A few days ago I decided to take some students on a Ministry of Education approved field trip. I should rather say that I attempted to take students on a field trip. After I had submitted all the paperwork, gotten consent from parents and arranged transportation —my request was denied by the Principal. The reason for the denial? There was something that was carded for staff on that day. Fair.
Now if you don't know how field trips work here in public schools, you do indeed need approval from the Principal but most Ministry (pre) approved field trips usually get the green light. To say I was flabbergasted is an understatement, to say I was disappointed would be an accurate inference. I was more disappointed for the children who were excited and who I would now have to break the unfortunate news.
They did not take it well.
I returned three times to seek approval with suggestions to change the day and date etc. All denied. It got so that even the students asked why I 'like to take licks so' and 'why she fighting we down so?' lol. It made me stop and and think about why, as the students said, I was being fought where others had succeeded and why I was fighting for this. It came down to the fact that I thought it was important that students have these experiences. Mind you, in the paper work that had to be submitted for field trips, you are asked to provide 3 justifiable reasons why you are taking students on the field trip. I had done this, even brainstorming with other teachers to come up with suitable justification (they too were disappointed by the rejection).
I think this was the first time my request to conduct a field trip had been denied. now, before you accuse me of sounding like a spoilt child who has never been denied anything. Stop. Any educator will tell you—planning a field trip with a group of 30 or more is not an easy task nor is it one many seek to undertake.
Let me let you in on my secret reason for wanting to to on this field trip... I really wanted to see how the group of students would behave beyond the confines of the classroom and school walls. Those who know, know. There are basically three common types of field trips for public schools:
School Based Assessment Field Trips (or SBA) field trips that are required as part of course content for the completion of a course or subject, like Geography, for example;
there are Ministry Approved field trips where the Chief Education Officer of the Ministry of Education sends a circular to School Supervisors and Principals granting approval for students to attend a field trip (in this case 3 weeks notice is not necessary and only the administrative arrangements (consent and supervision) is needed,
and typical field trips where 3 weeks notice, approval, transport, supervision, consent and approval by administration and Ministry is needed. In short— a lot of work.
Now from a students' perspective, a field trip might just be an excuse to get out of school, a day to dress up (in some cases) and break the monotony of school life. Admittedly, it might be that for teachers as well, but at its core fieldtrips matter way more than this and teachers know it. Even policymakers know it. Why do you think fieldtrips are starring prominently in the new Cultural Transformation Policy that is currently being rolled out?
Field trips are a critical part of offering students a well rounded education. The obvious advantage is the real world learning experiences offered by the field trip that no textbook or four classroom walls can replicate. Over the years, I have taken students to plays, museums, fun parks and science centers. All of these allowed for tangible connections to the students' studies. Many of them had the added advantage of enhancing the social skills of students (a dire need in the current education climate -see my post on "Learning Loss". I have seen students work together at these events, communicate and solve problems in ways they've never done in the classroom.
They become acutely aware that they represent their school, especially when they encounter other schools on trips that usually serve to broaden their worldview and expose them the other cultures. You might think that because we live in a multi racial and multicultural country that students are exposed to different cultures, but you'd be surprised at how limited their experiences and worldviews are. Many of them come away with whole new possibilities of career inspiration and the knowledge that the world is full of opportunities.
Copyright © 2024 Lana. S
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