Reasons why your school should go on more field trips
Learning new things is very vital to every one of us, especially students, that is why field trips are important to be included in the school curriculum. There are many things that they can learn and their destination might be the place where they discover their passion.
But more than that, why should your school go on more field trips? Here’s why:
- Field trips are fun
Classroom discussions can be dreary at times, the monotonous lessons and being in a room can get boring pretty quickly. But, field trips on the other hand, are much fun and dynamic as the destinations are typically outside school grounds. It helps keep boredom away and help them learn in a fun and interactive way.To learn more about educational travel, contact ETC to learn more.
- Better way to cultivate teacher and students relationship
Field trips are a great way for the teachers and students to bond. They can team up together or try various activities that the trip destination offers. It is important for students to be comfortable to their teachers to have a dynamic experience in the classroom.
- Field trips can have a lasting effect to the students
On a study conducted by the Wagner Group and U.S. Travel Association, they have found out that going on field trips can create an impact on the students’ life. Seeing the lessons that they have been taught in the fines of the classroom helped the students to discover their passion and it has been found that it has a positive effect on their education and career life in the future. Additionally, according to the research, not only 89% of the respondents said that trips impacted greatly but it also helped them to have better grades and an enthusiasm to graduate.
In another study conducted by Greene, Kisida and Bowen that was published in education next.org, they have discussed that going to museums and art galleries can help students to nurture their critical thinking because the observations they catalogued during the trip and relate it to current situation. It also increases their empathy while affecting their values because it exposes them to cultural diversity from before.
- There are many destinations to choose from
The great thing about field trips is that schools have many options to choose from. These destinations include museums, nature parks, nature centres, gardens, farms, and schools. With this many places to choose from, it is guaranteed that the teachers and students alike will surely have a happy time exploring and learning.
- Better learning materials
While the teachers can do a fantastic job in teaching students effectively, it is important for students to learn first-hand their lessons from the experts of their subject. It will help them understand the topic more clearly and learn new things that can be added to their learned ones as there are things that experts only know. This way, not only the students have the opportunity to learn the subject, but teachers can pick up and learn new things too that can be added to their future lesson plans. Students and teachers alike can also take advantage of museum tours and interactive exhibits.
But, there is one thing that can hold back the school board in approving more field trips for their students and this is:
Lack of school budget for field trips
The school board can have the option to restrict the number of field trips every year and it might be because the school funds may be low. It is hard to budget these trips especially if there are no funds to spare. If this happens, the teachers can bring the field trip to the school grounds, for example, the school can hold a movie screenings depending on the chosen subject. Like an ordinary screening, there are movie schedules so that students can choose their desired time.
With this, the students not only can enjoy themselves but they can learn something too together with their peers.
Field trips can be a very enlightening experience not only to students but to also the teachers. Not only can it help them retain their lessons but it is also a way to be more aware of social issues from before and relate it to the present state of events. If the budget restricts the frequency of field trips, there are ways that the teacher can bring the trip to the school’s door step, they only need to be creative, so students can still learn new topics while enjoying it with their friends.
