Field trips: Good? Bad? Discuss amongst yourselves (or comment below – because comments make our day – really comments and chocolate.Recently, I received 2 field trip forms…one for Thing 1 and one for Thing 2…here is the killer –>same field trip! Now, anyone who has gone on a field trip knows you sign up to go with ONE respective class. Here was my quandry: whose class do I accompany? (complete lose/lose situation there – if I go with one child – the other child will be upset and vice versa – isn’t parenthood grand?)
I have a theory about field trips – they were the reason happy hour was invented (and invented by June Cleaver). I bet June cracked out a martini, while making roast beef on a Wednesday night, because she spent all day at Beaver’s field trip. It’s a theory.
I have gone on more than one field trip. The positive is that you spend time with your child. You also get a look into the class life. Child’s friends & frenemies. Teacher organizational skills. What the other kids get in their lunchboxes (my 1st kindergarten field trip: a kid had a can of coke, a baloney sandwich and a dunkaroo…despite my nudges…the sandwich was the only thing not eaten).
The negative of a field trip is that you are on a field trip. A day off paid work. Noisy school (or TTC) buses. Sketchy-clean-factors of public bathrooms. The responsibility of 4 or more kids on public transportation/in public spaces (that’s 4 or more uber-excited-on-a-field-trip kids who are probably not on best behaviour).
I’m putting it out to the Club – what do you think about field trips (make my day and comment).
*re. my field trip quandry – Thing 1’s teacher chose two other parents so I’m off the hook, available for the other class.
I do the field trips all the time and each and every time, I come home with a headache. But I still sign up because despite the headache, I like spying….I mean….hanging out with my kids at school
I love field trips, but I don't have many issues with Canadian public washrooms and I feel that experiential learning is very effective…think back to your days in elementary school (think way back) and you may remember the field trips more clearly than the other, regular days. I certainly remember going to the Royal Winter Fair, ski trips, the zoo, music performances, Science Centre, etc… Canada's Wonderland was never more fun than the day the high school went as a group! Of course, many of these places we parents may take our kids during family time, but I believe going with the school gang will influence differently and positively.