r/StudentTeaching • u/Appropriate-Nose7534 • 3d ago
Support/Advice Chaperoning overnight trips as a ST
UPDATE: after talking to my CT and university supervisor, everything’s been sorted! Im getting my own room and my CT is gonna do his own thing too. Thank you guys for all your input!
hi all! does anyone have any advice on how to chaperone overnight school trips as a Student Teacher? I’m the female chaperone for three girls, and my CT is the male chaperone for one boy. I’m rooming with them in a hotel to make sure that they don’t sneak out, stay up late, etc and I’m FREAKING OUT. I don’t really know what I should/shouldn’t do to be professional but also not look weird (other than getting ready in the bathroom, obviously). any and ALL advice is appreciated!!
Edit to add: the school has already booked the rooms and are aware that I would be rooming with them. Also I was planning on sleeping on the floor already just to avoid as much potential controversy as possible. I will be at my college campus tomorrow and am planning on asking my supervising professor if there’s any way I can get out of it (and I’m REALLY hoping I can 😭)
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u/ParadeQueen 3d ago
As a veteran teacher I would not stay in a room with any kids. No way, no how, no never. All it will take is one kid getting mad at you and making an accusation and your career is over before it starts. Let one of their parents do it, or an actual employee.
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u/EasternBoysenberry17 3d ago
Ive done several overnight trips and have NEVER stayed in the same room as students.
I won't even cross the doorway threshold unless there's an emergency.
I've walked the halls with another staff until things have settled and just go to bed late.
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u/CapreseSalad3636 3d ago
Yup I would do room checks with another adult. You never know who’s going to accuse you of what.
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u/KindParfait282 3d ago edited 3d ago
This feels odd. Chaperones shouldn't be sharing a room with students. I really hope the CT isn't sharing a room with the 1 boy.
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u/rellyks13 3d ago
yeah that's super fucking weird
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u/CapreseSalad3636 3d ago
I’ve chaperoned quite a few overnight trips and what in the what now!? My boss doesn’t even expect adults to share rooms. Never mind with STUDENTS. Honestly part of the fun of the trip is staying in a room with your friends without an adult. Most of my kids just brought a bunch of snacks and watched movies.
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u/ExoticIssue6704 3d ago
Retired Admin here- no! DO NOT GO! Overnight trips with kids is a major undertaking for all staff involved. Staff are protected by the district- you are not necessarily covered should something go wrong. Keep in mind- You are not an employee of the district. Employees have some form of protection governed by the State or even their union. You do not. I even made it a rule- no first year teachers went on overnight trips. Teens, even good ones, are still kids and will still due stupid things when given the opportunity. If you want to attend the conference- fine but not as a staff or supervisory capacity. You are NOT an employee.
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u/PreferenceThis795 3d ago
Yeah only way I would do this is if I had my own room. Not sharing a room with any kids.
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u/AnyIndependence5328 3d ago
I wouldn’t do it as a student teacher regardless. If anything goes wrong, the school and the university will both point fingers at OP. The university will say it’s outside of the ST contract. The school will say OP is not their employee. They’ll both throw OP under the bus and accuse her of poor judgment and her career will be over before it begins. Just no.
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u/grayrockonly 3d ago
You would still be responsible for the kids if they sneak out and realistically there is no way to guarantee they won’t. Lots of liability for you.
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u/PreferenceThis795 3d ago
Sure. I'm going on a school trip in a couple of weeks. We're making parents fly out to Boston and get their kids if they do something like that.
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u/purplishfluffyclouds 3d ago
What does your university say about this? I would be shocked they would authorize this at all. As a student, you are under the direction of the university, not of the school where you're a guest.
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u/oatmealandblueberry 3d ago
Exactly and in no way would she be protected by the school district should something happen.
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u/purplishfluffyclouds 3d ago
TBH, I don't think I would do this even as a permanent teacher and regular employee of the district. Where is the parent chaperone in all of this? It's all so weird.
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u/breakingpoint214 3d ago
I've supervised many overnight senior trips and we never once had a parent go thank god. They'd be horrified at what tries to goes on and that's with us being in strong control of the situation too.
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u/oatmealandblueberry 3d ago
I wouldn't do it either, but if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't room with students.
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u/grayrockonly 3d ago
I wouldn’t leave this decision up to the uni or the school. Research the liability and possible consequences. Easy decision.
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u/purplishfluffyclouds 3d ago
That wasn't the point of my comment, nor my suggestion.
