17:42 must be one of the classic Type A's at the school that everyone seems to be talking about on this board.

Let's try to be civil; can anyone offer a decent counter argument that refutes 12:45... without sounding like a character from Heathers?

I know plenty about this trip. It's divisive and silly.

Furthermore, are you the parent who is spearheading the fundraising efforts?

Here is a newsflash, you can't raise 10s of thousands of dollars with bake sales and raffles. It. won't. work.

It doesn't matter how hard you or any other angsty parents at Yu Ying work. It's way too much $$ to raise in such a short time period.

Here is another newsflash, the admin is going along with you because in your flurry to sell raffle tickets, bake cupcakes and such, you're serving as a distraction from the fact that the school has NOTHING worthwhile planned for middle school.

PP--what are you talking about???? You're an idiot and so are all the others who know NOTHING about this trip, the fundraising efforts going on, or anything else.

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a bad idea for a public or charter school, *if* the parents/guardians are expected to come up with funding.

It's one thing to ask for $75 to go to Philly to NYC because that's reasonably nominal and/or the school can pick up the tab for those who need help financially. But to say "Hey, we've got this expensive trip and some of you can afford it and others definitely can't, so who's coming!?! We'll talk about it all year and your child will be keenly aware if they're part of the awesome hype or totally left out!" seems short-sighted, insensitive, and a little cruel.

While I agree with an international trip, I disagree with separating the class and making any child feel like they can't be a part of a school trip because they are not rich, or don't have parents that can foot the bill.

I think the only *crazy* thing about this trip is the late start the school (and perhaps the PA) got in fundraising. Fundraising for a trip like this needs to start in Pre-K.

I hope they pull it off and I hope they pull it off for future classes; what an incredible experience for these intelligent, impressionable kids!

What happens to the kids who can't go during the prep for and the trip itself?

Actually, from what I hear, most all of the students who participate on the trip will go together with a parent. For the parents who have been at through the school through 5 years this is a huge deal. For those who've already been to China, perhaps not so much. The trip will focus on tourist destinations in Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an.

By the way, Yu Ying hosted a great parent/teacher soccer game today and good info sessions for parents. I love the parent involvement at Yu Ying.

9:44 and 9:49 are spot on. Even though my kids aren't in 5th grade, I have a whole bunch of problems with this kind of trip.

And I would certainly hope that the kids wo don't go on the trip get 100% full attention at school while their classmates are away.

The itinerary shows that students will have two different homestays with local families. Not exactly just a tourist trip.

I believe that a third issue is:

(3) Timing and educational value of a tourist trip while school is in session.

Personally, I would be more supportive of either a tourist trip during the summer or at least partly during spring break.

Or I would be more supportive of a trip that was a cultural exchange, actually attending a school in China with Chinese students.

But just as I would not be supportive of an extended tourist trip in the U.S. during school time (2 weeks off from school to see the Statue of Liberty, Boston Freedom Trail, and Philadelphia Betsy Ross House), I do not see the educational priority for a tourist trip that takes at least 10 of the 180 educational days in a year.

But of course, can't say this to the YY adminstrators. Sigh.

There are two distinct issues which I want the people who are anti trip to differentiate in their arguments.

1) Cultural Norms/Personal Comfort level of child being so far away/different time zone. (I believe this is very individual--some parents don't allow sleepovers, let kids fly alone, go away, etc. Others are totally opposite spectrum).

I also personally wish they were doing the trip when kids were older, but will accept it since it is more about my personal comfort level.

2) Money--Money can be an issue that is overcome. I also don't have 3k just lying around--in the case of my child I would have a parent go--so more like 6k. But I do have fundraising/volunteer energy. So say you work all fall and come up with half the needed money. The stated goal is that no child be left behind because of money.. So why not pitch in and give it a whirl in fundraising before giving up at the get go?

What will the kids who don't go on this tourist jaunt for whatever reason (either too much money or parents think child is too young) do during the two weeks that school is in session and the rest of the class is in China? Plus the jet lagged days that few students come to school on return?

It will feel like almost 3 weeks without classmates, and then with only a couple weeks of school left. . . .

