The Top Ten Reasons Teachers Hate Field Trips

Teachers hate field trips?  Of course not.  But they do make you feel like having a t-shirt printed that reads, "I survived the *insert name of trip here* field trip!"  when it's over.  Today was the second field trip that I've been on with my first graders this week, and we have one looming on the horizon as well.  I remember as a kid, field trips were looked forward to with anticipation.  No school work, no homework (depending on your teacher or if your trip landed on a Friday), a cool place to go, and lots of fun on the bus ride there.  Well something changes (read: snaps) when you are put in charge of a field trip.  And the following are the top ten reasons why teachers hate field trips:


1.  Permission slips.  This is a must for every field trip that we plan.  The bad thing is, they don't always come back in a timely fashion.  While I'm sure that it is every parent's intent to return these on time, I always (always) have to hunt those blessed forms down like they are some ellusive creature.  I cannot tell you how many times I've called at the 11th hour, requesting permission for poor little Johnny to attend our field trip (that was scheduled weeks ago).  Sign and return.  That's all I ask.

2.  Paperwork.  Field trips require a lot of paperwork.  You need to make sure your "i"s are dotted and "t"s crossed before rounding up your posse and taking them across the border.  Even the most seasoned teachers can get bogged down in this step and sometimes overlook things like reserving a picnic shelter at a park for lunch.  (Unfortunately, this happened to another school yesterday.  I felt bad for them as I watched their students hurriedly packing up their lunches, making room for us while our nearly 100 students (who did not make this little oversight)  stood and watched.)  What can you learn from this?...Always double, triple, quadruple check your paperwork.  (And then ask someone to check behind you.)


3.  Lunches.  If you plan a trip that a lunch stop must be made, bless your heart.  It never is for lack of organization, notification, clarification, conversation...it always happens.  A child will inevitably forget (oops) a lunch.  This is not known to anyone until reaching the lunch destination of course.  Miles away from the school.   I have had to share my lunch with a student before, and trust me, no matter how much they should appreciate the salad and banana you give them, they are embarrassed.  And now you are hungry.


4.  Bus ride.  What's not to love about the bouncing, slinging, loud, hot, smelly bus ride to and from your destination?  Let me tell you:  the bouncing, slinging, loud, hot, smelly bus ride.  No matter how many times you review bus safety with your class prior to loading the bus, you see children pop up out of their seat like groundhogs.  This wouldn't be so bad if the bus drivers weren't slinging the bus to and fro and driving like there is a band of robbers on our tail.  And, I'm not sure what kind of air conditioners are installed on buses, but when you have to hike up your pants and risk the ungodly exposure of your really white presummer legs just to cool off, it's pretty obvious that said air conditioners aren't doing the job.  Sit at the front, and promptly lower your window.


5.  Drama.  Okay, now most of the time, my classroom is pretty drama-free.  Children save the drama for their middle school teachers.  Elementary school teachers (especially K-2) are exempt.  Except for field trip days.  That's when Johnny and Sally all of a sudden strike up a love affair and proclaim their love to the world.  That's when Jane and Jessie suddenly cannot stand the sight of one another.   That's when nobody, I mean nobody wants to play with Suzy.  Did you notice that all of these scenarios include a girl?  Sorry to say, being that I am of this sex, girls just amp up the drama on a field trip.  So, here's my eye roll to that.

6. Misbehavior.  Now boys are not exempt from this list.  The chaos of little boys is usually managed pretty easily in the classroom.  It's just when they are set loose from the cage of school property, they step up the behavior for our benefit.  My throat has gotten hoarse in the past from yelling, "Johnny, get out of that tree!"  "Christopher, don't jump in the turtle exhibit!"  "Spencer, those are not monkey bars!"  And let's not forget that a field trip is just not complete without an injury of some sort.  Most happen to one of our dear little fellas.  Bandaid (or nerve pill) anyone?

7.  Chaperones.  Well, you knew I'd have to discuss chaperones at some point in this post.  It's a very sticky situation.  On one hand, you are so very glad that they signed up to help you.   On the other hand, they haven't been in school in a very long time.  And somehow adults forget that when they were in school, they had certain rules.  Now I don't blame them at all for this...time has a way of erasing certain things.  They don't eat, sleep, breathe school like I do.  This is my job, not theirs.  So while I am happy for them to join us, they aren't always the most helpful.  In fact, and I'm grimacing as I'm writing this, they are sometimes the very opposite.  The good news is, I've been doing this long enough that I can sniff out a potential situation a mile away.  And, all it takes is being a little proactive in dealing with a potential chaperone nightmare.  I'll end this point by listing the types of chaperones that I've had or have witnessed in the past. 

The tagalong (always following you to catch a five (or thirty) minute conversation about the progress their child is/isn't making in school) 
The negative (always making comments about how dreadful this field trip is.."That museum was sooo boring!" "I can't walk one more step on this hike!")
The fun one (always the ring leader in a group of misbehaving students)
The look-at-me (always trying to insert educational comments/questions to his/her group, especially around you.  This may or may not include showing what great child management skills they have. Again, very loudly and usually when you are within hearing distance.)
The shining star (always assisting without directing.  That's your job, right?)
The hands-off (always drifting away from his/her group...even playing/talking on the phone.  "Where's my group?"  "What time are we supposed to meet again?")

Can you guess which one I'd like to copy and paste into all of my field trips?

8.  The not-so-great destinations.  I hate to admit, I've been on a handful of these trips.  You know, the ones with all of the bright, beautiful pictures and descriptions on the brochure and website that are a huge let-down upon arrival.  That pond you were going to explore was really just a mosquito-infested mudhole.  That space program you were going to interact with was really just a black and white video in a musty auditorium.  Get my point?  A sure-fire way to tell which ones are duds...the cost.  This was not always the case, but now, if the trip doesn't cost you an arm and a leg, it may not be all that great.  Disclaimer:  I have been on an expensive field trip that made me want to morph into chaperone #2 mentioned above.  So, you might want to scout it out first or let some other poor soul that already experienced it give you the skinny before you begin filling out paperwork (see point #2).

9.  Nametags.  Maybe it's just me, but I hate wearing a nametag let alone making my students wear one.  Even though there is always the discussion before leaving about the importance of having identification on your person, I find nametags quickly shed and stuck everywhere....on walls, bathroom stalls, desks, bus seats, foreheads (Yes, you can laugh. I do), picnic tables.  The list goes on.  The really sad part is...I know who sticks them there.  Hello??  Did you forget that your name is on the nametag?  Sheesh.

10.  Getting back to school.  Most of us get back to school with about an hour to spare before school dismisses.  This is a time of good intention..."Let's write a journal about our favorite part of the play."  "List three new things you learned today."  But, the quality of the work you will receive is a huge disappointment.  Let's face it.  They are tired, and so are you.  Don't make that hour even longer than it feels already...trust me.

Even though field trips can be very involved, crazy, and tiring, teachers will continue to plan them.  Why?  Because they are worth it when you have just one student come up to you at the end of the day (usually during that hour I was just talking about) and share with you that this was the best and most fun day they ever had.  And that always happens.  Every time.