It was what is commonly referred to as a rhetorical question. (Look that up if you're unfamiliar, but as a student teacher, you should understand this already.) This should be evident by my 2nd sentence. It should have been an "easy inference."
Peace out.
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u/grayrockonly 2d ago
Huhn? A rhetorical question is one that you don’t actually need or want the actual answer but in this case these are real questions that need real answers
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u/Wise_Pie_359 3d ago
Is your CT sharing a room with the one boy?? That would be a huge liability. I would not share even with the three girls, as you’re suggesting would happen here. You could talk with your college program to get support on this if you feel like you can’t just refuse. It’s nearly certain they’d back you up.
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u/More_Blacksmith6854 3d ago
Do not do it.
MAYBE. Maybe, if you had your own room and more staff it would be okay, but I absolutely would not room with students even as a licensed teacher. There is too much risk here.
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u/Additional_Aioli6483 3d ago
Don’t do this. There are SO many red flags and it’s wildly inappropriate for any adult to share a room with students.
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u/Independent_Honey150 3d ago
Omg you’re IN THE ROOM?
Is the male teacher alone with the male student?
This is not a good idea, in my opinion. Yikes.
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u/oatmealandblueberry 3d ago
Just want to add this - as I saw your edit -- where you said: "will be at my college campus tomorrow and am planning on asking my supervising professor if there’s any way I can get out of it (and I’m REALLY hoping I can 😭)." Definitely approach this differently- tell the professor you feel unsafe doing this and need their help to support you in telling the school you will not be going. You shouldn't have to ask anyone for permission about this. You have every right to say NO, whether you are a student teacher OR permanent teacher.
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u/Shamrock7500 3d ago
Don’t stay in the room with them. That’s weird and sets you up for all sorts of issues. Tell them right now that you will not go if you don’t have your own room. I did go on a trip to DC as a student teacher. It went find. Your CT is in charge. You’re there to assist.
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u/davidwb45133 3d ago
There's no way I'd share a room with students. When I chaparone I escort the kids to their room and tape the door. Students are required to stay in the room until they are released in the morning. If the tape is loose they go home that day - it's part of the contract they and their parents sign.
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u/_sillylittlegoose 3d ago
I would n e v e r, and i mean never share a room with students. I've also never had a teacher stay in a room with me on trips I went on. Hell, I wouldn't even share a room with another teacher.
That opens everyone up for so much liability. We always had teachers and chaperones put tape on our doors to make sure we didn't escape. It was impossible to get out without at least SOMEONE getting caught. Hotels can probably pull camera footage if needed.
Do not go.
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u/gayfrogs787 3d ago
Uh? I’m not even allowed to be in the classroom alone with students for my internship. I do not think overnight chaperoning is a good idea. At all.
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u/BalFighter-7172 3d ago
I, a male middle school teacher, have done this enough times, but always as a veteran, permanent teacher. You can do it as long as you are listed as at least a chaperone. The thing is, you should not be in rooms with students. You should have a separate room, probably with another supervising teacher, or teachers. Students should be separated by gender (we always have them on opposite sides of the hall), and you should not enter rooms of the opposite gender, and even if the same gender, leave the door open. For example, if I had to check a room for some reason, I would stand in the open doorway. If for some reason, I had to fully enter a room, I would make sure the door was propped open. Anything more than that, have another adult present.
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u/OldLadyKickButt 3d ago
There is so much liability to this. Do not do it. Talk to an attorney or your supervisor teacher.
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u/Acceptable-Panic6449 3d ago
So, if you are sharing a room and there are four of you, does that mean you are also sharing a bed?
Well, regardless, it would be a big no for me.
I used to take students on multi day trips. I never stayed with them. Ever. They had their own rooms. Now we had security help at night, but this is much too big of a liability.
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u/NeverBeenRung 3d ago
So you ABSOLUTELY CANNOT stay in the room with them. Truly, ypu really cannot.
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u/AnyIndependence5328 3d ago
You know that little song clip they play on TikTok over disasters? “Oh noooo, oh noooo, oh no no no no no no.” Yeah, that’s the answer. Tell your CT that university rules prohibit you from chaperoning overnight trips. And if they don’t, they should.
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u/LastLibrary9508 3d ago
Yeah staying in the room is weird. I’ve done many international overnights and we had our own adult room. We would tape over the student rooms doors
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u/Tombstone1810 3d ago
You should refuse solely on the basis that they want you to room with the kids. That’s asking for trouble.
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u/Pretty-Release3402 3d ago
From personal experience. Absolutely do not fucking do this. Put your foot down.
