A memorable school trip

At the end of a delightful and relaxed first week of observations and snippets of lessons, mainly introducing myself to the class and responding to their questions, I agreed to go with the teachers on the Year 3 school trip to Albufera – 6 classes – about 180 children. 

I know about school trips from my previous experience in the UK – frantic head counting, health and safety up to your eyes, the constant company of small children, a million activities to get through and just 5 hours to fit it all in, so I reasoned that after such a lovely week it was the least I could do to help out.

Walking up to the school and spotting the four coaches brought the reality of the situation to mind –  this is madness! Not only were we heading off on the coach for the day with three times as many children than I have ever taken on a trip, but we were going to take them on a boat ride for half an hour AND hope to bring them all back safely.

The children collected their packed lunches in an extremely organised fashion, then stuffed them in their own back packs in a less organised way. I was surprised to see that the adults did not collect a picnic. ‘It is okay,’ my mentor reassured me, ‘lunch is provided for the adults.’  This was good – much better than in England where you bring your own sandwiches. ...And onto the bus. 

A very noisy 40 minutes later we arrived at the beautiful lagoon and flatlands area just south of Valencia city. An important dune and wetlands area, La Albufera has long been used for rice cultivation and agriculture and, more recently designated as a very accessible national park.

We were greeted in the car park by about 15 group leaders, all dressed in the red fleeces of the centre. The children got off the bus, grouped around the leaders and the teachers moved away … then continued to move away. Apparently, we were heading off for breakfast … leaving the children safely cared for by the staff of the centre. 

After a relaxed and delicious breakfast of bread and toppings with coffee, coca cola, juice or beer, depending on your preference, we met up with the children and red fleeced staff at a small house with a thatched roof near to the lagoon.  This was one of the original village homes built by a fisherman/farmer 170 years ago. The children were all engaged in presentations by the centre staff, so the teachers were given their own guided tour – no children involved! We did, however, go on the boats with the children, accompanied by two of the centre staff who were an absolute wealth of knowledge about the local area, the plants, birds and wildlife. They were very clear about behaviour and managed the children extremely effectively.

After the boat ride, we were back on the coach again. Whilst the children continued their journey for a few minutes, accompanied by the Centre staff, to go and play in the dunes and eat their lunch, the teachers and I went to a restaurant to enjoy a three course lunch, served once again in a calm and tranquil setting – rather different from my UK experience of a frantic sandwich between accompanying children to the toilet and scrabbling to find something Tommy will eat!

An hour and a half later, we re-joined the children and returned to school. The whole day had been delightful – lots of learning, very little involvement with children and masses of delicious free food – not like teaching at all!