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You are here: Home / Weekend / Middle School Madness

February 10, 2010

Middle School Madness

Amy and I just finished up back to back presentations on portion size to 200 7th graders. We had them 100 at a time though in two groups.

My GOSH the first group was out of control. It was easier to talk to kindergarteners! But the second round went much, much better and the kids even clapped and thanked us 🙂

We ate lunch in the cafeteria first. I made an awesome salad topped with peas and corn and a few of Kelsey’s goat cheese balls on top 🙂

Plus fresh grapefruit and a handful of Dr. Krackers I brought from home. More on those later!!! Yum!!

We’re now off to do our presentation once more for an after school 4H group!! Cross your fingers this one goes better!

Filed Under: Weekend

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Comments

  1. Teri [a foodie stays fit] says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:28 pm

    Good luck! Presenting to kids can be TOUGH!

    Reply
  2. Jules @ eatdrinklivelearn says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:32 pm

    Good luck with your presentations! Yikes, 7th grade is a scary age. Especially in large groups.
    Times have changed so much since I was in elementary/middle school…I wish we’d had someone giving us helpful info on things like portion size!

    Reply
  3. Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    Good luck girl! I can’t imagine presenting to that many kids.

    Reply
  4. Katie@ Two Lives, One Lifestyle says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    100 7th graders at once is nuts! They are probably starting to get that “I’m too cool to care” attitude the cute little kindergartners just don’t have!

    Reply
  5. Sarah @ The Foodie Diaries says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    ok my school lunches were nowhere near as delicious as yours are!

    Reply
  6. Paige says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    I teach 8th graders, so I feel your pain!!!

    Reply
  7. Estela @ Weekly Bite says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:36 pm

    Good luck with the presentations!!!

    Reply
  8. Mara @ What's For Dinner? says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:36 pm

    How funny! I teach 2 sixth grade classes, 2 seventh, and 2 eighth. My first group of 7th graders are some of the loudest and most talkative kids I’ve ever met in my life!!!

    Reply
  9. Mama Pea says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:38 pm

    Kindergartners are easier than 7th graders?! Oh no. Let’s just freeze my girls the way they are right now!!!!

    Reply
  10. Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:39 pm

    Awww, good luck!! I can only imagine how hard it is to keep the attention of 100 7th graders!

    Yay for goat cheese balls!! 🙂

    Reply
  11. Shannon (The Daily Balance) says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:39 pm

    fingers crossed! those goat cheese balls would make anything taste delish! yummmm

    Reply
  12. Brittany says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:42 pm

    Good luck on your presentation!!!

    Reply
  13. Freya @ foodfitnessandfreya.wordpress.com says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:42 pm

    Isn’t it weird how kids sometimes can be angelic, and then the same age group but just a different bunch will be mad!? They’re so unpredictable, they’re like animals 😛
    Have a good afternoon 🙂

    Reply
  14. Hannah says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:44 pm

    I wish I had goat cheese balls to add surreptitiously to everything! Kath win, Hannah fail 😛

    Reply
  15. Emily says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:47 pm

    Middle-schoolers are insane. good luck!

    that salad looks SO GOOD!

    Reply
  16. Ally (Exercise and Pies) says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:50 pm

    kids are always hard to control when they are in big groups, especially 7th graders. I feel for you Kath and I hope everything goes well!

    Reply
  17. Lauren @ Eater not a runner says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:51 pm

    That sounds like a scary presentation!

    Reply
  18. Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    I won several boxes of Dr. Krackers and they were gone in DAYS!!! Sooooo surprisingly good (and super crunchy). I am down to one box but only because I hid them.

    Reply
  19. [email protected] a 100+ Pound weight loss!!! says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    What a YUMMY looking salad!!! I love “gourmet” salads as I call them, basically lettuce with a TON OF TOPPINGS. =)

    Reply
  20. Heather (Heather's Dish) says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:54 pm

    i hope it gets better for you! one of my best friends is a high school teacher and she says it’s even worse the older they get!

    Reply
  21. eggie says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:54 pm

    second batch must have been the honors group. First group the sweathogs.

