Help me to organize my thoughts around this LONG field trip

[Anonymous]

My fifth grade DD is going on a field trip that includes four different locations. They leave school at 7:45a (before school starts at 8:05) and return to school at 5:45pm. It's not metro DC, but the stops are the Capitol (actually the Capitol in our city), a civil war museum, Holocaust museum and a place similar to Newseum. They will need to drive to each location, but all are within a 3-5 miles of each other. At first glance it seems like a very long day for stops that are not all academically related to one another. And I am doubtful that the kids will take away as much having so much information crammed into one day. Or maybe I need to relax and just "go with the flow" as one friend stated.

We do many of these enrichment activities as a family anyway (and did so when we lived in DC, too) so DD has the exposure at a slower pace where more can be absorbed and appreciated. However, I still find myself objecting to a school going on what seems like an express field trip. The coordinating teacher says they do this every year (we're new to the district) and the principal says they make sure each stop is related to what the kids are learning. It's still not sitting well with me. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

It's one day. I wouldn't overthink it.

[Anonymous]

Agree that's a lot of stops. But the museums in DC are massive so are you sure that you can compare these stops in your town to what is in DC? Depending on the town, 4 locations might be very doable in a day. Especially if there isn't an hours long commute to get to them.

[Anonymous]

What's your beef, exactly, OP? That it's a waste of time? Even if it is, so what? It's a fun break in routine, the kids get a bit of exposure to the places, and I'm sure it'll be a bonding experience for the class. Go with the flow.

[Anonymous]

OP, what is your question? Whether to let your child go on the field trip?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's your beef, exactly, OP? That it's a waste of time? Even if it is, so what? It's a fun break in routine, the kids get a bit of exposure to the places, and I'm sure it'll be a bonding experience for the class. Go with the flow.

This.

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thank you for the feedback. We've been to many museums in DC and, no, these are not big like Museum of Natural History big. However, there is a lot of information to absorb at each stop.

My "beef" is the long day and seemingly diluted educational component of the trip. As long as they're going I'd like there to be a real educational benefit and it doesn't seem that there can be much if there are simply zooming through each one.

This is the only field trip of the year. Why can't it be split into two trips? Are the teachers saving time on planning by jamming it all into one day? And traffic will be a huge factor. They will likely spend 1.5 hrs each way in traffic with 24 miles each way.

[Anonymous]

This is not something to fuss about. It's something they've done for years. It's planned to be related to the kids' education level. They get out of school. Let it go, let it go...

It's not a matter of whether your dd is getting all she can get out of each venue. If she gets lunch and comes back alive -- it's a success.

[Anonymous]

You have two choices:
1. Let your child go on the field trip which you feel may be a waste. She bonds with her classmates and has fun for the day.
2. Do not let her go. She either goes to school doing nothing because her class in on the field trip or you keep her home for the day and do (??).

Regardless of your choice, the field trip will go as planned as they will not change it this school year.

[Anonymous]

Subtract the commute and that will leave them with 7 hours to briefly commute to and see the 4 different locations. A lot of that time will simply be spent loading/unloading the buses and taking head counts. But even so, they should have at least an hour to spend in each location. Figure 3 hrs for commute/loading/unloading, brief lunch, short commutes between locations. That leaves 4 hrs to actually view the different spots.

[Anonymous]

Subtract the initial commute to the town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you for the feedback. We've been to many museums in DC and, no, these are not big like Museum of Natural History big. However, there is a lot of information to absorb at each stop.

My "beef" is the long day and seemingly diluted educational component of the trip. As long as they're going I'd like there to be a real educational benefit and it doesn't seem that there can be much if there are simply zooming through each one.

This is the only field trip of the year. Why can't it be split into two trips? Are the teachers saving time on planning by jamming it all into one day? And traffic will be a huge factor. They will likely spend 1.5 hrs each way in traffic with 24 miles each way.

Your mistake is thinking that field trips are fact-filled educational outtings. I live in Richmond, Va and we have dozens of museums/historical venues and I am suprised how many families I know have never visited them or plan to. Field trips are more for exposure than facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you for the feedback. We've been to many museums in DC and, no, these are not big like Museum of Natural History big. However, there is a lot of information to absorb at each stop.

My "beef" is the long day and seemingly diluted educational component of the trip. As long as they're going I'd like there to be a real educational benefit and it doesn't seem that there can be much if there are simply zooming through each one.

This is the only field trip of the year. Why can't it be split into two trips? Are the teachers saving time on planning by jamming it all into one day? And traffic will be a huge factor. They will likely spend 1.5 hrs each way in traffic with 24 miles each way.

What is your alternative? Keep your kid home or send him. End of angst, no?

[Anonymous]

It's probably cheaper to do it all in one day because of the transportation costs. You are overthinking it. Do not examine each and every day to assess its educational potential. Think of it more as a long haul, and how is the school doing over the course of a year.

[Anonymous]

Op I agree this sounds like a disaster. My dc are several years older than yours and looking back my kids got to experience many enjoyable field trips and several horrible ones. The worst involved busing all the kids to a college in sw Virginia. The kids got to spend less than one hour at the university after sitting in traffic and being on the bus for at least 7 hours. We knew it would be a disaster.

Does your dc want to go on this field trip? If not and you think it will be a disaster, let him/her stay home.