ANy other parents against school field trips?

[disykat]

I don't really like field trips either, but understand why we have them. I've been on many field trips (both as the teacher and as a parent) and don't know what working parents do. I decided long ago that my kids will never go on a field trip without me or without me specifically designating which chaperone they will go with.

When my oldest was in first grade they took a ton of field trips. The last one was to a local park for a picnic - no educational emphasis, just fun. Each chaperone had a group of kids they transported and supposedly supervised. I took my group up to the bathroom (1/4 mile away from the beach) and saw several students from our school there. I asked where there adult was and their answer was down on the beach. I cannot imagine any responsible adult allowing two 6 year olds to wander around on their own in a very large state park. There were several chaperones that pretty much saw their kids only in the car.

 

[apagano]

Apagano...I didn't mean anything against your job - it sounds as if you are a bus driver???

Not a bus driver, but a tour guide. If not for school field trippers, I would be out of a job.

I know you didn't mean it personally. I just wanted to make the point that not only do field trips make great memories for kids, but they also have an economic effect. Without field trips most of the Aquariums, zoos and science centers in the country would be in deep trouble.

 

[sha_lyn]

I think field trips are wonderful educational experences for kids. I haveo ne friend however who never lets her son go on them. She never really seems to have avalid reason. Last yr his class was going to the Georgia Renaissance festival. 2 yrs before I took her son for DS's birthday. Well she said since he went once why should he go again. Other times it was like "what is educational about that" (a play, the Tenn aqaurium etc).

I can uderstand the fear about letting your child go, but believe me the last thing a school or an "attraction" wants is a law suit or bad press. They are usually very very careful with your children.

Luckily now that we homeschool I get to chaparone all the field trips my kids attend and we dont' have to worry about the younger sibling rules (usually, some events will not let younger children attend). We now take 2-3 a month, and the kids get so much more out of a real world experience. A book, in class movie etc just can't recreate the real experience.

 

[aprincessmom]

I've been on many field trips (both as the teacher and as a parent) and don't know what working parents do.

I take the day off and go when I get chosen to chaperone.

I decided long ago that my kids will never go on a field trip without me or without me specifically designating which chaperone they will go with.

At DD's school so many parents volunteer that the teacher rotates the group so everyone gets a chance to go on at least one. But all parents who volunteer must undergo and pass a CORI (a criminal records check) before they can be considered for any volunteer opportunity so I don't have a problem with DD going with the other parents as well.

It must be comforting to you that if you can't go you can tell the teacher what chaperone your daughter should be grouped with.

 

[Jomrog]

I think they give children a chance to experience our culture and apply or see what they are learning in action. My DD just went on one yesterday to a science museum and got to experience an IMAX movie about chimpanzees. She loved it.

It's also a good social experience and a nice break from everyday pencil & paper work.

JMO

 

[PamOKW]

Jill,

I don't know if it will help to know that this trip to the Mashuntuckets isn't just a boondoggle. This museum is absolutely wonderful and world class. No expense has been spared in creating realistic exhibits and a variety of interactive experiences. The figures are built to Disney-like levels of realism. There is probably no place in the world that they could learn more about Native American culture. Here's a link to the museum.

Pequot Museum

*In case you were wondering, the reason no expense is spared is because this is the tribe that also owns the Foxwoods Casino.

 

[Poohy]

I agree. I won't let my child go unless I am going on the trip with him. I know several people who have had children lost on field trips by other parents and then the teachers have had to spend time trying to find the children. Thank goodness everything has turned out alright. At my son's school there is a lottery for chaperones since so many parents want to go. He is only 8 right now but when he gets older I will relax a little.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

It depends on the field trip. I never worried about safety. I have wondered about the value of certain trips...some of them seem to be a field trip for the sake of a field trip.

One of the big 2nd grade trips was to Boston Children's Museum, coming from RI...between the trip there, "gift shop time" (what a nightmare THAT was!), eating at the McDonald's there, and the trip back before school ended, they got very little actual museum time. I always thought it was the biggest waste of time, even if it is a wonderful destination. We, as a family, would get MUCH more out of it...we can certainly ask valuable questions as a family, and without being rushed.

Pam, I agree...the Pequot Museum IS great...but like our trip to Boston Children's Museum, if you're too bogged down with time constraints, ANY trip loses it's value. I'd be happier if they could extend the trip past the end of school hours on some of these trips, but no can do.

We recently went on a field trip to IMAX to see a couple of WONDERFUL educational movies, but they had considered seeing a Disney movie...where's the education in that?

And with every field trip, I think the students should have to do some schoolwork related to it, not just go and forget it when they leave.

My BIG pet peeve is field trips that seem like a waste of time and an excuse to get out of school...and then they take issue when I take them out of school for a family trip.

 

[RUDisney]

We take him to plays, nature centers, museums, etc...so he wouldn't be missing out on an experience.

We take our kids to these types of things, too, but I think they'd be missing out on alot if that was their only exposure to some of these things. I took the day off yesterday to go to the Trolley Museum in Scranton yesterday with my DS's 1st grade class. We could take our kids there any time, but we wouldn't have a tour guide like we did yesterday. I learned so much about the trolley system that ran through Scranton until the mid-50s. I have heard my father tell stories about the trolleys, but had never witnessed one myself in Scranton. The kids enjoyed hearing about these things and seeing trolleys that were very old. They had alot of questions for the tour guide. We got to take a 3 mile ride on one of the trolleys and they learned about all of the cables and bells on the trolley. It was fun and educational.

The highlight of the day was meeting Mr. McFeely from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I had my picture taken with him, too, since he is an icon of my youth. DS thought it was pretty neat that I was so excited about meeting him, too.

