Reply to "Learning cottages" aka Trailers -- what are they like for elementary kids?

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Reply to ""Learning cottages" aka Trailers -- what are they like for elementary kids?"

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[quote=Anonymous]My kids have been schooled mostly in trailers.  They are fine for a temporary thing, but when they become permanent, it's not so great.

I'm sure there's some schools that pay more for quality and some that don't.

Reasons why parents don't like them:  Safety.  There's just something safer feeling when there's a brick wall between your kid and the crazy world we live in.  If each trailer is on its own, yes, the door may lock, but there are times your kids are vulnerable.  That and going out in the pouring rain to eat lunch, go to the gym for PE, etc. is no fun either.  They also don't look new for long and quickly start looking run down if you don't keep up with maintenance.  Teacher complaints of not being able to hang things in their rooms for fear of holes in the wall, etc, were some reasons teachers don't like them.  Plus, if there's no bathroom there, it does mean the student goes out of your view/control for longer than normal periods of time.

Reasons my kids hated them:  When it poured rain, the noise was deafening, and it interrupted class because the teacher couldn't talk over the kids easily.  My middle schooler didn't feel as safe because her classroom doors didn't lock from the inside.   Some that are split (two classrooms) didn't always have adjoining doors so you had to go outside to switch class.  The bathroom in that one was cramped and was partially used for storage (ew).  Another one, more like ones that others mentioned that were multiple rooms with a hallway in between had serious issues with zoned heating and cooling.  My kid wore a hoodie to school and wore it more for warmth than as a fashion accessory.   To my knowledge, they have never been able to fix it completely.  Some classrooms were pretty cramped, too.  Especially for younger kids who often moved their desks around and had designated areas for activities (circle time, reading on the rugs, computer stations, etc.)

Go take a look and imagine it full of kids, book bags, coats, etc. to appreciate the space that will be used when everyone and their belongings is there.  Ask if the doors lock, what their emergency plans are in case of an incident, etc.

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