Today in the 7th grade we had a field trip! We were scheduled to go to Real Art Ways in Hartford to watch a documentary on the Children's March. It was the first field trip that I have ever coordinated myself with no much help from other teachers. It was a mad house in my Crew this morning with 4 other Crew teachers being absent sent over 20 extra students into my classroom alone! Once the time came to board the bus it was crazy because the place only sent one bus and my students were not very happy that they had to sit 3 to a seat! Once we got there the film was great and the students really paid attention to it and had a pretty good conversation about what they learned. Over all I think the field trip went very well. With a few minor bumps along the way.
What I learned from this experience was that my school needs an explicit directions or packet about field trips. Especially for the first year teachers! But overall it was a learning experience that every teacher should get to have.
Congrats! You made it through your first field trip! Many districts have manuals that detail how field trips should be planned and executed. Since your students lived through and had some issues with your last field trip, could you ask them to help you write a procedural handbook for future field trips?
ReplyDeleteKailyn, good job keeping it all together on your first field trip as coordinator. I would have probably had a melt down if only one bus showed up, but it sounds like you kept your cool even with all those extra kids.
ReplyDeleteGood job! See you Tuesday…Tom
Way to keep it together! This is exactly why I love being on a team with someone who has recently been the newbie. Last year, she totally took control of the field trips early in the year, and I had to do one later in the year. She of course guided and helped me along the way. This year when it came time to plan trips, we were both still planning and working together. I can't imagine teaching without a teammate, especially the one I have. I'm so grateful to have someone that gets it because otherwise I would be totally lost and overwhelmed when it comes to things like this.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you for being such a risk taker and making it work!