Spiders in the classroom?

[Widowman10]

You would laugh at a frightened child?

yes! haha, no, i would laugh at the kid that is such a spaz and has to freak out over something small. i'm not one for over-exaggerating. it's annoying. and something small that was made into a big deal to where they went around in a frenzy... yeah

 

[bugguy1]

I myself visit schools here in RI for a presentation on insects and arachnids and I always end the presentation with a live tarantula that I hold and then I tell the children all of the important facts about them. I do not allow the children to hold it (or even touch it) and the closest they actually get is maybe two feet away. I personally see no problem with a science teacher having a tarantula in the classroom but I also believe that it is important for the teacher to talk about the importance of respect. I also do not think the children should be allowed to touch the tarantula, especially in today's sue-happy world. I would also make sure that the enclosure is secure. I think it would be a great classroom project with the kids choosing a species of tarantula and then setting up an enclosure to imitate the environment from where it lives. Then the children can also be in charge of feeding the spider as well as making sure the enclosure is kept clean and that there is always fresh water. Of course all of this would be supervised. The last thing you need is for a kid going home and complaining to their parents that they got a tarantula hair in their eye!

 

[Flower]

My B. Smithi, three Emperors, and baby G. Rosea are in a devided 10 gallon locking tank in my mom's school, and my ball python is in a 40 locking tank. These both have padlocks on them. My reasoning was since I go there every day, I could look after them, but instead of being in my house all day they are providing learning oppritunities for underprivileged kids (It's a bad-area alternative school)

I had one incident, there was a kid who was taking out the misting bottle regularly and putting it on jet and shooting my B. Smithi. I was uber pissed, and he lost a lot of fuzz from trying to shoot hairs at the water. I went into school, and stated to the kids that that was similar to me going to thier house with a bb gun and shooting thier cats and dogs, and it was abusive and unfair. I was especially mad at my mom's co-worker, the science teacher, for allowing such a thing to happen in a "sight and sound supervision" setting and in her classroom. I threatened to take my animals away, but the head of the school begged me to keep them there because so many kids were learning about arachnids and reptiles just from being interested in mine and researching on thier own, and the teacher got in minor trouble.

All in all it's been an okay experience. 99% of the kids are respectful and all are under a watchful eye. No one is allowed to handle anything, and the tanks lock, so biting/stinging is never an issue.

If you can keep a watchful eye, then it's not a bad idea. Just make sure no one CAN get bitten. I took a 10 gallon tank with a padlock thingie and turned it up on it's side and made three smaller enclosures with it using glass and silicon. I have a heat lamp on the middle section, on the scorpions, and this keeps my spiders a tad warm, too. I will take a picture and post it sometime.

 

[halfwaynowhere]

I occassionally bring critters out to cub scout events (this past summer, we did a nature themed day camp, and one day was focused on creepy crawlies. This coming summer, we plan to dedicate the entire week to creepy crawlies).
When I bring my rosie out, only I am allowed to handle her. Sometimes a parent gets brave, and so I'll let the parent put their hand on a table and let the T crawl over it, but the kids are not allowed to touch at all.
One time we were in a portable classroom building, and I wouldn't even take my rosie out of her critter keeper, because she was getting freaked out by all of the vibrations in the room.
As long as you respect the animal, knowing that it can potentially cause some harm, I think its okay. If we are too scared to let kids see our animals, how are we going to break the misconceptions about them?

 

[Lucille]

If we are too scared to let kids see our animals, how are we going to break the misconceptions about them?

When I was young I remember endless hikes around the area of my grandparents home, collecting frogs and critters, reading up about them, in a way that isn't possible for many of today's kids.

You need not be scared, just be informed about the concept of strict liability so your choice is an informed choice.

 

[KenTheBugGuy]

classroom

I have many teachers that order from me for the classroom but I agree there is a risk.


