So i recently took a trip to Boston and Philadelphia. I've always been a big fan of American history. I once considered teaching high school history instead of elementary education. I love going on these little history trips so that I am able to relate the material I am teaching to these little tots with a little more understanding. I eventually want my class to be able to go on trips to Washingotn D.C., or Philadelphia. Quite a task, considering I live in Utah and to take such a trip would have an astronomical price tag attached to it. I've seen how field trips can enhance a class, or simply be chaos in a big yellow bus. Preparation is definitely key when planning a field trip.
During my visit to Boston and Philly I saw a number of groups walking on The Freedom Trail, walking through a museum, or visiting the Liberty Bell. Here are the lessons I learned from watching:
1. Smaller groups = better attention.
Some of these groups just unloaded bus load after bus load of students. There were 4 classifications of students within each of these large school groups. The Bright and Sprite Group- these students were usually found at the front of the line and hanging on to every word the teacher had to say. Their numbers were few. There were the Stragglers- these are they who are at the end of the line of students and don't listen at all, but normally don't cause any problems. The next group are the Coma patients- these students are continually coming in and out of the discussions. They tend to float around the middle of the group. They pick and choose what material they want to listen about. Most of the time they decide not to listen. The last group I call the PDA's- these students consider a school field trip a free date. They are usually found in dark corners or behind trees trying to steal any amount of time away from the group so they can snog away.
2. Plan in advance:
It seemed as if some of these teachers just received a memo that morning saying "Congratulations! Your class has been chosen to go on a field trip that will be leaving in the next 30 minutes." The bus pulls up, they fill in and then back out, and then they let their students "look around" for most of the field trip. They have no agenda, other than to try to keep them quiet and in control the whole time.
3. A field trip should be a privilege, not a right:
There seems to be this thought that exists in the world of education that is summed up by one phrase "No Child Left Behind." Really!?!? NO CHILD? We have reached a point in society where we feel BAD if we leave anyone out, or if we have to criticize or reprove. The lessons I've learned in life that have the greatest impression on me are when I was told I couldn't do something because of my behavior, or when I was mocked or told that the way I was doing something was wrong. Sure it stung for a while, but I learned from it and then I moved on.
I was recently thinking about this because I had just been cleaning up after a dance festival at my job. I walked into the auditorium just as they were handing out awards. There were no bronze or silver awards. The only awards they were given were Gold, Gold plus, and PLATINUM!!! That's right, THEY'RE ALL WINNERS!!! YAY! But what happens when they get cut from high school team, or a job they will eventually interview for? What a bombshell it will be when they find out that not everyone can end up a winner. Reality check. There are winners and losers in life, and there should be in school as well. If you don't earn a field trip, you shouldn't go.
I could probably go on and on about my philosophy of how some children should be left behind, but this post is long enough and I think my point is somewhat made. In the meanwhile, enjoy this clip from Billy Madison. I feel so bad for bus drivers sometimes.
