Field Trip

I knew I was already feeling anxiety about the field trip because I dreamt about it.  I had a dream that I was sick and so I had to get a sub and I was SO STRESSED.  It was a relief when I woke up and realized I was not sick.

Over the past few weeks I've been arranging for chaperones.  One mother wanted to go.  She insisted her background check would be complete in time.  She texted me multiple times that she was going.  I sent a text to all the parents who were chaperoning on Friday, just confirming.  Yes, she was in.

Yesterday morning I was telling the students who were in their groups.  I said whose mom they were with.  My student said, like I was the crazy one, "My mom isn't going."

I said, "Yes, she is.  She said she was."

My student said, "No, she isn't."

I texted her and this delightful conversation was the result:

I mean, at least she said thank you?

I was immediately very stressed because guess what you need on field trips? Chaperones.  The aquarium in fact requires a certain ratio of students to parents.  Miriam saved the day by having more parents than she needed so she could take four of my girls.

The bus was the same frenetic counting of heads and then trying to keep limbs inside and trying to get them to sit down and stop yelling.

The bus is always the worst part.

The aquarium was fun though!  I was with five of my boys (including but not limited to the hardest ones).  They were so cute.  They were fascinated by everything and obediently stayed together and stopped to point out things to other patrons of the aquarium.  I love my class this year!

We reunited at the designated spot and can I just say that we need to be more explicit with parents?  You think things are obvious and they...aren't.

A dad bought four kids these giant pretzels and guess who else wanted giant pretzels?  Everyone.

A mother bought souvenir flattened pennies for five kids and everyone else wanted some too.  

One dad cheerfully lost one of his charges.  He smiled and shrugged when we asked where he was.

Another mother took her group on walkabout (and one of my students was with her!).  We were supposed to be meeting and they just went wandering outside.

We located everyone and got on the bus and counted heads again.  We were not finished making sure everyone was there and the bus driver took off.  I yelled, "Wait!" so he pulled over and we counted and yes, we had everyone.

We went to a park for lunch and then let them play at the park.  It's an awesome park in Bluffdale with lots of big climbing structures perfect for third graders.

We made it back to the school, unscathed and with everyone we left with.  That's always the hallmark of a successful field trip.

I'm glad we only have a few of them a year though.  They are exhausting!