Embarrassing Homeschool Field Trip

[Daisy]

Okay, let me just start out by saying we wound up having a lot of fun.

 

BUT man, was I embarrassed.

 

First off, we had signed up for two different programs. One for the K-2 crowd and one for the 3rd and up crowd. That means double the number of naturalists were at the preserve ready to take us on a tour. The preserve is closed during the week so they made the trip just for us.

 

FOUR families showed up.

 

A total of eight kids.

 

Thankfully, I was not in charge of this field trip, but I felt badly anyway.

 

Everyone just flaked without even letting us know.

 

They didn't show up. We stood around for an hour waiting on them.

 

That drives me crazy. What is wrong with these people? I was embarrassed to call myself a homeschooler at that moment.

 

Now let's add to that the fact that my 11yo daughter is so shy she barely says a word, and 8yo son had his pants on backwards (He fixed them in the bathroom) and flaps his hands (hugs his elbows to his body and flaps his hands like a bird) when he is excited and heck, we made the perfect picture.

 

SIGH. :glare:

 

I need a Mikes (never had one but it seems appropriate).

[BridgeTea]

Okay, let me just start out by saying we wound up having a lot of fun.

 

 

 

I need a Mikes (never had one but it seems appropriate).

 

Oh, Daisy, I love your attitude!

 

(Notice how I just deleted all that yucky part in the middle? Poof! Gone! All that's left now are the happy memories and possibly a Mike's.)

[Daisy]

ROFLOL.

 

Wouldn't it be great to have a great big white out pen for daily memories. I'll take it!

 

Poof! Gone. :D

[Kates]

Oy...we've had that happen before - to the point where we had to make those who sign up pay a $5 deposit, and they'll get their 5 bucks back if they show. If they don't, it goes to the person who organized the trip and had to endure the embarrassment of being in charge of a bunch of no-shows.

 

Argh...

[Daisy]

Oy...we've had that happen before - to the point where we had to make those who sign up pay a $5 deposit, and they'll get their 5 bucks back if they show. If they don't, it goes to the person who organized the trip and had to endure the embarrassment of being in charge of a bunch of no-shows.

 

Argh...

 

This is a good idea actually.

 

I'm tired of flakes.

 

If you say you are going to do something, do it!

 

Some homeschoolers think the world revolves around them, so if they choose not to come to an event, who cares. Well, the poor naturalists who drove an HOUR to be at the preserve probably cared (though they were very gracious about it).

[Dandelion]

I hear ya - it is SO frustrating when people no-show for events like that (whether you're the one organizing or not).

 

This has happened to me more times than I care to remember (I used to organize a very large HS support group). One time, my family was the ONLY family that showed up to a field trip at a state park - after I had received confirmed RSVP's from 60 people (about 20 adults and 40 kids) and the park had assigned extra staff that day to accommodate our group. Talk about embarrassing... :o

 

Go have that Mike's! :D

[Lucy in Australia]

Oh boy, do I feel for you! This has happened here more than once and you're right: it is beyond embarassing :glare: To top it off, one of our family friends runs a leisure centre in our area. A homeschooling group decided to hire it for multi-sports (we weren't part of this group). I'm running out of ways of saying "sorry" and "no, we're not all like that". I mean, really, is it so hard to turn up when you said you would? And is it totally necessary to try and weasel out of paying the very reasonable fees EVERY TIME?

 

:rant: OK, rant over :001_smile:

 

By the way, my now 14 year old used to flap his hands like that too. He doesn't do it anymore... I kind of miss it :001_wub:

[Amy loves Bud]

Oy...we've had that happen before - to the point where we had to make those who sign up pay a $5 deposit, and they'll get their 5 bucks back if they show. If they don't, it goes to the person who organized the trip and had to endure the embarrassment of being in charge of a bunch of no-shows.

 

Argh...

 

Our group does the same, only it started out at $5 but had to be raised to $15 to really have the desired effect.

 

It's a very embarrassing situation to be in.

[justasque]

I've also learned to say in advance that we will start on time whether everyone is there or not, and we DO.

If there is a fee, I try to remind myself to get folks to pay up-front, and if they aren't there I don't worry about it.

Free field trips are the worst, attendance-wise. I find them to be the most frustrating to organize.

