Reasons Why I'm Not A 2nd Grade Teacher....

All I can say to all the teachers out there is: WAY TO GO!!! And GOOD FOR YOU!!!

I went on a field trip with Kristen's class today--2nd grade obviously. They do these walking field trips at the end of the year and today's was the long one. We went to this Karate place across the street from the school. Then we walked about a mile to a local grocery store. The kids were really hungry by that point, because it was around their normal lunchtime. They gave them a potato wedge, a cookie, and an apple. We then walked two blocks to the library and then had lunch at the park right there. After that, it was on to see a demonstration by a cop and SWAT team member and then a visit to City Hall. Then we had the dreaded, slightly inclined, long, HOT, walk back to the school.

As for the title of this entry....
#1 They don't listen to me. "Stay on the sidewalk please!" as one girl tries to jump in front of a car. Talk about heart failure!
#2 I feel like I'm nagging. "C'mon, pick up your feet. If I pass you up, I'm going to hold your hand and drag you back. Faster! Faster!" as about 1/3 of the class drags along soooo slowly I feel like I've melted into a puddle on the sidewalk. We were only about 1/2 a block behind the rest of the group. Yes, I was the lucky one who got to bring up the rear. Oh, and then the kids start trying to hitchhike. Wouldn't that have been funny if one of their parents was driving by?
#3 I don't have the patience. There were 8 girls and 12 boys and a lot of the boys were just sooooo rowdy and crazy! They were asking the cops if they could try on the handcuffs and I almost begged them to lock the kids up for awhile.
#4 I'm too tired.

One boy was sooo funny. He was being so naughty and the teacher said, "Do I have to call the principal and have her come and get you?" He was one of the biggest draggers too. He said no, but if I were him, I would've said YES so I didn't have to walk back. :)

Rain, Rain Go Away....At Least On Field Trip Day!

Today I went on a field trip with Kendall's grade. They were going to these really cool gardens and for 3rd and 4th graders, they take them in the foothills above the formal gardens and you go on a 2 mile, 2 hour hike (natural area, no paved trails). I checked the weather report right before I left and it said a slight chance of showers, but mainly north of us. We started loading the buses (another story--they only ordered one bus for 3 classes, so the parent volunteers had to drive separately at the last minute) and noticed it was black to the West. Right as we got to the gardens, it started pouring and hailing and thundering and lightning. They do this hike no matter what the weather, but after an hour, when we were hiking in slippery mud and STILL out there in the lightning, they cut it short. The problem is, most of the kids were in shorts and had no jackets. The staff did hand out rain jackets, but we were still soaking wet where they didn't cover (mainly feet) and freezing! The plan was to go to a park and eat lunch and let the kids play, but it was still raining, so I guess the teachers finally got permission to go back to the school and let the kids eat in the gym. I'd really like to go back up there sometime and see it without the lightning--it's really pretty!