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i have mixed feelings about this. Cliques can be so hurtful, especially starting in middle school. They sometimes leave kids out, bully others and make their life miserable. The shy kids are left to fend for themselves and may not feel good about just going to sit with kids they might want to be friends with. I was the new kid in school too many times to remember and I can still see myself standing with my tray in the cafeteria wondering where to sit. Usually there was a kid or group of kids who would invite me to sit with them but not always. Assigned seats force kids to at least acknowledge others maybe outside their usual circle of friends.
Yeah, but if their assigned seat lands them next to someone they hate, then they're forced to be tortured every day at lunch.
I taught at a private school that had family style lunches. Every 2 weeks, the students were assigned a different table. Each table had 10-12 kids and one teacher. The first student at the table went to the kitchen and picked up a ready made cart that had all the food and silverware and began setting up the table - others helping as they arrived. When everyone was done, we'd all pass our plates and silverware towards the cart that had a big bin and cleaned up. On the 2nd Friday of the two weeks, the students could sit at whatever table they wanted as long as there were no more than 12 kids.
Anyway, it worked. It was nice to meet all the students and the students didn't seem to have a problem with it. Conversation was easy and we all got to know each other a little better.
I am not saying this is the way it should be done but just sharing.
Texas tends to have better values than the rest of the world, so it's not surprising you do something like that.
I need some advice related to this issue. My daughter's school recently started assigning seating to reduce cliques. She is a very quiet girl but has a nice, small group of friends (about 5 girls out of 24 girls in the class). They always sat together. No problems. Many of the other "cool" kids caused a lot of problems so the principal assigned tables. My daughter ended up at a table with not one of her friends and a group of kids who have either bullied her or her friends in the past. These same kids have also made fun of her and her friends on numerous occasions. She has sat there for 2.5 months and not one person has talked to her. She brings her book to lunch because she is so lonely. She does not feel comfortable talking to them because all they do is talk about other people and she does not trust them. The teacher wants her to start up a conversation with these kids who have never talked to her in 7 years. When I specifically requested to have her moved to be with at least one friend, the teacher and principal refused. I feel that this is unfair and violates her rights. Am I being unreasonable? What can I do? Request a conference?
What's wrong with talking about other people?
Maybe she'll learn that some of their friends like stuff she likes and she can be friends with them?
Also, does she expect them all to talk about her?
I doubt a conference would do much if the principal already refused.
No, that is ridiculous. What kind of anal retentive jerk came up with that?
That is part of the trouble with being a kid. There is this tendency to think adults know what they are doing and put up with any ridiculous crap. So it affects what kind of society we ultimately get due to psychological conditioning.
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