So. I live right outside of D.C. RIGHT. OUTSIDE. I cringe when I ask the question,"y'all ever been to D.C.?" There are kids in my class who have not. So guess what. We go. Me. 125 students. 12 chaperones. D.C. 9 hours. And it is RIGHTEOUS. We hit up the Newseum, Union Station, the Supreme Court, the Capitol, and the US Botanical Gardens. One of the things I notice in working with high school kids is unless you are in band, sports, or art... the field trips dry up. And that is no fun. If they should ever be out experiencing stuff, it's when the kids are adults and they have docents, guides, teachers... showing them how to remain curious as adults. I have taken students all over. I really love the Constitution Museum up in Philadelphia, and I have been to court rooms, to art museums, to the Kennedy Center... but I think there are some pretty cool government things to check out. So, here are my thoughts on that. 1. Yes, it's stressful. I spend a huge amount of time behind the scenes, checking us in, getting passes, picking up kids in builldings a mile away who have been left behind (It's just happened once.) I have to coordinate buses, routes, maps, medicines, kids moving in large spaces without leaving anyone behind. Attendance... parking... chaperons showing up and leaving at the right time. 2. Yes, there is a lot you can't plan for. Lost kids, lost maps, misunderstandings of where to pick up and drop off, kids wandering off, kids saying or doing things that gets them in trouble, people who can't walk for five + hours with one meal, tours running over, tours running short... or late... the weather. BBBUUUUUTTTTT... When your students report back to you things like, "I had so much fun making a broadcast at the Newseum." "Those Pulitzer Prize winning photos were inspirational and sad." "Tim Russert is pretty amazing." "I think I want to be a lawyer and argue before the Supreme Court." "Look at how cool _____ is... I never knew." "Do you think we'll see John Boehner in the Capitol?" "I never knew the botanical gardens existed!" or, they just look genuinely happy running around, snapping selfies, giggling, making memories both personal and academic... or, they ask you a million questions no textbook, lecture, or assignment would have prompted... or, they are genuinely happy to see you as you run into them at the museum, and they just want to say, "This is FUN!" I know I have done what I couldn't have done back at school. If you don't do a field trip, seriously consider finding a place to take your kids. Make the trip a game. My kids are competing for a box of Bean Boozled Jelly Bellys, a pizza lunch, and a chance to model with the Capitol Cup... and they had a great time doing it. You become closer to them... and a result the learning they do is so much more once you get back... you get to meet their parents... who I think are awesome folks and not totally scary like a lot of teachers think... they're just folks advocating for their babies... and I get that. And it's a day for you to be a kid, too. And if you have never done a field trip, here are some pointers to make 'em special... 1. Many museums have free admissions for teachers and classes. Contact and find out. 2. Schedule ASAP. The spots fill up fast. 3. I used cel.ly to create a moderated group space for kids to text me and vice versa. It made rounding up my kids a snap. I simply texted... "rally @ ___," and the kids would pour out of the random corners of each locale. The only draw back: It's a photo scavenger hunt; cel.ly doesn't upload pictures. I hope yet. 4. GoogleDocs to communicate itineraries, walking routes, menu choices, emergency contact information, bus assignments, attendance lists... it's beautiful. I made each chaperone a packet with all this information, plus a pencil for them to take attendance each time we left one building for the next. 5. Bring extra money. There will be a kid who doesn't have money to eat. Disaster. 6. A scavenger hunt of some kind is a great way to let each chaperoned group some autonomy in what they see. There is a suggested list of what they should make their way to, instead of wandering around aimlessly.
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Jen's bookshelf: nerdcation
I want to start by thanking Mr. Snowden and Mr. Greenwald for their uncompromising dedication to giving the NSA violations air time and transparency.
I wanted to share some of the most important things I have learned from this book bef...
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nerdcation
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nerdcation and to-read
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nerdcation and to-read
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nerdcation and to-read
AuthorI lovgov. LOVE IT! I love teaching government, learning about it, debating, discussing, asking questions about government. And not the standard boiler plate questions, but the hard ones that are NOT in the books. Archives
August 2018
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