[Miss Sherry]

I wouldn't have stood around waiting on people to show up. I would have asked them to be there at least 15 or so minutes before it was time to start.

 

Years ago I had organized a field trip to a museum and when it was time to go in we just went in, although a few people didn't show up. Everyone paid in advance and I paid one payment to the museum. I was surprised when a few months later the museum called me to ask where to send a check to refund the people that didn't show up. I told the museum to keep it because I no longer had the info. of who didn't come. It was such a minimal amt. of money that it wasn't worth the hassle of tracking down a few people who I didn't even remember their names. Besides, I think it's a poor precedent to set for people to think if they just don't show up someone will track them down later and pay them back the few bucks they wasted.

Edited October 6, 2010 by Miss Sherry

[Daisy]

I wouldn't have stood around waiting on people to show up. I would have asked them to be there at least 15 or so minutes before it was time to start.

 

Years ago I had organized a field trip to a museum and when it was time to go in we just went in, although a few people didn't show up. Everyone paid in advance and I paid one payment to the museum. I was surprised when a few months later the museum called me to ask where to send a check to refund the people that didn't show up. I told the museum to keep it because I no longer had the info. of who didn't come. It was such a minimal amt. of money that it wasn't worth the hassle of tracking down a few people who I didn't even remember their names. Besides, I think it's a poor precedent to set for people to think if they just don't show up someone will track them down later and pay them back the few bucks they wasted.

 

 

The only reason we waited so long was because the place was a bit difficult to find if it is your first time. Yeah, normally we wouldn't have waited so long. Talk about AWKWARD.

[orangearrow]

Oh how awkward that had to have been! I'm glad you all had fun anyway! :D Did anyone notify the non-show-uppers about the awkward situation they caused? Sometimes people just really aren't aware of what their not-showing-up causes.

[Cedarmom]

Well since it was fun, sounds like the naturalists were helpful even if just a few showed up. What if those kids who attended sent thank you cards- it might leave the guides with a good impression of homeschoolers-as opposed to flakes who don't show up whenscheduled.

[joannqn]

I've been on a lot of field trips, both well-attended and ones where no one showed up. I noticed one major difference in how they are set up that determines whether their are a lot of flakes or not: cost. When something is free, there is no commitment made. It is easy to let any little thing change your mind about showing up. However, if you've paid for it, you are more likely to show up. That is why I've decided that any field trips that I organize will be run the same way a group I used to attend organized field trips.

 

There is always a cost, which must be prepaid with a SASE by a certain date. The cost is determined by the cost of the actual trip. If it was free, I would still charge a fee and state that the money collected would be given to the organization as a donation (so I'm not accused of profiting). The date money is due is to be certain I can give the location accurate numbers of participants. My dates are firm, and I'm very sorry if you really wanted to go but missed it. Finally, the SASE is so I can mail the checks back to the participant if the trip has to be canceled for any reason, and they are returned to the participant when they check in with me so they can be reused next time.

 

I've only organized one field trip but I had nearly 60 people show up despite it being a entirely outdoor field trip and being really cold that day. We had 2 flakes; one family that e-mailed me the day before to let me know they'd be missing it because they were sick and one that just never showed. And, no, they didn't get their money back...it was donated to the organization.

[Miss Sherry]

The only reason we waited so long was because the place was a bit difficult to find if it is your first time. Yeah, normally we wouldn't have waited so long. Talk about AWKWARD.

Oh I see. I really just thought you were extremely patient and kind. But I just wouldn't have waited that long because I know my kids would have been very bored by then, along with everyone else's children.

[IsabelC]

My husband was just saying this morning that organizing home schoolers is like herding cats. But yes, it's rude of people to commit to something and then not show up. It only takes a few minutes to make a quick phone call if you are no longer able to attend.

[Ellie]

:grouphug:

 

And your story is the exact reason that I:

 

 

• Charge for all field trips
  
• Have a deadline by when monies must be paid
  
• Only accept payment by mail. Really.
  
• Never count someone until I have her money in my hand
  
• Never give refunds (unless the field trip is cancelled)
  

 

Someone told me once that she thought I was really hardnosed...until she organized a few field trips.:) Then she realized what a smart cookie I was. :D

[rootsnwings]

Oh man, that stinks!!

