
Do the parents help?
Do the students take turns bringing a treat?
Does your ward help with budget money to reimburse?

We generally have a treat on Fridays after our activity or game, but I don't like the kids to just expect that we will always play a game and have a treat that day so I have been mixing it up.

Our treats are simple, like donut holes, juice, muffins, granola bars, milk, etc. Sometimes we have milk and cereal when there is a good BOGO sale on cereal. It just depends. Twice a year (Christmas and Graduation) we have a sit down warm breakfast and serve Seminary Casserole (or something similar)

My kids love having a once per week breakfast-type treat. I would just like to hear how it works or not in other areas.
Happy Teaching!


5 comments:

  1. Hi Shauna. You don't know me but I like your blog. I teach seminary in New Zealand, and our school year will be ending in November for summer break. (We're finishing up the New Testament year--your blog is getting me ready for Book of Mormon starting in February.)

    We typically have a nice cooked breakfast every other Friday, but it's a "scripture reading" breakfast--the students only get to eat the "nice" breakfast if they've read their scriptures every day for the previous two weeks. However, our ward provides porridge, cold cereal, and milk for breakfast every day (sometimes bread for toast if I get to the supermarket). My students go straight from seminary to school and giving them breakfast makes things a bit easier. There are eight students in my class (about 6-7 on any given day) so the ward was able to incorporate breakfast into our budget.

    My students take turns preparing the cooked breakfast--which sounds like a punishment but they love it. They actually fight over the chance to cook. Our past few breakfasts have been bacon sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, banana waffles, that sort of thing. I'm tempted to try your seminary casserole!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I in Rhode Island and the demographics of our ward just don't leave any choice in terms of asking kids to bring any food... It is only my 3rd week but I kind of made a plan to bring food twice a week, in different days each week because I don't want them to expect it... Last sunday on the inservice the stake high council member responsible for seminary did say that while visiting classes they saw that most teachers are providing food and said it shouldn't be a burden on us, so we should talk to the bishops.. My class has 10 kids, from 2 different wards (some form my ward and some from the spanish ward in our stake) and I have yet to take the time to talk to the bishop's about that help but I certainly will because it really adds up trying to do it all by my self! please post your recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is great input. Click on the words, "Seminary Casserole" for the recipe. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  4. In the past we have set up a rotation so that each family would bring Friday Food (some would bring donuts, others pull-apart sticky buns, but the biggest favorite was always breakfast burritos!). We would also have food from time to time that could tie into our lessons, or to just let the kids know how much we love them. With the new curriculum and the demise of Friday being used for SM review and activities, we have been asked not to have food every Friday as well. But we will still do our Christmas and end-of-the year potluck breakfasts where we invite the bishoprics to join us, and we bring food about once a week. Breakfast cookies, fruit & granola, etc. - something that they can eat as they wait for class to start or on their way out. Also, when it's someone's birthday this year the parents are sending food. If a student has a summer birthday we celebrate the 1/2 birthday. Even though I don't think food should be expected I know that a lot of kids come hungry, and it just makes it so much easier for them to participate when their stomachs are happy!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I bring breakfast on each students birthday. I have 6 students this year so it's not too hard. I've tried assigning a family once a month to bring breakfast, usually the first Monday of the month, but I got tired of reminding them all the time. I do have 2 parents that will send something every so often, which helps. My husband gets the bug to cook once in awhile, so we do the majority of the time. I also have a breakfast box with the little boxes of cereal in it. I bring milk and they eat and love picking out a box. sometimes their parents don't let them have the "good" cereal, so they consider it a treat!

    ReplyDelete