Seems like a lot of school time for tourist destinations

Anonymous wrote:So how does the YY trip work - when will it be? How many parents will chaperone? How much will it cost?

What will the itinerary be? How will they deal with parents who want to take their kids off-itinerary while there, kids or adults who freak out at Chinese food (hint: there's no General Tso's Chicken in China. They do have McDonalds and KFC, but what is the point of going all the way to China to eat American fast food?) Then there's issues like kids that get homesick, kids who cause disruptions or behavior problems, prostitutes who call on hotel rooms at all hours, unsafe vehicles and road conditions, food allergies and issues (guess what - the local Chinese restaurant isn't nut-free and doesn't care what little Billy is or is not supposed to eat). Oh and let's not forget the stinky tofu, the filthy bathrooms when there even is a bathroom, the inevitable lost passports........

Personally I think the school is crazy to even attempt a trip like this. And yes, I've been to China before - many times. Back in my 5th grade, we did a week of "outdoor education" - trips to a state forest with campfire lunches. Isn't that enough?

Have you ever been on an international trip with students? It really doesn't sound like you have. Passport management and allergy management is the responsibility of the chaperones, which they will have. The trip is like a vacation tour with all of the tourist stops, and with that comes the good and the bad. It is with a reputable organization, so there is little chance of the 10 year olds mingling with prostitutes. Your arguments are very xenophobic and, frankly, strange. Just send your own child to the woods for a week, but why all of the venom?
I'm not a huge fan of the trip for this young of a group, but the idea is warming on me. In part because my 9 YO is excellent and Chinese and looking forward to going. My 7 YO already wants to live in China some day. But every kid is different. My 9 yo will be ready by the time the trip happens. He is a very competant world traveler who easily fits into any situation and has fun doing it. My 7 yo is a different story entirely, and I doubt he will be ready for this type of thing by the time the opportunity rolls around to him. I think if the school waited 2 years more kids would be ready, but then they will already be at the DCI. Again, if you aren't interested for whatever reason then just move on to thinking about something else.

Anonymous wrote:So how does the YY trip work - when will it be? How many parents will chaperone? How much will it cost?

What will the itinerary be? How will they deal with parents who want to take their kids off-itinerary while there, kids or adults who freak out at Chinese food (hint: there's no General Tso's Chicken in China. They do have McDonalds and KFC, but what is the point of going all the way to China to eat American fast food?) Then there's issues like kids that get homesick, kids who cause disruptions or behavior problems, prostitutes who call on hotel rooms at all hours, unsafe vehicles and road conditions, food allergies and issues (guess what - the local Chinese restaurant isn't nut-free and doesn't care what little Billy is or is not supposed to eat). Oh and let's not forget the stinky tofu, the filthy bathrooms when there even is a bathroom, the inevitable lost passports........

Personally I think the school is crazy to even attempt a trip like this. And yes, I've been to China before - many times. Back in my 5th grade, we did a week of "outdoor education" - trips to a state forest with campfire lunches. Isn't that enough?

Last 2 weeks of May while school is in session. Cost $3100 to $3500 per student. Itineray is mainly tourist ares.

So how does the YY trip work - when will it be? How many parents will chaperone? How much will it cost?

What will the itinerary be? How will they deal with parents who want to take their kids off-itinerary while there, kids or adults who freak out at Chinese food (hint: there's no General Tso's Chicken in China. They do have McDonalds and KFC, but what is the point of going all the way to China to eat American fast food?) Then there's issues like kids that get homesick, kids who cause disruptions or behavior problems, prostitutes who call on hotel rooms at all hours, unsafe vehicles and road conditions, food allergies and issues (guess what - the local Chinese restaurant isn't nut-free and doesn't care what little Billy is or is not supposed to eat). Oh and let's not forget the stinky tofu, the filthy bathrooms when there even is a bathroom, the inevitable lost passports........

Personally I think the school is crazy to even attempt a trip like this. And yes, I've been to China before - many times. Back in my 5th grade, we did a week of "outdoor education" - trips to a state forest with campfire lunches. Isn't that enough?