 

I did want to mention that Mike's do ALL the work, when the hills get high! ;)

 

:rofl:

[Alessandra]

:grouphug:

 

And your story is the exact reason that I:

 

 

• Charge for all field trips

• Have a deadline by when monies must be paid

• Only accept payment by mail. Really.

• Never count someone until I have her money in my hand

• Never give refunds (unless the field trip is cancelled)

 

Someone told me once that she thought I was really hardnosed...until she organized a few field trips.:) Then she realized what a smart cookie I was. :D

 

Ellie -- Thanks! I am organizing some Cub Scout field trips right now -- I like your advice.

 

Daisy -- you just described one of my worst nightmares -- so sorry it happened to you!

[linders]

I've been on a couple of homeschool field trips like that and feel your embarassment. I am certain that when a school teacher schedules a field trip her class shows up.

 

Commitment seems to be one area where homeschoolers in general are weak - it isn't just field trips but other get-togethers such as special project days, classes, other outings, even parties. Enthusiastic signups turn into last minute no-shows, usually with no communication. I can honestly say this doesn't seem to happen with our schooled friends. Maybe those parents are so accustomed to living with an immutable school schedule (can you see them saying, "Let's just skip the school bus today?") that commitments are taken more seriously?

 

Ranting here, must need more coffee.

[DarlaS]

As a member of a group of shower-uppers, I find this bizarre. :001_huh:

 

It must be a geographical thing. Around here (rural) there's just not so many choices of what to do. When someone organizes a field trip, people come!

[KayT]

Daisy so sorry this happened!

 

I went through this last year and the park people were livid and treated those who did show up badly. The old lady running it gave us all a tongue lashing and swore she would never open for homeschoolers again!

 

Makes me crazy!!!!

Edited October 6, 2010 by KayT

[jplain]

Yep, you've got to get people to pay money in advance. Around here, families are much more likely to show up if they've paid for the privilege, even if it was a measly couple of dollars.

[elegantlion]

Wow, I had no idea no shows were such an issue. I would have wanted to crawl under a rock. I agree, I'd have the kids draw a picture or write a letter and enclose a nice note from you.

 

I'm looking forward to more field trip opportunities in our new area. Sounds like I might do just as well to call a few friends or grab my mom and attend on our own.

[NanceXToo]

Ugh I feel for you. It happens a lot in my homeschool group (and I DO organize a lot of my group's events). Not so much that people just don't show up without a word (yuck, that's even worse!!!) but that inevitably a bunch of them cancel last minute.

 

In the past, that's had us show up with only a few families for someone kind enough to make a free presentation to what they thought would be a bigger group, other times it's led to us canceling events, as well as to issuing emails now and then asking people not to cancel last minute if a particular event has someone coming a long way or doing something for us for free or has a minimum number of people expected to attend. Sometimes I find myself calling or emailing an organization or person, telling them "I'm so sorry, I know we were supposed to have X number of people, but now we only have X, should we still come, or would you want us to reschedule....?"

 

It's all very frustrating!

 

Like Pauline said, we start on time even if people are late, and we sometimes require payment in advance, but basically I've just come to expect this sort of thing to happen, unfortunately!

[freethinkermama]

Okay, let me just start out by saying we wound up having a lot of fun.

 

BUT man, was I embarrassed.

 

First off, we had signed up for two different programs. One for the K-2 crowd and one for the 3rd and up crowd. That means double the number of naturalists were at the preserve ready to take us on a tour. The preserve is closed during the week so they made the trip just for us.

 

FOUR families showed up.

 

A total of eight kids.

 

Thankfully, I was not in charge of this field trip, but I felt badly anyway.

 

Everyone just flaked without even letting us know.

 

They didn't show up. We stood around for an hour waiting on them.

 

That drives me crazy. What is wrong with these people? I was embarrassed to call myself a homeschooler at that moment.

 

Now let's add to that the fact that my 11yo daughter is so shy she barely says a word, and 8yo son had his pants on backwards (He fixed them in the bathroom) and flaps his hands (hugs his elbows to his body and flaps his hands like a bird) when he is excited and heck, we made the perfect picture.

 

SIGH. :glare:

 

I need a Mikes (never had one but it seems appropriate).

 

You know, it happens all the time here in the community where I live. Even large events, 3/4 of the signed up folks will bail out. It's embarassing, and frankly, shameful.

