On Monday and Tuesday of last week (before I went to Turkey), I went to a mountain village called Lenk with my grade 4 students. The grade 5 teacher arranged the entire thing. The students stayed in a chalet (well-us teachers did too) and took part in a variety of hikes and other activities arranged by a group called the Alpine Environmental Education Center. There were 3 counselors and they planned and executed everything from entertainment to the meals and sleeping arrangements. It was a pretty sweet set-up, minus the night I spent there (they stayed 3 more nights after I left) when the kids wanted to stay up all night playing in their rooms. Ugh.
This week long field trip thing is something that a lot of schools in Switzerland do. Initially, I thought that it was insane to assume 9 and 10 year olds should stay away from home for 5 days. But, they had a great time, and homesickness was at a minimum. Schools make sure the kids get out and explore the beauty of their country and become outdoor enthusiasts. Then, in about 60 years, they'll become retired hiking enthusiasts. :) That is what they breed here!
I'll keep this post short, but here some of the pictures that highlight the adventure.
6 comments:
Teaching school may be the same everywhere, but in our school district the kids are happy to go on a "walking" field trip where they basically walk down the street and hunt for wildlife (crickets) and cool-colored leaves. Both trips look beautiful!
How is it that the Swiss mountains have both grass and forest intermingled throughout? I wish that someplace in the US looked like that.
Em! I am such a slacker when it comes to blogs...especially private ones that don't show up in my reader...
I can't believe how great it must be to work at that school! The pics from your field trip look amazing, your trip to Turkey looks amazing, your school looks amazing!!!
I am trying to figure out a way that I can stow-away in Abbie and Ella's luggage, but I foresee several problems, the largest being, how to get to VA...
WoW, can this dream job get any better??
Oh, my goodness! I am just now getting around to checking out the blog posts I missed while I was out of the country. Switzerland is beautiful! I mean, I knew that from your very first pictures, but I was just completely re-amazed. :) I am glad you are enjoying yourselves. I can't believe the things you have to pay for--it's worse than Italy!
Wow, what a cool thing for schools to do! Swiss kids have it good! Though I would have probably died of homesickness. :) I had to be taken home early from my first sleep-over due to it. :)
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