    Reply
  22. Simply Life says

    February 10, 2010 at 2:57 pm

    looks like a great lunch! love those crackers!

    Reply
  23. Kelly says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:00 pm

    Good luck with your next presentation!! Kids can act like such goons sometimes!!

    Reply
  24. Allison K says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:03 pm

    Middle school is such a unique age…..love working with kids!

    Reply
  25. Katy ( The Balanced Foodie) says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:06 pm

    I was an elementary education major, and I know what you mean. All of us were elementary because NO ONE wanted to try to handle middle school! They are just CRAZY! Good luck with your last group, glad you survived the first one. 😉

    Reply
  26. Chloe (Naturally Frugal) says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:09 pm

    Oh those unruly seventh graders, what an age 😉

    It’s great that you’re talking about portion control. A question on that – how do you teach healthy eating without giving young minds the tools to then turn that into an eating disorder behavior? Does the school do any education on that subject?

    Reply
    • Kath says

      February 10, 2010 at 8:38 pm

      We focus on health, not on weight or appearance.

      Reply
  27. Johanna B says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:12 pm

    First professional job out of college – inner city school – elementary school library – library programs for kids who couldn’t read. At least I got them in small groups of 30.

    Reply
  28. The Brunette says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    I think it’s great that you’re teaching seventh graders about portion control. I remember the old NEDA line: “eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full, and you are unlikely to have a weight problem, let alone an eating disorder.” Making sure middle schoolers are clear on this is so key, as (at least in my experience) this is when unhealthy relationships with food can really kick into high gear, and once the behavior is established, it’s hard to break out of. Prevention is better than cure, and letting middle schoolers know that they can eat anything they want in moderation is such a great thing.

    Reply
  29. Foy Update - Cook. Garden. Write. Repeat. says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:27 pm

    Do you have a link to the program you are interning for? I tried looking them up and there are so many that all use the same words. I’m curious to learn more about it.

    Reply
    • Kath says

      February 10, 2010 at 8:38 pm

      It’s through Winthrop’s accredited dietetic internship: http://www2.winthrop.edu/nutrition/

      Reply
  30. Wendy says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    I subbed a couple weeks ago for a music teacher who teaches one middle school band class. I don’t know ANYTHING about music, he didn’t leave them enough work to do, and they couldn’t keep their hands off of stuff! It was a good reminder as to why I’m getting certified to teach high school. The 45 minutes I had with them seemed twice as long as the 90 minutes I had each period with his high school students!

    Reply
  31. Callie says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:29 pm

    Kath,

    I just want to say thank you to both Matt and you for responding to my email about my Great Harvest interview. I really want this job, and I hope that I have what they are looking for. Congrats on all your accomplishments and your healthy lifestyle. You are really an inspiration to so many people.

    Reply
    • Kath says

      February 10, 2010 at 8:38 pm

      You’re welcome! good luck!

      Reply
  32. Erin (Travel, Eat, Repeat) says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:30 pm

    Have fun and good luck. That’s a tough age, for sure.

    Reply
  33. Ameena says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:33 pm

    That is definitely a tough age! Sometimes I think the younger kids have a better ability to focus. Good luck!

    Reply
  34. Anne P says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:38 pm

    Lol… I had some REALLY rowdy 7th graders when I was teaching in Prague. That’s a tough age!!

    Reply
  35. Amy says

    February 10, 2010 at 3:38 pm

    Do you use dressing on your salads?

    Reply
    • Kath says

      February 10, 2010 at 8:39 pm

      Not usually. I like just using fun foods as flavor for the lettuce like the corn + peas + cheese.

      Reply
  36. Cynthia (It All Changes) says

    February 10, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    Middle schoolers are so unpredictable. I could never tell if my students were going to listen or not. Always a new day.

    Reply
  37. Stef says

    February 10, 2010 at 4:27 pm

    middle schoolers are a rowdy bunch. but the group dynamics can vary so much, i think some “leaders” get a group all riled up but some are just so shy and quiet! hope the 4H one goes great

    Reply
  38. Kalli@Fitandfortysomething says

    February 10, 2010 at 4:27 pm

    Ha ha you had me laughing! I teach middle school and they ARE ALWAYS CRAZY! Good job!

