Field Trip

Grade 3 went to the zoo today.  Not the best time to go to the zoo, but I guess it could have been hotter.

We had our assembly and then I went to grade 3/1.  Of course I had to be with my least favorite class.  I really wanted to have 3/2 in the morning, but oh well.  They were there of course, but I was supervising 3/1.  So I go in the room and they're pretty much acting crazy and yelling.  I can't stand all the yelling.  The field trip wasn't until 9:00 so I had 1/2 an hour to kill.  I tried to gain some sort of control by having them sit down, but that doesn't go over well with this group.  They will sit for a while but then one will get up and that will start a whole procession of moving around.  I guess I should be glad that they got up because that sort of stopped the yelling.  Anyway, at about 8:40 an Arabic teacher walked in, and miracle of miracles the girls all sat down and stopped talking!  I need an Arabic teacher with me at all times.  She told me to collect 5 dhs from each student for admission to the zoo.  This was actually handled in some sort of organized fashion as I had the girls remain sitting and went to them to get their money.  I had one student who didn't pay.  That was ok I was told.  That's pretty much the same anywhere, the kids get to go on the field trip even if they don't/can't pay.  I don't really think it's a "can't" issue here.  After I had gotten the money the Arabic teacher left.  I was left wondering what to do with this money.  Was I supposed to pay when I got to the zoo?  Was I going to give it to another teacher?  I was also left with more chaos.  Because as soon as she left the kids started yelling again.  What's up with all the yelling?  Why can't they just talk normally?  I decided that I didn't want to fight that battle anymore today so I just sat down and talked to some of the girls.  I could survive 1/2 an hour, right?  It was quite a challenge, but I survived and we left the classroom at 8:55.  I was so glad to see the Arabic teachers because the students actually listen to them.  

When we got the zoo it wasn't the chaos that I had imagined and heard from the first and second grade teachers.  The girls were lined up with a partner and they walked quietly to the educational center where they sat quietly and listened to someone talk to them.  See, they can behave the just choose not to when I'm teaching.  I think they were learning about animals' teeth (among other things).  After that they boarded the "train" (it's called a train, but it's really a bus like thing with a train shape at the front) and toured the zoo.  This was a nice way to see the zoo because it didn't involve walking in the heat.  The train stopped at the giraffe exhibit and the girls got out.  1/2 of the girls went to the giraffes and the other 1/2 went to the reptile house.  I stayed with the giraffes, there was no way I was going to voluntarily go in the reptile house where I knew that they were going to be doing stuff with snakes.  The girls got to feed a giraffe.  The giraffe's tongue is super long!  I was so surprised.  As soon as the girls walked in the area the girafffes immediately came over and put their necks in the little feeding holes.  They knew what was going to happen.  Most of the girls enjoyed this, although there were a few that didn't want anything to do with feeding the giraffe.  They were allowed to watch. 

After all the girls that wanted to had fed the giraffe we took them to wash their hands and then it was lunch time.  If you can call it lunch.  It was only 10:20.  You should see their "lunch", it's full of snacks.  Bags of chips, cookies, chocolate, candy, and maybe a sandwich.  It's terrible what they eat.  "Lunch" was followed the bird show.  This was an abbreviated form, only 3 birds not 6, and the birds weren't flying.

Chaos happened after the bird show.  We took the girls to the refreshment stand.  There is no such thing as a line with these girls.  They just push and shove until they get what they want.  Eventually all the girls got a snack, which they definitely didn't need.  Most bought popcorn, chips, a slushy, or an ice cream.  They then took this snack on the bus back to school.  I was afraid that the girls would leave their trash on the bus, but believe it or not, most of them took it with them.  They are learning to clean up after themselves.  Then it was back to school for the afternoon.  At least I had 3/2 to look forward to and I could leave 3/1 with their Arabic teacher, who I'm sure got them to listen and sit quietly.

All in all it wasn't a terrible field trip.  Just hot.  Early bedtime for me tonight.