Field Trip

All third graders at MeySen and their teachers went on a field trip to Michinoku Park last Saturday. The day started out a little rough, but all in all it was a great day. Earlier in the week, one of my supervisors told my grade level partner and I that the students wouldn't come to Friends Club until 10:20 am, so we could come in late. Well, apparently a letter went home to the students letting them know that class would start at the usual time of 8:40 am. So on Saturday morning, I stroll in at 9:45, only to find out from another teacher that I need to hurry to my classroom because students have been in my class for an hour and I wasn't supposed to come in late. As I scurry up the long stairs to the upper classroom, I am panicked, thinking, “Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap I am going to be in so much trouble!” I was expecting to find kids running around the classroom, causing chaos, Kindergarten Cop style. But the kids were all playing outside with Greg's class. I found out from him that I was correct, we were in fact told we could come in late, and he had been late too. I was relieved at this. However, the morning was still hectic because we were not leaving until 10:50 for our field trip, and I had only planned for 30 minutes of class time, not 2 hours. And the kids were wound up to go on the field trip, so they really needed things to do, and I needed a moment to breath. It all worked out alright, as the students had several 2 art projects and 2 writing projects to finish.

Having been a youth leader and in charge of several excursions for 30-50 middle school kids and leaders, going on a field trip as just a teacher and not as the main person responsible felt like smooth sailing. Since Greg and I combined our classes into 2 groups of about 25 students, all I really had to do (besides be on time) was have fun with my kids.

After arriving at the park, we ate lunch. All the kids opened up their bags and whipped out these colorful tarps to sit on. Of course before sitting on the tarps, they took off their shoes.

Picnic at the park

 

I thought you'd like to see how different picnic lunches in Japan look from the sandwich and chips picnic lunches that are common in the States.

After lunch all the students were eager to go on the jumping donut. Because my knee is still in repair, I couldn't go on the big bouncy circle. Instead I took pictures and watched Greg, the other 3^rd grade Immersion teacher, play with the kids. The kids loved this thing!

When they had exhausted themselves on the jumping donut, they were ready to play in the shallow, man-made “stream”. This was my favorite part of the day and reminded me of being a KidsFest leader on water day. At first many of the kids (especially the girls) were hesitant to get wet, so they stood along the edge and watched or only let their feet get wet.

I got right in and started splashing the kids. At first they said, “Mrs. Lauren, don't!” But gradually as they saw all the other kids having fun, and as I chased after them, they got more into it. I picked up kids and pulled them down to the shallow water where fountains squirted up out of the ground. Then they dog piled me in the water and kicked water in my face. I was laughing so hard I couldn't get up. It was so much fun and a great way to really build relationships with my kids.

Playing in the fountain with the kids

Changing clothes is quite the experience. Apparently the norm for kids in Japan is to get naked out in the open (while having a changing towel wrapped around themselves). Kris experienced this first on his trip with his 2^nd grade students when little girls started taking of their clothes right then and there. Of course he didn't know this was the norm and freaked out and sent them to the bathroom to change, fearing for his job. Thanks to his story I was prepared for this, but the trip leader had all the girls go into the bathroom to change anyway. After I corralled my students towards the bathroom and went into a stall to change, I walked out to find them changing in front of the door to the bathroom (and in front of the boy's bathroom door) because, as they said, “No, Mrs. Lauren, it's so yucky. It smells yucky in there.” They would not listen to my persisting, and there was not much I could do, as they had mostly changed at that point. Oh well!

Our next stop were the bouncy swings and also the field with big bouncy balls. The kids also loved this part. They boys had competitions to see who could stay on the ball the longest and were constantly asking Greg and I to time them. The kids laughed when I lay on 3 big balls and said I was resting on a couch. Then they took the balls away from me, making me fall (which I exaggerated for their entertainment).

 

I really enjoyed the day with my kids and it made me appreciate my grade co-teacher, Greg, even more after the field trip. It was nice to have someone else to keep track of the kids with. And we complemented each other in playing with the kids. He jumped with the kids on the big donut while I took pictures, and I played in the water with the kids while he took pictures and played with the kids that didn't want to go in the water. I'm happy to have Greg to work with – our personalities complement each other and his sense of humor is very similar to Kris's.

I am really happy to be teaching at MeySen and really am enjoying my kids. They crack me up with the funny things they say and do, and I am amazed at how hard most of them work to learn English.