Hey Shawnta! Field Trips Went Away During the Pandemic. What Can I Do to Get Them Back at My Children’s School?

Jan 20, 2023 2:33:43 PM

by

Hey Shawnta!

Field trips went away during the pandemic. What can I do to get them back at my children’s school?


Although it takes a lot of work to plan field trips, I always enjoyed getting my students off campus for a learning experience. Even if students are not excited about the purpose of the field trip, most students enjoy a new learning environment. The bus ride there and back allows students to talk longer than they would during a passing period or during recess. It also allows teachers to loosen up and continue to build relationships with their students, but in a different setting. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on field trips, and now it is time to bring them back.

Students can take field trips to various places: a zoo, a factory, a business, a habitat, a theater, a museum, etc. Teachers really do an excellent job of connecting standards in the classroom to lessons off campus. Many times, teachers would love to have parental support in this process.

Ask Your Teachers About Field Trips and Pitch In

  • Start by reaching out to your children’s teachers to ask if they are going to have any field trips. Then ask if there is a possibility of having more and how you could help.

  • Parents can help by calling potential sites to inquire about their field trip availability, research whether the site provides any resources or lesson plans, and find out what a visit to the site would include.

  • Once the trip is confirmed, parents can help make the flyer. The teacher or school administrator might add some details or give you a template to work with. 

  • If the trip comes with a cost, parents can help fundraise to cover the cost of the trip to ensure all students can attend. Finances are a barrier to a lot of field trips.

  • Volunteer to be a chaperone. Well before the trip, make sure you have a background check on file and encourage other parents to get one too. Teachers always appreciate having parent volunteers. Every parent added to the trip helps with having more eyes on students in a public place. Also, I have found that students tend not to misbehave when many adults participate in the trip.
I’m so glad you see the importance of field trips, and I hope these tips help you get more field trips at your children’s school.

Shawnta

Shawnta S. Barnes

Shawnta (Shawn-tay) S. Barnes, also known as Educator Barnes, is a married mother of identical twin boys. She navigates education from not only the educator’s perspective but also the parent’s perspective. She has been an educator for nearly two decades. Shawnta works with K-12 schools, universities, & education adjacent organizations through her education consulting business Blazing Brilliance. She is an adjunct college professor, supervises student teachers, Indy Kids Winning Editor-in-Chief, Brave Brothers Books Co-founder, & CEO, and Brazen Education Podcast host. She holds five education licenses: English/language arts 5-12, English to speakers of other languages P-12, library/media P-12, reading P-12, and school administration P-12, and she has held a job in every licensed area. Previously, she has served as a school administrator, English teacher, English learners teacher, literacy coach, and librarian. She won the 2019 Indiana Black Expo Excellence in Education Journalism Award. In 2023, she completed her doctorate in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education with a minor in Learning Sciences. She is an urban gardener in her spare time and writes about her harvest-to-table journey at gardenershicole.com. To learn more about Shawnta, visit educatorbarnes.com.

Leave a Comment

The Feed

Explainers

  • EXPLAINED: What Are Standardized Tests and Why Do We Need Them?

    Ed Post Staff

    EXPLAINED: What Are Standardized Tests and Why Do We Need Them? Few issues in education spark more tension and debate than standardized testing. Are they a tool for equity or a burden on students? A...

  • Explained: What Is the Federal Charter Schools Program?

    Ed Post Staff

    Charter schools are public schools with a purpose. Operating independently from traditional school districts, they're tuition-free, open to all students, and publicly funded—but with more flexibility...

  • A Leaky Educator Pipeline Loses Teachers of Color

    Ed Post Staff

    Despite the benefits of a diverse teaching force, prospective teachers of color fall out of our leaky preparation pipeline at every stage: preparation, hiring, induction, and retention. Here’s what...