How I Know My Students Really Love Me

Like any teacher, I really enjoy rewarding my students. There is nothing better than seeing their faces light up with joy when they have worked hard to earn a reward. One of the in-class rewards I do is for their assessment scores- they increase, they get a piece of candy. (Personally, I hate the idea of rewarding kids with food, but this is the most cost effective/quickest way that I can think of. I would love to come up with an alternate solution using something that allows them some play/creative time, but I also don't want to simultaneously punish the other students. This may be a summer project.)

I had purchased a couple bags of KitKats (yeah Publix bogo!) and was tossing them out to those that had earned it. I'd have one here and there, and before I realized it... They were GONE! (and I didn't have THAT many kids do THAT well on their assessments.)

Unbeknownst to them, I totally inhaled those suckers like I had just reached a pool of cool, sparkling water in the middle of the desert. So, when the next round of treat-giving-outness came about, they were expecting some delicious chocolate-covered wafer confections.

Me - "I'm sorry, guys... There are no more KitKats."
Student A - "WHAT?! You ate them all?!"
Me - (shamefully) "Yes. I have a problem with chocolate and we can no longer have it in our classroom."
Student B - "It's okay, Miss. We understand."

I heard Student B saying this through the crowd of angry and bitter mumbles.

Today, one of my fellow teachers (who deserves a shout out because she also brought me sushi for lunch!) came into my room during my Social Studies time to drop off a piece of the forbidden substance. She knocked on the door and tossed me a Reese's. (Where is the danger in that? She brought me ONE. Therefore, there is no possible way I can overindulge in said treat. Problem solved.) As soon as the wrapper touched my hand, Student A shouted, "NOOOOOOO! You can't DO that, think of your health!"

I looked at the wrapper, looked at the students... Back at the wrapper, back at the students... "It's just ONE piece..."

I sighed and put the Reese's down on the table. It was 2:55, the kids would be dismissed in 5 minutes.

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