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We require a ratio of 1 chaperone for every ten students. We have a flat
program fee which admits everyone.      AT times we do not get 1:10,
even though, as is in your pre-visit material, the expectation is
clearly stated in ours. Our school liaison will then speak with the
teacher who booked the visit to find out why there are not enough
chaperones. Usually, the excuses will range from the ones who said they
would chaperone couldn't come at the last minute, or the teacher who was
supposed to come called in sick, etc.   If a student gets ill, an adult
from the school has to stay with them in our health room.   If there is
only the teacher along with the trip, then it means leaving the class
alone with one of out museum teachers--we avoid that by then having a Sr
management person go into the class to avoid that liability.  It just
creates a ripple effect through the day.   Most teachers are
understanding when it is explained why we require 1:10, however, in some
cases, I really think the teacher just blows it off.  Having been a
classroom teacher myself, I know that  it takes a lot of time to line up
chaperones, particularly with so many parents working and the lack of
funds for subs to release other teachers.   I understand the situation
from both sides of the turnstile.
The other side of the coin is those schools from higher economic status
communities who come with TOO many chaperones--that is an entirely
different posting. . .


Bev Perna
--
Beverly Hill Perna, Ed.D.
Museum Education Specialist
Tsongas Industrial History Center
115 John Street
Lowell, MA  01852
Phone: 978-970-5080
Fax:  978-970-5085

A collaboration of the Graduate School of Education,
 University of Massachusetts/Lowell
and Lowell National Historical Park
http://www.uml.edu/tsongas

"Together we achieve the extraordinary."

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