5 replies to this topic

[Oakley]

Hi all,
I am considering taking 3-4 year 7 kids down to the C2S this year as we have been running one a week as a class and these 4 are good kids. I have a remedial yr7 class of mainly disadvantaged kids. I'll spare you the details, but I have two standout runners and two who just love being involved and have progressed so far in the once a week run.

Have any teachers taken kids before? How did you handle the logistics of keeping track of them during the race and meeting up afterward? Did you invite parents? Any help would be appreciated!

[Matt80]

Oakley, on 12 March 2011 - 05:58 PM, said:

Hi all,
I am considering taking 3-4 year 7 kids down to the C2S this year as we have been running one a week as a class and these 4 are good kids. I have a remedial yr7 class of mainly disadvantaged kids. I'll spare you the details, but I have two standout runners and two who just love being involved and have progressed so far in the once a week run.

Have any teachers taken kids before? How did you handle the logistics of keeping track of them during the race and meeting up afterward? Did you invite parents? Any help would be appreciated!

Sounds like a great idea, I applaud your willingess to help eencourage youngsters to run. I had enough trouble meeting my wife after the 2009 race, I dont know how you would go with 13 year olds!  Maybe some parents or teacher colleagues could set up a tent/meeting place for them afterwards. Not sure about permissions/risk assessments also.

-Matt

[russell2pi]

I guess it's up to you whether you feel they can be trusted out of direct supervision, but just as a means for meeting up with them at the end, how about they and you each carry mobile phones in holsters on your waistbands?

[Slunnie]

When you do the risk analysis you will need to anticipate (amongst other things) a heap of possible situations such as interference or abduction by members of the public or loss of the child. Thats what I would be most concerned with. I'm not sure that they are old enough or big enough to go in groups with phone contact if you're thinking of letting them run solo. As a teacher, personally I wouldn't even think about it unless there is an adult that is able to run with them.

[sunny1]

East Adelaide Primary School used to take the whole year seven level on the City to Bay run - that was 3 classes of thirty students. Only ended because the parent driving the organising of it left the school when her children all started high school.

[ScarletBegonia]

My school does a group every year (we're at the top of heartbreak hill so we get plenty of encouragement from boarders as we run/walk/stumble past!!) and its a logistics NIGHTMARE....We have about a 1:1 ratio of students to teachers/parents, and we wear bright red shirts to be more easily noticeable...and most of our team walks ( I ran with a few teachers but we had to be clear from the beginning that we would not be supervising any students) together.  
To be honest, you with 4 students might not be feasible...when you lose someone it is horrible trying to find them again, and in my experience trying to run with someone in the C2S rarely works.  Maybe if you could make sure the parents of the students would wait at a designated spot at the finish line (lifeguard's tower or flags on the beach, perhaps?) so that the students can go straight to them?
Good luck!