Last Monday I went to the mall. And got paid to do it.
It was the first time I went to the adult transition center. It's the place they send the severe special ed kids who age out of the high school program. On Mondays they do their CBI or community based instruction. That is, they go to the mall.
We exited the school and got on a city bus. One girl said she needed to get her Halloween costume, so we headed for the pop up Halloween store. When we arrived, the rest of the class was reluctant to go inside. So, I volunteered to go with the girl while the aides took the rest of the class to the Costco food court.
Turns out the Halloween store didn't have the costume the girl was looking for. So, we went in search of the rest of the class. We got to Costco only to not find the class.
Did I misunderstand? Did they mean the mall's food court?
It was a bit of a trek, but we made it to the mall's food court. Only... Right. Not there either. So, back we went.
Oh, did I mention it was warm that day. The high was in the upper 80s. Ahem.
Okay, so we get back to Costco, and there's the rest of the class. Naturally. (Apparently, they went inside the Costco for something.) We should have just waited. (Oh well. That's half on me.)
And that was just the beginning of our adventures.
I never get to go on the "field trips". So, this was kind of fun. We were gone for more than three hours, and we took the bus back.
Why I avoided going to this school before, I have no idea.
Now you know it's a fun adventure. Hey, few extra steps for you was good exercise, right?
ReplyDeleteGetting paid to go to the mall must be fun. Next time make sure you have the cell phone # for the other adults.
ReplyDeleteYes. And my purse! I missed out on lunch :(
DeleteThe only field trips I ever went on with my students were community service based. We either did trail work, or went to the local organic food farm to pick bugs off potato plants. Man, I hated having to be the adult on that excursion. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you had some fun, even if you missed out on lunch.
Ugh, eighty+ degrees. That would definitely not be fun to walk in. This is why they invented indoor malls.
ReplyDeleteToo cool that you got to go on the field trip!
ReplyDeleteI know, right?
DeleteI think I probably would've started stressing out. "They should be here! Why aren't they here?!" Glad you found them. :)
ReplyDeleteI knew they weren't going to leave me behind. I had one of the students with me ;)
DeleteNow that's my type of school! I've done that before, walking across a football field of parking lot only to find them inside somewhere....sigh. It is nice being out of class
ReplyDeleteThey did say where they'd be. It was my own fault for doubting I heard them right.
DeleteA mall. I would have to drive an hour and half to find one.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
I would've loved to go to a Halloween store with my class.
ReplyDeleteOne girl was really hesitant. Scared. I told her it would be OK, but she wouldn't go in. Then the first thing that happened in the store was a big mechanical spider jumped out at me. So, the girl was right not to go in. (I probably would have had to peel her off the wall ;)
DeleteWhat did she want for her costume? Sounds like a fun, exercise filled field trip! When I chaperoned the kids when they were younger for field trips, I was always counting who I was responsible for, nervous wreck most of the times but always volunteered, LOL :)
ReplyDeleteNice you got paid to sort of shop.
betty
Hi Liz - sounds like you've struck a good school to be a part of ... I do hope you get more assignments there ... getting lost in Malls is not fun - lots of walking... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteA school where you get to go to the mall? I'd volunteer for that one often.
ReplyDeleteI hope she eventually finds her costume!
ReplyDeleteShe saw it at another store. The Friday field trip. They were going back, so she probably has it by now.
DeleteI sometimes get to witness severe special ed young adults congregate at the YMCA pool. It's heartwarming to see the relationships between the supervisors and their charges.
ReplyDeleteThey probably go there regularly. I can imagine that that's a fun outing for them.
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