The craziest thing that happened recently is that we were going to do a free show at an elementary school. This school is in an area that can not afford science classes which just really amazed me. I did not know you could do that in a school. Well anyways we offered a free show and they told us we have to go buy 1,000,000 dollars in insurance, pay to "rent" thier auditorium and then we could. I was just baffled how a school would turn down free education and especially in an area that it was lacking. Our system is just becomming too cumbersome when schools are so worried about being sued they can't even have the kids learn something neat.

 

[skippy]

that's pretty upsetting, ken.

when i was in elementary school i used to bring gopher snakes and alligator lizards to class in my jacket. i brought local forest scorps and cali silver spiders(at the time i thought they were tarantulas) in jars. my sister brought her pet rat to class and it sat on her shoulder throughout the day occasionally startling the kid behind her when he lost his balance and his tail shot out of her long hair to keep him from falling(his coat matched my sis's hair exactly so he blended right in)

through all these unscheduled "show and tell" moments, no one was hurt and i like to think a few people learned something. granted, it's hard to sue a preteen for liability issues but the teachers were always interested and never sent me home so i can only think that they saw some educational value there:?

 

[the nature boy]

Anyone concerned that the cleaning substances or those used to kill vermin could do a number on a T?

 

[LeilaNami]

I agree about the lawsuit parts. It's human nature to be greedy I talked to a man that had him savannah monitor on his front lawn just hanging out. A lady walked by with her little yorkie off a leash. He warned her that his monitor was big enough to hurt the dog but she ignored him and allowed the dog to run into this man's yard. Well the monitor snatched him up in a split second before the herp owner could do anything. City took the monitor away even though they are perfectly legal to keep. Dogs and cats normally get second chances but as soon as an exotic "hurts" someone, all heck breaks loose. All it takes is a kid to just say the T hurt him and with no questions asked, T goes bye bye. Yeah I wouldn't have gotten into the hobby without the classroom intro but I think it is probably in the best interest for the T and the teacher to do 1-day introductions and lectures and then it is taken back home. Prevents harm to either party. Of course while at school and not involved in a lecture, the T should probably stay in a locked room considering how stupid kids can be these days.

Anyone concerned that the cleaning substances or those used to kill vermin could do a number on a T?

Probably could. However I've seen a few classrooms with healthy Ts housed there 24/7. I think the maintenance staff just stays away from the big hairy spider.

 

[El Viejo]

Anyone concerned that the cleaning substances or those used to kill vermin could do a number on a T?

Not at all. The custodial staff at our school is not allowed to use anything stronger than dish soap on things like ants and other creepy-crawlies. They can't use any chemicals in any area where kids are, even on weekends. If they are going to do any spraying over spring break or Christmas vacation, we all get a warning, so we can remove any critters we might have in the classroom.

 

[somethingbig]

I have kept a rosie in my classroom for a couple months now, and have had other T's in times past (mostly Aphonopelma sp.). "Fangs" (That's what I get for letting the kids name it!) is in a critter keeper, and the students are warned about all animals in my classroom, that if anyone "messes" with anything in any way, it's checking out of school, never to return. I only had to enforce that once about 15 years ago when I found a pencil floating in the 20-gal salt water aquarium. It was gone the next day. The students know that it's a privilege to have critters (along with a myriad of other items) in the classroom, and they respect that. I might add that I teach GT kids so they have a little better understanding of rules & consequences (generally).
I know there are risks, but there are also great benefits. It's the best way I know of for me to try to teach the younger generation to respect what we have grown to love over the years. Many of them have become very interested in keeping tarantulas as well as snakes, lizards, etc.

if sternly handled in the manner el viejo does, there should be no problems with risk or liability. don't let paranoia get in the way of educating today's already ignorant youth...

 

[JasonCrowl]

T's in Classroom

I have owned T's for over 15 years, and on several occassions I have taken them to school for my girls' classmates to see, from K-3rd grade....the kids are VERY intersted in learning about them....they had millions of questions, and it was quite fulfilling to share a little knowledge of a misunderstood creature....many of the children were SOOO in awe of my little girl when she held my Chilean Rose....it's a great opportunity for all involved:clap: