Me, that is. I am going to school today. Pookie’s School. Today is a class fieldtrip, the second one this year. They are going to ride the commuter train today. How is that educational? What can you learn from that? Plenty.
You can learn how trains work.
You can learn how to be safe around trains.
You can learn how to behave on a field trip.
You can learn the excitement of trying something new.
You can understand the bigness of a train, the speed, the way it feels to ride it.
You can make a connection between something you have seen or heard about, but never experienced before.
All these things are important for kids, Pookie’s group especially.
I like to go on these field trips because often they are just not possible unless the ratio of grownups to kids is about 3:1. I never want Pookie’s class to skip an experience because “they just can’t manage it.” I am a little bummed that I cannot go help Pookie’s class visit the Scholastic Book Fair at the school tomorrow. When they visit the Book Fair (held at the school) they are supposed to make a Wish List of books and then take it home to their parents, who might send in the money for the kids to buy them later in the week or on Parent’s Night. Geetle’s kindergarten class had 4 grownups to help them do this. Pookie’s group will need help too. But I cannot go tomorrow, and that makes me sad. But we will take Pookie on Parent’s Night and help him make a wish list. I hope they get enough other help so that his class’ visit to the Book Fair is productive.
On side note: because I have chaperoned 4 Special Ed field trips over Pookie;s career, I can tell you a few tips for making them successful:
For a safe and sucessful Special Education Field Trip:
1. use a 3:1 ratio of adults to kids.
2. make it short and powerful. No wandering around an entire museum. Just go to one special area and really soak it in.
3. build in some playtime
4. stick as close to school routines as possible
5. bring along some portable PECS cards with common commands
6. mandatory bathroom breaks are a must.
7. remember that the bus ride and lunch are just as “fun” as the other stuff.
8. expect a few sleepers on the bus
9. have an emergency plan for non-compliant kids (waiting on bus, quiet area at destination, way for one grown up to stay with the kid, but still be in contact with rest of group by cell phone)
10. small stuff is fun too. Just riding the train is fun!
Related posts:
- First Day of School Well, today’s the day. The first day of school. *sigh*...
- Pookie’s First Day of School We had a busy weekend, so we nearly forgot to...
- First Day of School- Geetle Geetle started school on Monday. She was very excited. She...
- Final Chapter ( I hope)- Pookie and the Bus. I did not want to jinx it, so I waited...
- What does Special Ed Pre-School Look Like? I sat in on Pookie’s preschool class the other day. ...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I am happy that Pookie gets to go on such a neat field trip. I would love to ride a commuter train. I am with you about the kids with special needs field trips. Wayyyy more adults than kids is good.
On another note, does Pookie ever use a “First-Then” board? ( Small board with velcro attached interchangeable pictures with First and Then written above them, mostly used for things like “First you go to the dentist, Then you can play in the house center.”) We made them in class the other day and I thought they would be great for all kids, but especially kids with autism.
Hi Rachel, yes he does use a “first-then” board. They are very sucessful! At home we talk about “first=then” but we have graduated to a numbered list. I am looking at his morning one right now:
1. get up
2. get dresssed
3. eat
4. brush teeth
5. brush hair
6. put on shoes
7. draw or play
8. get on bus.
He has it memorized and knows he has to get all the way to #7 before he can draw or play in the morning. It works. Its how we can get uo at 6:20 and be on the bus at 7:10.
That is great! I am glad to hear that he has his schedule down-pat. Did you both have a nice time on the train?
He spent the whole time looking out the window. He had a seat next to 2 boys from class, but it was a bad view, so he asked to move. Then he had is nose pressed against the window for the rest of the trip.