Engage Your Pupils On Your Next School Trip

22 May 2017

Don’t let the logistics, the forms, the worrying about all the kids ruin what will be a great day out for everyone involved. Before you plan your next off campus trip, use these ideas to make sure you and your students get the most out of the experience!

Plan ahead

It’s a good idea to know what you’re getting yourself into. It might be a good idea to visit the place in advance so you can anticipate what to expect. Some theatre companies offer educators discount tickets so teachers can view the show ahead of time which may be beneficial.

Read materials provided by the organization and spend time going over their website. Some museums have photographs of key exhibits on their website, so you can prepare without leaving the house.

Be prepared

Most of the time teachers are so rushed that preparing students for a school trip consists of ‘Make sure to bring in your permission slips’ and “Behave yourself in public’ but to really maximise a trip, pupils should be prepared for where they are about to visit.

Ask the museum or organisation for materials you can share with students in advance. Many will have teacher guides or they can suggest links to reading materials.

 Give students something to read that will help them understand the trip better. Young students might enjoy a book about animals before a visit to the zoo; high school students will understand a Shakespeare play better if they read a summary of it beforehand – this context will help with their understanding.

 Give students a reading that will change their perspective and challenge their thinking ahead of the trip.

Give pupils a task

Teachers often worry about how students will behave on a school trip. Why not set them a task on the trip so they have something to keep focussed on?

Before the visit, help students learn more about their task. Create a specific list of questions or tasks students will do during the visit. After the trip ask the pupils to write a review. Ask them to write down what worked, what they enjoyed and what they recommend. This is not only a good way of them practising their writing skills but also it will help you for next year’s trip.

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