Teaching kids is not easy. You need to grab their attention without which they lose all interest in a class and create havoc. Especially young teens that belong to the age group of 16 to 19 years. To them everything is important other than attending a class or paying attention in a class. I mean, how many of us had ever concentrated in class so much? We used to daydream, scribble and do anything but pay attention.
Thus, the learning experience reduces and they are left with very little knowledge that can be put to practical use. However, educational trips or tours are exciting and fun and grab their attention immediately.
What are educational tours?
Educational tours impart knowledge to the students outside the classroom area. They support whatever is taught in the class or written in the textbooks as it involves a visit to different places that exhibits artefacts, flora or fauna, or even established scientific laboratories to widen their horizons. It allows the students to explore their interests outside the classroom while at the same time gathering knowledge. Moreover, it enriches their experiences and gives them a new perspective of what the world is really like.
Why are they important?
Educational are not only an excuse to get out that boring class, but also provides an additional insight into the world. The students learn a lot form these trips and have shaped up the careers of quite a few. They meet people who would inspire them, visit corporations that would make them work harder just to advance their career so that they could work there, take up a certain field of work that inspires them or interest them. To sum up, field trips are not only educational, but also introduces students to a wide range of new experiences. Stated below are some of the benefits of educational tours.
Provides perspective
Educational tours allow the students to develop a different perspective of the world. They allow the students to interpret the world and communicate accordingly with it. It allows them to understand their place in the society and sort out any differences accordingly. Moreover, if an educational tour involves travelling to another country altogether, it allows them to experience a lot of other things as they are sheltered or protected by their parents and have to fend on their own. Thus, they develop necessary life skills and an analytical mind.
Informal
Educational tours are mostly informal as they are not bound by class rules or the curriculum. It allows the students to interact more freely with the teachers and allows the teachers to gain a new perspective. Moreover, this informal environment alleviates the stress prevalent in a classroom and allows the students to speak their mind freely.
Helps the children to bond better
No student has gone through school without fighting once and staying in a classroom makes the situation tense. While going on an educational trip ensures that the class stays together and provides them with an opportunity to bond together, on a more personal level. In a school, there a number of factors that might affect the bonding of the students.
But on such tours, since they have to stick together, observing, learning and roaming in groups, they are bound to talk to each other and know each other more personally. Thus, it is quite an easy way to ensure the bonding between classmates is strong.
Exposes them Different learning styles
Educational tours allow them to experience new learning techniques outside of class. Going out to some historical museum or some science museum means that there will be some staff that will show them around. Usually, they cater to the students by making it more fun and livelier and ensure that they do not lose the attention of the students. Thus, the students learn and interact freely with them, asking all the necessary questions to satisfy their curiosity.
Real world experience
These trips displace the students from their natural environment, to which they are accustomed to and make them meet the real world. Through this, they became aware of their position, both socially and economically. It allows them to put their skills to test and interact and communicate with the outside world. It allows them to think ably and develop critical thinking as asking questions require that. Thus, it gives them a taste of what the real world is like.
A fun exercise
Educational trips are always fun as they get to spend more time with their friends, and away from the dreaded classroom. It allows them to cherish these memories, no matter how much they have learned, for years. This makes them anticipate these little trips as they expect to have fun as well. Moreover, they can go back to their studies with a rejuvenated mind and concentrate better.
Tips to arrange for a successful education tour
When arranging an educational tour, it is essential to ensure that it will interest the students. It is mainly done for the students so that they can have fun while learning and also improve their social skills. Thus, it is necessary to ensure that the event is successful. But what is the surest way to ensure such a thing? Well, the tips listed below might help you to arrange as successful one:
- It is imperative that you decide upon a venue that would interest the students. It is imperative that the whole place is checked out before arranging any trip to ensure the safety and security of the students.
- If an entire class is involved, then it can be divided into smaller groups to manage them better and to check their accountability.
- It is imperative that the students are informed about everything, including the code of conduct that is expected from them.
- Keep an emergency medical kit at hand and find out about nay special condition, including allergies that the students might have.
- Inform the parents and if required, you can ask a parent to chaperone the students to ensure that all students are accountable for.
Conclusion
Thus, educational trips are really an important part of a student’s curriculum and should thus partake in it as much as they can. These are the only memories that they can look back to when they pass out and will be glad that they attended.