Too many field trips? and one to the movie theater? - Page 2

[piglet0712]

I think kids don't take enough field trips now-a-days. There's too much emphasis on instructional time and correlation to standards that kids don't get a chance to experience life and enjoy trips like they used to. Back in the day, field trips were geared for kids to see the real world in it's prime (during the work day). Kids would visit work places, museums, parks etc. But unfortunately now field trips are mostly limited to virtual trips via internet (which are cool too) or to places that must be connected to curriculum somehow.

As for the trip to the movies, I see it more as an incentive than an educational trip. However... it is a learning experience for the kids. How? Well it kinda teaches children how to act appropriately in public. It's hard for youngsters who are with their friends to do that but hey it's practice in a way.

The SC3 movie might not be the best for the kids, and parents can always opt not to have their child attend too. Just like you didn't go to the Sesame Street Live.

All in all, I think field trips are great! And applaud your child's teacher for taking the time and effort to plan these trips. It does take a lot for a field trip to happen. (I know. I planned a few when I taught and they are exhausting to plan, but well worth it for the kids)

[mahogny]

My DS is 5 yo and in pre-K, and he's had no field trips at all. I hope there's some in the future! (Though I admit, I would not let him to go Sesame Street Live, nor to that particular movie.)

I was kind of jonesing for a field trip to a pumpkin patch, but there wasn't one.

[2Sweeties1Angel]

What kind of masochist would want to take a bunch of pre-K students to a movie theater?

[Mom4tot]

That movie is inappropriate for young children, jmo.

[jkpmomtoboys]

I think it's extremely inappropriate to take public school kids to a movie about Santa Claus...just my $.02...

[LiamnEmma]

Yup, ix-nay on the ovie-may here too. I'd have just said no.

But I think field trips shouldn't be such a thing of the past either. My dd--in kindergarten though, not prek--will have four "trips" this year. They had farm animals come visit them in late October--so they spent September and October learning all about farm animals. Then they spent a few weeks learning about personal safety and community safety and capped that off last week with a walk to the firestation, next door to the police station. They'll now begin learning about sea animals and in February they'll go visit the nearby Aquarium, and then they'll move on to exotic animals and visit the zoo in April or May (can't remember which month). I love their field trips.

In first grade ds only got to see a Christmas related play. He's in second grade and they're going to see Seussical the Musical later this month.

[mommy68]

They don't do preschool field trips where I live, in private school or public school. The children are kindergarten age before they can leave school campus.

Can you refuse to let your child go? I would keep them home on the day of the trip if you don't agree with it. If your child gets upset then they'll get over it at that age.

Maybe talk to the teacher and director about it as well. IMO it's time that will be wasted when they could be in the classroom learning how to write a letter of the alphabet.

And to think I had issues with my 5th grader going to the public library for a field trip later this year. I guess that's not so bad after all.

[amnda527]

Yes, there are families who are not Christian and do not celebrate Christmas. But, on the otherhand, there are many Christians who celebrate Christmas, but have nothing to do with the whole "Santa" stuff. They put all their emphasis on the actually birth of Jesus, not Santa Claus. I teach in a private Lutheran school, so really, we can have Christmas parties and things, but we still choose not to out of respect to these families.

I agree with the pp who said that taking 3 and 4 yr olds on field trips can be treated more like a learning experience on how to act in public. But I don't think a movie theater would be a good choice. The Sesame Street one, maybe. I get the impression that the children can stand up and dance a little by their seat. At a movie theater though...that is not a possibility. I taught this age group before, and on rainy days we would put in a movie. There were maybe 10 kids in the group, and most of the 3's would not watch. They would play quietly somewhere else. They definetly would not sit still for movies like, Wallace and Gromit, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc. etc. If we put in a shorter tv show, like Dora or Veggie Tales, they would watch it. I can't imagine this age group comprehending (or wanting to) this Santa Claus movie.
On top of all that, a movie theater gets pretty dark, and very loud! Are 3 and 4 year olds able to handle this? Im assuming there are a handful of those children who have not been to a movie theater before, and do not know what to expect. I think the first time I went into a theater was when I was 7, and my brother was 5. As soon as the lights went out he wanted to sit on my mom's lap. Then when the volume went up he started crying, and sat in the lobby most of the movie. And he was 5, not 3! I don't know, maybe my brother was a wuss or something, but I don't think that it is weird for a child of that age to act that way.
I would be asking the teacher what she plans on doing if there are children who get scared. Will they just sit in the lobby for two hours with a parent volunteer?? That sounds like a good time for them.

[Quindin]

I personally think that many field trips is a fantastic idea - specially with pre-k kids who are still learning how to behave in public.

Having said that, I don't agree with taking them to see Santa Clause 3 or Sesame Street Live (primarily because of the cost of tickets). There are soooo many other places they could go to instead!

My nephew attends a "Outdoors Preschool". The kids gather at a local school for a few minutes in the morning, and then head out to spend ALL day out! Rain or shine, they are out exaploring coming back only when it is time to go home. It is in Denmark, so winters are not as severe or snowy + and the kids have proper outwear. I really LOVE this idea!

[Elyra]

Well, just an update. We did go on the field trip. Dh and I talked about it, and I thought since we were planning on taking all the kids anyway we didn't have an issue with the content. I still do not think it was a good idea for a public school to go see that movie, but I did share my concerns with the teachers. I was not able to see the principal the day before, she was very busy.

All and all the kids did very well on the trip. Ds was not sensory overloaded as I had expected him to be. The movie was uber boring. It went way over the kids' heads (go figure ) They were all more interested in their popcorn and sodas and what was behind the curtians on the walls. Basicly I entertained 3 kids until the movie was over. None of them followed the movie, as no one laughed at the funny parts, and it was pretty adult in it's story line, and I was just bored stiff.

So the experince was not wasted, I did learn that Ds may be ready for more advanced outings than what we had been doing before with him. As far as too many field trips, I was thinking in terms of my ds only. After reading some of the responses and seeing the majority of the kids, I have to say that maybe having more than just one or two field trips are good, but I would like to see the more carefully selected in the future. The fire station, grocery stores, the parks, a farm, places like that would be more appropriate I think.