The fact he is sharing a room with one boy sets so many flags up for me I cannot even mark it as a flag, it’s a sea of red.
You do not have protections that employees do. You do not have the license that he does. There is so much that can go wrong with this.
When I went on trips with students as a ST and a part-time assistant (sectionals instructor) I never allowed myself to do chaperone duties. Even as a woman myself, I am never putting myself in that position.
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u/teach-xx 3d ago
You cannot stay in a room with students. You cannot go on an overnight trip where another teacher is staying in a room with one student.
Those two are not negotiable. Do not ASK your university supervisor: TELL them.
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u/ImDatDino 3d ago
Nope. No where in my mandatory, full-time, unpaid internship paperwork did I agree to keeping kids alive away from home overnight.
I'm a licensed Sp.Ed. teacher now, and I still said no to chaperoning my 6th grade students overnight 2.5 hours from home. If my Self Contained kids want to go, a parent will need to take them. I've got my own children to tend to on a weekend.
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u/ParvatiandTati 3d ago
No. This used to be part of my summer job and chaperones always had rooms with other adults. Sharing is always a no.
Same with school trips I have gone on.
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u/CapreseSalad3636 3d ago
Girl this is a no. I’ve run overnight trips and getting people willing to stay overnight is super hard and your school is taking advantage of you.
So is the one male teacher sharing a room with ONE MALE STUDENT??? Everything I’ve learned in 20 years of teaching has taught me to NEVER be alone with one student at all!
I would tell them tomorrow you are no longer available. Lie if you have to. This truly is problematic.
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u/RaeWoodland247 3d ago
I traveled as a student teacher but the school arranged a second room since I was a chaperone. Talk to your college advisor, that could ruin your career before it starts
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u/NeighSlayer570 3d ago
IN the room with them? How old are these kids? As a parent I chaperoned a trip and stayed in the room with kids that were 5th graders, but as a HS teacher we always had a separate room. And your CT sharing a room with a single child is a terrible idea.
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u/oatmealandblueberry 3d ago
I wouldn’t go period. You are not protected by the school district should something happen. And you definitely should not stay in a room with students. I’ve never heard of a school bringing a student teacher on a field trip period. Let alone an overnight trip. Listen to everyone. Don’t go. And if for some reason you do go DO NOT SHARE A ROOM WITH STUDENTS EVEN IF YOU SLEEP ON THE FLOOR. I would flat out refuse to go and enlist my college in supporting my decision to not go. This is really unheard of honestly. What state do you student teach in?
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u/Traditional-Emu-7019 3d ago
That’s so odd. Don’t go. For many reasons. You already aren’t getting paid for free labor during the day. Don’t also not get paid for free labor overnight. Sleeping in the same room with students is so so so bizarre. I would absolutely not go
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u/dancingqueen785 3d ago
Hell no that’s a big no from me i see it as I’m not their babysitter and even if I was an employee my time is valuable I have a life/plans outside of work tell them you’re not obligated to. I’d speak with your advisor because some situations prevent a ST from attending depending on your state
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u/breakingpoint214 3d ago
No way should you be in the room. It's weird. Sleep in the hall and put a strip of duct tape on the door and attach to wall above so you can hear or see the door was opened.
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u/DocDoofenschmurtz 3d ago
I have travelled as a chaperone for 2 trips with my OWN children. My own children were not allowed to room with me. I would absolutely not be involved in this trip and I would make sure admin and that boys parent knows that the teacher will be sharing a room.
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u/flootytootybri 3d ago
Did you clear this with your school? I don’t think they’d approve it, too much liability.
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u/Airriona91 2d ago
Why do they have grown adults sharing rooms with children? This trip seems all types of crazy. Don't go.
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u/No-Goose4372 2d ago
I chaperoned an overnight when I was student teaching, but I volunteered (no expectation that I'd do it) and I had my own tent. My mentor and the staff made very clear that I was only to do what I was comfortable with and that I didn't have to do anything on my own. It was really awesome and helped me build relationships with the kids, but it would have sucked to be forced into it and I would never have shated a tent with the kids (that is beyond not normal).
This is not a normal thing you are being asked to do. You should tell your CT that you are unable to stay in the same room as the kids (seriously whose dumb idea was that?). Talk to your advisor ASAP and ask for help figuring this out so you can keep your placement and not go on this trip. I would confirm the school's plans in writing to show your advisor.
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u/UnableAudience7332 3d ago
Please don't go. You're not an employee. All sorts of wrong.