 

The other night, parents who had signed up for a specific thing to do with our local group came to the event, but said they couldn't/didn't want to do the specific thing after all (not messy, or dangerous, or embarrassing), and we were left scrambling for other volunteers amongst the other driving parents in attendance.

 

What's the deal here? Does this give weight to the "homeschoolers don't care about anyone other than their own families" mantra?

 

T.

[Ellie]

As a member of a group of shower-uppers, I find this bizarre. :001_huh:

 

It must be a geographical thing. Around here (rural) there's just not so many choices of what to do. When someone organizes a field trip, people come!

Must be a pretty big geographical area: from Australia to California!

[Ellie]

Ugh I feel for you. It happens a lot in my homeschool group (and I DO organize a lot of my group's events). Not so much that people just don't show up without a word (yuck, that's even worse!!!) but that inevitably a bunch of them cancel last minute.

 

In the past, that's had us show up with only a few families for someone kind enough to make a free presentation to what they thought would be a bigger group, other times it's led to us canceling events, as well as to issuing emails now and then asking people not to cancel last minute if a particular event has someone coming a long way or doing something for us for free or has a minimum number of people expected to attend. Sometimes I find myself calling or emailing an organization or person, telling them "I'm so sorry, I know we were supposed to have X number of people, but now we only have X, should we still come, or would you want us to reschedule....?"

 

It's all very frustrating!

 

Like Pauline said, we start on time even if people are late, and we sometimes require payment in advance, but basically I've just come to expect this sort of thing to happen, unfortunately!

When I organize a field trip, I set the deadline to register (and by "registering" I mean "your money in my hand") far enough in advance that if there aren't enough people I can cancel with no hard feelings.

 

Also, if people ever show up who do not register, I turn them away. No mercy.

 

Always requiring payment in advance, by a deadline, completely eliminated problems with no-shows, not having enough people, and show-ups-who-didn't-pay. Less painful for me, too, as there are no telephone calls or e-mails involved. Either we have enough people or we don't.

[bookfiend]

When I organize a field trip, I set the deadline to register (and by "registering" I mean "your money in my hand") far enough in advance that if there aren't enough people I can cancel with no hard feelings.

 

Also, if people ever show up who do not register, I turn them away. No mercy.

 

Always requiring payment in advance, by a deadline, completely eliminated problems with no-shows, not having enough people, and show-ups-who-didn't-pay. Less painful for me, too, as there are no telephone calls or e-mails involved. Either we have enough people or we don't.

 

I'm with you Ellie.. and furthermore, I refuse to send out lame, reminder e-mails. Be a grown-up, mark your calendar and get yourself there.

 

I'm the strict one in my group, but everyone thanks me later. Making constant exceptions for people undermines what the whole group is trying to accomplish and minimizes the commitment and work other have put toward the event and getting there.

[NanceXToo]

When I organize a field trip, I set the deadline to register (and by "registering" I mean "your money in my hand") far enough in advance that if there aren't enough people I can cancel with no hard feelings.

 

Also, if people ever show up who do not register, I turn them away. No mercy.

 

Always requiring payment in advance, by a deadline, completely eliminated problems with no-shows, not having enough people, and show-ups-who-didn't-pay. Less painful for me, too, as there are no telephone calls or e-mails involved. Either we have enough people or we don't.

 

It sounds great in theory. It really does! But times we've tried requiring payment in advance, we'd still have the same problems- people just wouldn't pay by the time they said they would, or they'd keep saying yeah yeah yeah that they were going to, til the last minute, and then it was no, and in the end we'd still be faced with only a very small group wanting to do something we'd hoped to have a bigger turnout for.

 

If anything, it often seems to get even worse turnout if advance payment is required- maybe because they WANT to be able to change their minds last minute, I don't know.

 

And if it's something that required a minimum number of people and we hadn't met that, we'd end up having to refund money to the few people who did pay- it's a PITA regardless and in the end it almost seemed easier NOT to have to deal with taking and then refunding money or chasing people down for it or whatever.

[radiobrain]

That is one reason I stopped organizing field trips. I will do them occasionally, but now I usually just ask a few like minded friends. :D

 

I went to one thing a few months ago, a glass blowing place, that had so many responses that the lady set up 4 different times, as the place could only hold so many people. It was the first HS group they had come in. They were expecting 30 people for my group. 9 showed up. 3 families. I apologized in behalf of all homeschoolers. Luckily, one of the dudes had HSed for a few years, so he understood.

