Fifth Grade Visits UD
This past week, I took my fifth graders on a field trip to UD with the intention to increase motivation for higher education. Many of them had never been on a college campus before and did not know what to expect. My class as well as Abby's, the other student teacher on our team, started our tour of campus in Mrs. Ferguson's Teacher Education Class. Our students asked the college students everything from how much homework they received to if there were bullies in college. It was so funny to hear the kinds of questions fifth graders had about college life. Our students also had the opportunity to match up with a college student and have a one-on-one conversation about their favorite books, games they play in school, and things our students thought every good teacher should do. I think many of the fifth graders would have stayed with that college student for the rest of the day if we had allowed. They loved meeting a real college student. In their reflection papers, many of the fifth graders wrote about how cool it was to see what a real college student looked like. I don't think they quite realize that I am a real college student too. In some ways, I guess that's good.
After visiting with the college students, we took the fifth graders on a tour of campus and through the RecPlex. Their jaws dropped when they saw the size of the basketball courts. After the RecPlex, we walked up Stuart Hill to VWK for lunch. Oh my goodness, I have never seen people eat the way these kids did that day. At VWK's all you can eat buffet, I think it's safe to say they thought they were in heaven. Hamburgers, pasta, fish, Chinese food, salad, fruit, and most importantly, all that dessert made for very full bellies at the end of our lunch hour. They just couldn't stop eating. On our way out of the cafeteria, a few of my kids were leaned over against the wall moaning in stomach pains. "I'm not eating for the rest of my life," one of them groaned.
After lunch, we brought them into a sophomore dorm room in VWK where they could see how college students lived. Then, we thought they might need to run off some of that sugar from lunch so we challenged them all to run up and down Stuart Hill. I was sure someone was going to take a spill, but luckily, they all made it. I looked over and there were fifth graders running, rolling, and somersaulting up and down the grassy hill. It looked like they were having a good time.
We finished off our day by heading over to Echo Point in front of the Chapel. If you stand in the circle made by the bricks on the floor and talk, you, and only you can hear an echo of your voice. One student said it even sounded like a robot voice. Finally, the students walked through the Library. They were in awe at the number of books we saw. I think the girls had more fun riding up and down the elevator with a cute boy each time.
I had a great time being on campus, but it was sad to see all of the Frisbee games I had been missing all semester in Humanities Plaza. In any case, it was a great day at UD!
Apr 15, 2006 11:26 AM
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