Great thing about teaching

---

I gave up working at the portrait studio and I am now trying my hand at teaching history. The day to day tasks of getting students to sit still in class and study can be tedious so i was very happy to be going on a field trip where they could learn in an active enviroment. I was so excited to be going to St. Augustine Florida on a field trip. What could be better for a history teacher who also loves to travel. I had to drive which was scary. But we made all the way down and back in one piece. The kids were amazing thank God for technology. They plugged in their video games I never knew they were there. We stayed on Anastasia Island on the beach. The students enjoyed swimming and fishing. The waves were much better than in South Carolina. I was afraid of rip currents.
First stop was the lighthouse. Very cool, if you like lighthouses.
Second stop was the alligator farm. I hate alligators. I mean hate as in: run scared in the other direction, really wish they were extinct, give me an alligator purse, kind of hate. But the students loved the slimy evil creatures. We then went De Castille de San Marcos the Spanish built fort. I am always amazed at how short people were back then and what primitive conditions they lived.
If you are into History this is a great city to visit. It is the oldest European city there is interesting architecture and statues playing up its historical significance. Did you know that Ponnce de Leon who searched for the Fountain of youth was only 5 ft. tall?
We got on a taxi that took us all around the city with a narrated tour. The pass let you get off and back on all day. So you could get off at what you that was interesting and pick up the tour where you stopped. The city has adjusted well to the high tourist volume making it easy to get around.
Second day we headed out to visit the Spanish quarter. It was a day filled with walking around a living history museum. We had a squire write my name in the old church script and make fun of me for having an" English name." We went and saw the Greek Orthodox Church and the very ornate Spanish church of st. Augustine. I was so pleased with my group of boys. I could not have asked for a better group. They listened to me read the information cards. By the end of the day however, I was a walking arsenal. We stopped in an antique knife store. I was caring: a ninja star, a Indiana Jones whip, a crocodile hunter knife with sharpener, and three enormous jaw breakers that could be used as cannon balls.
I learned a lot about my students. The days may have been filled with facts on the city and they were learning a lot. But I think I learned the most as a teacher. Getting to know each of my students a little better.

---

Comments

[bjo]

me too!
i DESPISE gators, too!! your description of your hatred of them made me laugh and say "amen". agree. i'm so glad you are teaching a subject you love to students that seem great! and i'm so jealous you got to travel!!

[cheryl buford]

blue water
yeah, i want to visit st. a. i tried to book a school trip there when i sold travel. (one year and sold very little and made pocket change). i research st. a. and couldn't wait to go but it didn't work out. thanks for going for me and the great pics. alligaters should be killed off the face of the earth. or placed on a faraway island. glad you are teaching. want to hear more about the school etc. love ya trisha, cheryl