 

I HATE that sort of thing.

[DawnM]

We have that flaking issue in our homeschool groups big time! The only way people actually show up is when money has been paid upfront!

 

Once a woman organized an event where we had to pay when we got there and had to have a certain number of people show up......she had to pay the difference! It was awful. I wasn't even signed up for that one, but heard about it.

 

I try NOT to say I am coming if I am not sure.

 

So sorry.

 

Dawn

[SquirrellyMama]

We have a field trip coming up that I organized and I'm feeling nervous. We usually have plenty of kids come but our group is small this year.

 

Kelly

[DarlaS]

Must be a pretty big geographical area: from Australia to California!

 

I meant rural vs urban.

 

We don't exactly have museums etc on every corner where I live, so if a trip is organized people participate, and there are very few no shows.

[patchfire]

Now let's add to that the fact that my 11yo daughter is so shy she barely says a word, and 8yo son had his pants on backwards (He fixed them in the bathroom) and flaps his hands (hugs his elbows to his body and flaps his hands like a bird) when he is excited and heck, we made the perfect picture.

 

Ah! EG flaps! I didn't know you had an excited flapper too!

[Daisy]

Ah! EG flaps! I didn't know you had an excited flapper too!

 

LOL. YES! And it make me feel better to know you have one, too. :grouphug:

[kewb]

I have to say the no shows run rampant in my homeschool groups. I think it is disrespectful to the organizer and the people who work at the location of the field trip. It drives me batty since I suffer from "on time disease" and I assign importance to commitments and show up if I say I am going to show.

 

I no longer organize group field trips. If I come across something interesting I invite a few select friends along and that is it.

[Parrothead]

I meant rural vs urban.

 

We don't exactly have museums etc on every corner where I live, so if a trip is organized people participate, and there are very few no shows.

:iagree: Last year our group was too big for the "local" planetarium.

 

In my area I don't find the flakes to be homeschoolers. Here people can't be bothered to show up to non-homeschooling events.

 

I really think it is in general a problem with today's society. No longer does the rule of "no showing only in the case of death" apply. The mindset of "let's wait and see if we get a better offer" is rampant instead.

[Gooblink]

I'm the field trip coordinator for our co-op. I feel your pain.

 

It's especially frustrating when you book a place requiring a minimum group size and people start flaking out of coming at the last minute. One time a family of 10 cancelled, day of trip, because mom forgot to factor in the cost of gas to get there. :blink:

 

You've got a great attitude, Daisy. I'll work on mine. :)

[littlebug42]

So sorry you had that problem. I have to say this is a horrible problem with the homeschoolers in this area as well (at least the ones I have encountered). Paying upfront doesn't always deter it either. I long ago decided that I would just do field trips etc on my own. I can't get the group deals but I would rather just do it on my own time frame.

[Daisy]

:iagree: Last year our group was too big for the "local" planetarium.

 

In my area I don't find the flakes to be homeschoolers. Here people can't be bothered to show up to non-homeschooling events.

 

I really think it is in general a problem with today's society. No longer does the rule of "no showing only in the case of death" apply. The mindset of "let's wait and see if we get a better offer" is rampant instead.

 

You may have a point. I do notice it in other areas.

 

My public school husband was a little frustrated (as frustrated as the easiest going guy on the planet can get). He's had every single one of his field trips taken away over the years. His first graders won't get a field trip at all this year. The districts don't want to even pay for the gas to transport the kids to a FREE field trip. He doesn't think homeschoolers understand sometimes just how fortunate they are.

[Ellie]

It sounds great in theory. It really does! But times we've tried requiring payment in advance, we'd still have the same problems- people just wouldn't pay by the time they said they would, or they'd keep saying yeah yeah yeah that they were going to, til the last minute, and then it was no, and in the end we'd still be faced with only a very small group wanting to do something we'd hoped to have a bigger turnout for.

 

If anything, it often seems to get even worse turnout if advance payment is required- maybe because they WANT to be able to change their minds last minute, I don't know.

 

And if it's something that required a minimum number of people and we hadn't met that, we'd end up having to refund money to the few people who did pay- it's a PITA regardless and in the end it almost seemed easier NOT to have to deal with taking and then refunding money or chasing people down for it or whatever.