    Reply
  39. Katharine says

    February 10, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    Looks like a great lunch! Good luck with your presentation. 🙂

    Reply
  40. Lisa @bakebikeblog says

    February 10, 2010 at 4:52 pm

    Great work on the presentation! I don’t think I would have had the patience 😉

    oooh I LOVE adding corn to salads!! So yum!

    Reply
  41. christie @ honoring health says

    February 10, 2010 at 4:55 pm

    Wow, good job on the presentation. I can’t imagine trying to handle that situation!

    Reply
  42. Jil says

    February 10, 2010 at 5:02 pm

    Middle schoolers can be hard to handle!! Glad the 2nd group of kids was better!!

    Reply
  43. Eileen says

    February 10, 2010 at 5:03 pm

    7th grade is the most hormone-filled, rule- testing and awkward time for them- they are a mess!!! I’m sure you handled it well. I know this because I used to teach Special Ed to this age- group- now I don’t. lol

    Reply
  44. Emily says

    February 10, 2010 at 5:19 pm

    I am a 7th grade teacher, so I know exactly what you are talking about. Their attention spans are ridiculously short!

    Reply
  45. Kristilyn (My 29th Year) says

    February 10, 2010 at 5:31 pm

    Sounds like your presentations are going well! Hopefully the kids (or ‘lids’ as you wrote!) are getting what you’re talking about.

    Your salad looks really yummy – as do those Dr. Kraekers!

    K

    Reply
  46. Alison says

    February 10, 2010 at 5:49 pm

    That’s awesome. I love the idea that you’re teaching middle schoolers to think about health and portion size. 🙂

    Reply
  47. Cole says

    February 10, 2010 at 6:45 pm

    I can’t imagine giving a presentation to all of those kids! I hope the rest of your afternoon went well.

    Reply
  48. Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope says

    February 10, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    Definitely sounds like a great experience. Even though the first group was a little wild, situations like that will always arrise in the real world, so it’s great to have that experience.

    That salad looks fantastic!

    Reply
  49. lynn (The Actors Diet) says

    February 10, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    yay dr. krackers!!! those are some of my new fave crackers. the dude knows what he’s doing!

    Reply
  50. Andrea says

    February 10, 2010 at 8:17 pm

    Hey Kath!
    I like that you supplement your school lunches with food from home. I remember when I substitute taught and chose to buy lunch, I often felt unsatisfied or still hungry.
    On another note, I know that you and Matt enjoy entertaining and I wanted to tell you about a fantastic recipe I tried that I plan on serving at a dinner party I’m having this weekend. It’s “Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce” from Giada De Laurentiis. It’s simple and absolutely delicious. I just wrote about it on my blog if you’re interested!
    www.CanYouStayForDinner.com
    Thanks!
    Andrea

    Reply
  51. Jessica @ The Process of Healing says

    February 10, 2010 at 8:32 pm

    Hope the second one went well! And I have to say, i’d rather talk to kindergardeners than 7th graders ANY day!

    Reply
  52. GurlOnA"Diet" says

    February 10, 2010 at 8:49 pm

    God that salad looks to DIE for. Yummmmm and yes, 7th graders can be out of control…my school’s grades 7-12 T_T

    Reply
  53. Jenna says

    February 10, 2010 at 9:31 pm

    presenting to middle schoolers is not easy! i am sure!
    jenna

    Reply
  54. Tabitha says

    February 13, 2010 at 9:50 pm

    Thank you so much for presenting to our crazy students. They really did get a lot out of the presentation even the loud first group. I was glad to see them excited about healthy choices. In fact, some of the students came to me on Thursday and Friday and was talking about using their “handy” measuring tools to determine portion sizes. Thanks again for your help!

    Reply
    • Kath says

      February 13, 2010 at 11:55 pm

      Hey Tabitha!!! So glad to hear they liked it 🙂 I’m sure we got through to a good amount 🙂 Best of luck moving forward!

      Reply
  55. Liz Derry says

    February 14, 2010 at 6:42 am

    I have some nutrition activity horror stories with middle schoolers. You are right it may be easier to teach the Kindergartners!

    Reply

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