Field Day Dispute...

Hey everyone, so this is the first post today and I guess it's going to be a rambling one, because I'm kinda confused yet it was cool...ok, so you'll understand more once I start explaining the whole situation here that has my mind combobbled!! (is that even a word? oh well it is here today...hahaha)

Let's start here...for the past 3 years (Kind., 1st, and 2nd) at Crestview Tyler has had Field Day near the end of the year, as does most every school. Field day starts at 9am to lunch and then back at 1ish to finish the day until school's out. The morning always consisted of your usual, relay races, sprints, hula hoop, jump rope, long jump, softball throw (Shotput), and things of this nature...simaliar to a track meet you could say, minus a few things. Then the children would eat lunch and then the afternoon would consit of fun different objectives like bowling with different style balls, frisbee throwing, soccer kick, Bouncing on the kangaroo balls, obstacle course, and things of this nature. Then of course you can't forget the obvious Track & Field day event that just wouldn't make it complete without...a good old game of TUG A WAR between the classes and then against the high schoolers that helped with the day. At the end of the day the kids would file into the gym for the good old awards ceremony, where they would each receive a participant ribbon and then they would hand out 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th place ribbons to the ones that placed in each event. Each grade level is given their own day and they proceed with these events as planned, etc...so you can see what we've been going to...also I can say in a class of 24-28 kids...there may be ONE child that doesn't have a parent, grandparent, babysitter, someone there...but 9 out of 10 there is always someone there for each child............so again, you can see what we've been used to.....................................

So Tyler brings home a paper last night telling us about Field Day at South Polk Elem....For Friday...Today. As I'm reading, I'm expecting to see the normal times that I'm used to, etc. It says that the kids are to bring additional clothes as there are 2 games that they will get WET on...ok, still sounds cool, that's always fun to add that in to the event of days right? Then I see...3rd grade Field time is from 10am - 11:20am.......WHAT?????????? HOLD PLEASE............................an hour and twenty minutes is field day? Ok, so I must be old fashioned and used to my country school from back in the day....but WOW.......maybe we should say ... The Organized, Extended Recess????? Ok, so anyways, I'll continue...as I said above, the morning was your "normal" Track and Field activites and the afternoon was the fun games...the Field Day activitiy events here, are basically what they would just do for FUN in the afternoon back in Ohio...and there are no rewards, such as what team got what place. It started and seemed to be finished before you know it.

Now, don't get me wrong, the kids had a blast, which is what matters, but it just doesn't seem to me that it should be deemed Track & Field day...but rather just Fun Day, because they didn't really do "Track & Field" events.

What do you all think about what a "Field Day" should consist of in Elementary School?? Any opinions...I don't mind either way!!! Feedback is always good!!!

Hope you all give me your input!! Sorry for the vent session as well, but hey, that's what a blog's for right? To vent about your everyday life, like a journal...and let ppl know what's happening!!!!

Huggs all!!!!