 

See, if you hoped for a bigger turn-out and got a smaller one, and it wasn't required by the field trip to have the larger number, well, then it doesn't matter if the turn-out is small, does it? The ones who did come enjoyed it, yes?

 

And if you have to cancel a field trip because not enough signed up, you'll only have to do that once or twice before everyone learns that you mean what you say. If there is no improvement, then don't plan any field trips that require a minimum number of people.

 

I never chase down people for money. Either they send it to me or they don't. I don't take verbal confirmations. Ever. Don't call me and tell me you're coming. Don't talk to me at the park or any place else. Show me the money.

 

I tell people that if the field trip is canceled, I will destroy their checks. I don't mail back refunds.

 

Y'all are being too nicey-nice. :-)

[Heather in AL]

In my area I don't find the flakes to be homeschoolers. Here people can't be bothered to show up to non-homeschooling events.

 

I really think it is in general a problem with today's society. No longer does the rule of "no showing only in the case of death" apply. The mindset of "let's wait and see if we get a better offer" is rampant instead.

 

:iagree: I think this is completely it. I don't think it's a homeshooling thing at all. It just stands out when you have a group of a certain commonality. I mean, how many of us have invited people to kids' birthday parties or whatever only to be scrambling for extra food for those who didn't say they were coming and yet showed up, or have to console a sad child because only one or two kids showed up when most said they were coming?

 

You may have a point. I do notice it in other areas.

 

My public school husband was a little frustrated (as frustrated as the easiest going guy on the planet can get). He's had every single one of his field trips taken away over the years. His first graders won't get a field trip at all this year. The districts don't want to even pay for the gas to transport the kids to a FREE field trip. He doesn't think homeschoolers understand sometimes just how fortunate they are.

 

I am probably in the minority on this (no flames, please), but I don't get the whole field trip thing for all kids. When I was in school, we had only one field trip per year (and NEVER to places like Domino's Pizza or Chik-Fil-A!!), and that was only in the middle school grades. I only remember one of those (my 8th grade trip), and that was because it was my Social Studies teacher who drove the bus and I was weirded out! I have no memory of where we went, despite being 12-13 at the time.

 

I say this because of my own experience in school, as well as that of being the chaperon for my kids' trips when they were in ps. The kids run wild and the teachers seem to 'take the day off' and let the chaperons babysit the wild kids. They (the kids) don't pay attention to whatever they are supposed to be doing, as they are thrilled to be 'out of school'. I really think field trips is an area where schools could save a lot of money.

 

I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for teachers like your dh, Daisy, who envision the kids having a good time and learning something that will enhance their classroom experiences. Kudos to him for caring!! And I agree with him on that many homeschoolers don't realize how lucky they are. Especially when we have to fight/cajole places to open tours to us and we have no-shows like what happens to many of us here.

 

If people don't get their act together, we (hsers) will find more doors closing rather than opening!!

 

OP, I'm sorry you had to experience this. I have, too, and only go on trips with close hsing friends, now, because of it. :grouphug:

[VBoulden]

:grouphug: I haven't read the other posts, so I am just responding to the first. Thanks for sharing. I smiled at what you wrote. I have been there.

 

I planned a field day and thirty kids were signed up. No one showed up till fifteen minutes after the start time and that was only one family with three kids, everyone else came thirty to forty minutes late... all twenty seven kids came thirty to forty minutes late. The event was well organized and advertised. I sent our several emails leading up to the event. There was no reason for everyone to be that late. I know it's hard to get a van full of kids somewhere, but public school moms can manage to get their kids to school everyday! And most of them even get there early! :glare:

 

At VBS, my homeschooled daughter was chewing on the ropes that were part of the western stage display in front of the crowd. That's right... She was chewing on them! :confused: I never use shame as a parenting tool, but that day, in the car ride home, I did. She had to know how insane she looked to all those people, mostly public schooled kids and their parents.

 

And, once, a local water park offered a free day to homeschoolers.... I have never seen so many kids without their hair brushed wearing mismatched clothes in one place in my life. Since then, I have tried to reform myself and brush my daughter's hair at least once every forty eight hours. :D

 

Homeschoolers are awesome. Homeschooling is the best. But, sometimes, even with my own kids, I have seen how the stereotypes are dead on.

