My Son, the Snack Shop Employee

My son’s therapeutic school just opened up a snack shop where students can go during their break time. But, its main purpose is not just to be a place for kids to get snacks.

Run by the school’s speech therapist, its primary goal is to enable students to use their social/pragmatic language and math skills in settings that promote carryover and refinement. Both shopping and working at the snack shop is an earned privilege to students who meet their expectations in class.

Kai was one of two kids selected to be the first employees.

His teacher reported that Kai was very excited for his first day as a snack shop employee. She said that he greeted his “customers” warmly and made great eye contact. He did a wonderful job and will continue working there every Monday through the end of the semester.

With so much in the news lately of the poor quality of American schools, I feel fortunate that my son is going to a place that has such innovative thinkers as this speech therapist. What a great idea to have students “working” in a setting that will help them practice the skills they need to work on the most.

It wasn’t all that long ago that we were happy with any social interaction our son made. Now, he is greeting customers. I never thought I’d be so proud to say, “my son, the snack shop employee.”