When lunch starts, fifth grade teacher Dan Shutes sits with his students. Shutes from Michigan's Paw Paw Public School District, believes sharing lunch fosters stronger student connections, surpassing traditional activities. His TikTok video reveals he prioritizes personal engagement over prep work for better relationships.
Shutes shared why in a TikTok video posted to his 1.8 million followers.
“So, I eat lunch in the cafeteria almost every single day,” he said. “I know what some of you are thinking — ‘what about your prep time? What about your planning? Do you get anything done? Are you crazy?’ I get it,” Shutes said in the video. “I know I can grade papers, I know I can check my email. I know I can eat my food in the peace and quiet. I get all that, but it’s the beginning of the year so it’s really not that big a deal.”
Shutes added, “In the eight years of doing this, this is the most effective thing that I have to get to know my students on a personal level. Way more effective than the ‘all about me’ activities, which I still give some of those — they’re dope, don’t get me wrong. But this is way more effective.”
The teacher shared what happened during lunch period that day.
“I sat down next to a couple of my new kids. Instantly, two or three more down the table were like, ‘Hey, can you eat lunch with me tomorrow? Can you sit with me the next day?’ and I said, ‘Absolutely, mark me down.’ Because we can all agree that in this job ... the single most important thing we can do is build a relationship with every single kid that walks in the door. We can’t do our job without it.”
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