Edited October 6, 2010 by VBoulden

[Daisy]

 

I am probably in the minority on this (no flames, please), but I don't get the whole field trip thing for all kids. When I was in school, we had only one field trip per year (and NEVER to places like Domino's Pizza or Chik-Fil-A!!), and that was only in the middle school grades. I only remember one of those (my 8th grade trip), and that was because it was my Social Studies teacher who drove the bus and I was weirded out! I have no memory of where we went, despite being 12-13 at the time.

 

I say this because of my own experience in school, as well as that of being the chaperon for my kids' trips when they were in ps. The kids run wild and the teachers seem to 'take the day off' and let the chaperons babysit the wild kids. They (the kids) don't pay attention to whatever they are supposed to be doing, as they are thrilled to be 'out of school'. I really think field trips is an area where schools could save a lot of money.

 

 

No flames. Am I right to assume your parents were able to provide you with a rich learning environment that included vacations and day trips?

 

Many, if not most, of my husband's first graders have never seen a real animal other than a mongrel dog. They don't own a single book. They don't recognize corn that isn't in a can. Their real life experiences are extremely limited.

 

But you are right. The districts save tons of money by not providing field trips.

 

Though that is a bit of a rabbit trail. LOL. :D

[~Tara~]

I'm sorry Daisy..I'm just still cracking up over your Mike's comment. That's just sooooooo not the Daisy I am used to.

 

The whole field trip turn out thing really does stink though. Is there no such thing as holding to a commitment anymore?? Geesh.

[VBoulden]

That is one reason I stopped organizing field trips. I will do them occasionally, but now I usually just ask a few like minded friends. :D

 

:iagree: That's what I do, too.

[Parrothead]

:grouphug: I haven't read the other posts, so I am just responding to the first. Thanks for sharing. I smiled at what you wrote. I have been there.

 

I planned a field day and thirty kids were signed up. No one showed up till fifteen minutes after the start time and that was only one family with three kids, everyone else came thirty to forty minutes late... all twenty seven kids came thirty to forty minutes late. The event was well organized and advertised. I sent our several emails leading up to the event. There was no reason for everyone to be that late. I know it's hard to get a van full of kids somewhere, but public school moms can manage to get their kids to school everyday! And most of them even get there early! :glare:

 

...

 

Homeschoolers are awesome. Homeschooling is the best. But, sometimes, even with my own kids, I have seen how the stereotypes are dead on.

Oh, On time is another thing that is not homeschool family specific. I can't count the number of times I've busted my rear to get the family or even myself some where within 2 minutes of the posted event start only to find out we're (I'm) the only one there.

 

When did the memo go out that starting on time was optional? I missed it.

[VBoulden]

 

Many, if not most, of my husband's first graders have never seen a real animal other than a mongrel dog. They don't own a single book. They don't recognize corn that isn't in a can. Their real life experiences are extremely limited.

 

 

This is so true. And was true for me as a kid... I didn't see anything of the natural world till after I grew up and had means of my own, really.

 

And, even the first graders who do get to go on field trips seem too distracted with the other kids to even watch, listen and really take in the wonders that are around them.

 

We were at the aquarium last week (I blogged about it, if you want to visit the link below. It's an older post, by now, through...) Anyway, when the group of school kids entered the area we were in it was like a cloud of noise and dust and motion entered. They were too busy smacking each other and being yelled at by teachers to learn anything in the moment. Very sad. I can see how professional educators would easily make the decision that field trips are not worth the effort and cost.

[Ellie]

No flames. Am I right to assume your parents were able to provide you with a rich learning environment that included vacations and day trips?

 

Many, if not most, of my husband's first graders have never seen a real animal other than a mongrel dog. They don't own a single book. They don't recognize corn that isn't in a can. Their real life experiences are extremely limited.

 

But you are right. The districts save tons of money by not providing field trips.

 

Though that is a bit of a rabbit trail. LOL. :D

In my whole life, I only went on 3 field trips. My parents didn't provide me with "day trips;" vacations were always visits to relatives.

 

If a school district can afford field tirps, great; but I'd feel much better about it if I were sure that the children were being taught to read and write well--to be literate--and could name all 50 states and all the continents and could balance their checkbooks when they came to be adults.