"Dinner Ladies"

"Eating, like learning, must be conducted in an orderly atmosphere, and since the school is charged with training in table behaviour as part of its socialising role, the 'dinner ladies' are a part of the authority-structure of the school."  (English Primary Education, p. 183)

I've had lunch a handful of times at Easterly Parkway (Michael's US school).  The scenes in the cafeteria are familiar to me-- groups of kids sit together at long tables, eating lunch either off trays or out of a lunch box or bag while chatting away with their friends.  Given the number of kids in the room, suffice it to say, it's loud.  Kids huddle or shout to hear each other.  Unlike what I recall of my elementary school, the kids sit with their classes at lunch.  The paraprofessional for their class wanders around to make sure everyone is settled.  It seems a somewhat boisterous atmosphere with kids being kids.  Anyone who finishes their lunch early can read a book or write or draw in a notebook.  One day when I visited, a teacher brought in green swirled bread for all the kids in the class to try, creating a nice feeling of community, I thought.  (It was delicious, by the way.)

At St. Peter's, the set up of the lunchroom is pretty similar-- long tables, kids with trays and lunch boxes.  Like my elementary school, they sit where they'd like.  Parents are not present at lunch, so I haven't had a chance to observe it first hand.  My knowledge is based on the reports of Michael and Anna who say that lunch is quieter at St. Peter's.  In fact, Michael one day told me, "My school in America is loud and my school in England is quiet."  (My variation on this quote is, "In England, school children are quiet and teachers are loud; In America, teachers are quiet and school children are loud.")  Both kids have been under the impression that talking is "not allowed" at lunch, but I imagine it is probably not encouraged as it might be in the US.

Maintaining lunch time decorum and finishing up one's lunch (another general requirement) is enforced by the school's "dinner ladies".  I came across this description on a teacher's network website:

"Midday supervisors are the lynchpins of an army of support staff that patrols school playgrounds and cafeterias to ensure pupils are fed, appropriate behaviour promoted and order prevails. The change of name from ‘dinner lady’ to’ lunchtime or midday supervisor’ signifies a new recognition for this role: schools are keen to maintain consistent standards of pupil behaviour at break times." (TES Connect, http://www.tes.co.uk/)

I like the descriptors of an army that patrols, with the focus not only on eating but also consistent standards of orderly behavior.

It dawned on me that the cafeteria is a microcosm of the culture at large.  At Easterly Parkway, lunch time reinforces American values--openness, freedom of expression, independence, making your own decisions.  Lunch time is viewed as a break in the day; the kids can be kids.  At St. Peter's, lunch time is not break time as much as an extension of the school day and of learning.  The children must continue being mannerly, orderly, rule abiding, trusting of authority.  Break time is not about breaking free and being a "kid" like at Easterly, it is about keeping calm and carrying on.  Lunch is formal rather than casual, orderly rather than "free".

Having heard Michael and Anna refer to dinner ladies' "shouting" and "telling off" pupils, I asked some mums about dinner ladies.  This question usually brings about a slight shudder.  Apparently, dinner ladies have induced fear in school children over the past several decades.  A couple mums said that the dinner ladies at St. Peter's seem mild compared with their childhood experiences.  It was widely enforced that you eat your food, you clean up after yourself, you remember your manners, you are orderly and not disruptive.  At least at St. Peter's, you can earn a sticker from the dinner lady.

Dinner ladies inspect lunch boxes to check that children have made a decent attempt to finish their food.  This, coupled with the school's policy about healthy lunches means that Anna doesn't want us to put chocolate or crisps in her lunch box.  I doubt the dinner ladies would comment on an unhealthy item, but the desire to not find out is motivation enough.  Even on her birthday, she said "no, thank you" to a little cupcake.  I learned at the "Coffee & Chat with Mr. Penn" that schools on the Wirral have lunch box audits from time to time, and St. Peter's was #1in health last time.