A wise saying that goes, “Travel the world to learn more.” As a school teacher, traveling is one of the best ways of complementing your students’ learning processes in class because we are designed to learn from observation and experience. By exposing your students to educational tours, you allow them to integrate and cement the facts they read in books into the depth of their minds. Remember, a good experience is better than a thousand words without an experience. That is why our educational consultants at writing bee service will share out some of the best tips of preparing your students for such learning outings.
Discuss Purpose
The first and most important preparation to make is discussing with your students the trip’s purpose. It is beneficial to share this fact with your students to make prepare them. By sharing this fact with them, you create a proper sense of expectation for the young minds as they go out. Also, it creates a proper sense of boundaries to allow the students to prepare for the journey. If you want to use the trip to give your students a hands-on experience of what you are teaching them, explain purpose to them. Also, if you want to use the session as a bonding session for your class and increase relational cohesion, it is good to communicate that on time. Lastly, you have to sum up how the trips relates to your current topic.
It is also important to share the details of what the students will learn. For instance, if you are taking them to a dairy farm, you have to show them specific details in advance. For example, you have to tell them if they are going out to witness and experience how to milk, feed, or clean dairy cows. Offering such specific information will allow them to prepare more specifically. In fact, it helps learners to review their notes on the specific topic you will explore on the field.
Give Your Students a Visual Hint
Another tip for preparing your students for field trips effectively is giving them a visual hint where they will be touring. In our example, if you plan to visit dairy farm XYZ, show them images of the farm. For example, give them the website of the dairy farm to allow the young learners to visit it. This way, you whet their expectation and appetite for the trip. Also, this preparation allows them to get a clear picture of what they will deal with.
Explain the Means of Learning
The third form of preparation to make for your students is explaining to them the mode of learning they will need on the field. For instance, if they will need to learn by observation, then tell them so to heighten their sense of observation. Also, if you intend them to learn by asking questions, tell them that to allow them prepare the right questions. Lastly, it is needful to inform them if they will need to participate (practically) in the learning process. In our example, you have to tell them if they will take part in the milking or feeding process. This way, your students will prepare themselves adequately as per their ability.
For example, some students are adventurous and like taking part in the practical aspects of the tour. Other students are good at interviewing and observation, and like using their observatory strength to optimize trips. Irrespective of the learning means, prepare your class beforehand to allow each student to learn the best.
With these tips at your fingertips, you are better placed to have a successful class trip.