I'm really looking forward to finding out where my DD's trip will be. I plan to take that day off, too.

 

[BrerMom]

Originally posted by MaryAnnDVC
but they had considered seeing a Disney movie...where's the education in that?

Off with her head!

 

[ckr]

As a standing rule (we let the teacher know of this desire at our first meeting before school starts), DH or I go on EVERY field trip. Being working parents with our DD in afterschool care, it is the only chance we have to get to know her teacher and classmates. We use vacation days or flexible scheduling to be able to do this, but it is SO VERY worth it!!

Being an active participant in our child's education is something we are committed to. While I was COMPLETELY exhausted after 6:45am - 5:45pm field trip to Raleigh last week (and I know I would love to have that vacation day to use on a WDW trip), I would not have changed a thing!! Being able to observe how my DD interacts with her peers, getting to know her peers, being a part of her world. These are the things I gain as a chaperone.

I also think the bond that human beings have are directly related to shared experiences. Having DD tell me about her field trip while I'm half listening/half cooking dinner that night doesn't hold a candle to the comparing of notes on our drive from the school ("Who do you think was the cutest boy on our bus, Mom?" Oh my! She's growing up sooooo fast!! )

My hope is that by building a bridge between us (and keeping that bridge well traveled), it won't need building when she hits Middle School. Sure there will be some pot holes we'll need to fill in, but the bridge won't be a new construction that cannot be traversed at all.

JMHO

(Edited to add a little advice...) When they're young, they want you to come along as a chaperone. We always made the deal that we would come along, but that DD had to be a part of her class. She could not hold our hand and stand back with us/the parents. This was our time to see what she does when we're not around. She had to pretend like we weren't there and we had to pretend that she was just one of the kids. It was something we had to remind her of that first time in Kindergarten during just a few transistions from place to place. But, before the trip was done, she was in full swing and able to gain the educational experience much better than if we'd let her be a Kling-On Kid. Now, as she gets older, she still is happy for us to come along since she knows that she's not going to be expected to hang out with us or that we'll cramp her style. 10-year olds!! HaHa! And to think we'll be starting all over again this fall with DD#2 entering Kindergarten! I need more vacation time!! We may never get back to WDW again!! HaHa!

 

[PamOKW]

Just a thought about the trips...While everyone posting on this thread seems to be a dedicated parent whether they are pro or anti field trip, there are some children who are not so lucky. In some schools, if it weren't for the field trips some of the kids would never get to these museums, visits to other towns, etc. Even the "fun" trips have value in exposing kids to the world outside their own little circle. Some children, due to time constraints or financial reasons, would never get to see the things that these trips show them.

 

[believe]

If it wasn't for field trips I would have not educational experiences like this. My parents had no desire to go to the educational places nor the money. I am very thankful for the field trips I went on. My only objection is when they ask for parents to pay, especially those in low income areas. I didn't go on one field trip because I didn't want to ask my parents for the money since I knew it would be difficult for them....they would have come up with the money, but I just couldn't ask. I sat in a room all day and watched movies How educational is that?

 

[RUDisney]

Pam, you bring up a very good and valid point. But, truly, the saddest thing yesterday was the three kids in my DS's class who didn't have anyone come with them. On this trip, there was room on the bus for one parent with every child. There were some parents, some grandparents and some older siblings that went with the kids. Instead of waiting to the normal dismissal of 2:20 p.m., everyone who had an adult with them got to leave at 1:30, but these three kids had to wait until normal dismissal time. It must have been quite a shot to their egos to not have anyone to show off to the rest of the class. My DS will have pictures to remember this day, as will other children... but not those three... unless they are in one of our doubles. But... at least they got to go on the field trip.

 

[BrerMom]

Originally posted by RUDisney
... But, truly, the saddest thing yesterday was the three kids in my DS's class who didn't have anyone come with them. On this trip, there was room on the bus for one parent with every child. There were some parents, some grandparents and some older siblings that went with the kids. ......

This is exactly why we ended up only letting our DD go to a co-op preschool for one year (and our sons never did). I really liked the idea of co-ops: cheaper, extra eyes in the classroom at all times, get to be in the classroom on a regular basis, etc. Well, it didn't work out the way I planned. We had it worked out that between DH's vacation days and mine, we could cover all of the days in our rotation. I never dreamed they would take a minimum of two field trips a month and have little programs where all the moms were supposed to come watch. I don't think it bothered DD as much as it did us. DD was often the only child on the field trip without a parent. It just broke my heart. This was a three morning a week program and she liked the program.

She loved her preschool the next year. It was a five day a week program and a field trip once a month. Parents took turns chaperoning. There was a maximum ratio of one to four kids and it was FINE. I wish that we'd sent here to this preschool as soon as we realized how things were going to be, but hindsight is 20/20.

 

[jsmith]

i never hesitated to let my kids go on school field trips-they always had so much fun I don't think I would have had the heart. When they were small DH or I took time off to go along if possible and we always traded off with friends who had kids in the same grade-one of us went or one of them so there was some one to watch the kids. As they got older I got less concerned and DS #1 went on a week long trip to Washington DC when he was in 10th grade. DS #2 will have the same opportunity if he chooses. I would really be in trouble if I was nervous about bus trips as both play sports and this requires that they go to and from the game on the bus even if the parents go to the game as well-this is due to school district liability. It would seem like no big deal-but we play football against schools in western colorado and it is a two day trip -they leave on Friday afternoon, stop and have practice half way there, stay over night, play the game on saturday and then come home. As with everything else, it gets easier if as they get older.