Educational field trips are considered part of the whole educational experience. While most students look forward to leaving the classroom for a day to have some fun learning outside, an educational field is a logistical nightmare for the teachers and the school. The risk that a student might get hurt during the trip is always a possibility--a big worry for teachers and school management.
Although no amount of planning can totally obliterate the occurrence of incidents during educational field trips, there are some things that can be done to reduce the risks of incidents. What follows is a simple guide to do just this.
Determine whether special skills or abilities are needed to participate in the trip. An educational field trip to the museum or the capitol building does not require any particular set of skill from anyone. Anyone can participate in such a trip. A trip down to the lake or a rainforest to study different ecosystems will require the participants to be physically fit in order to handle the hiking part, Students with weight problems, fear of heights, or fear of animals are best advised not to join the trip.
Find out whether students have special disabilities, problems, or needs that can be accommodated during the trip. Some students are afflicted with health conditions that attack without warning, including asthma, allergies and vertigo. Teachers and other school staff members should know about this in case an emergency arises. Students who have these afflictions should be advised to carry medical emergency management cards in case of emergencies. They should also be reminded to carry their medications with them.
Advise students on what clothes to wear and what things to bring. If your class or school is visiting a museum or a historical home, the school uniform or casual clothing will do. However, if you will be collecting specimens in the nearby lake, it would be best to advise the class to wear sneakers and clothes that will allow them to move freely. Also advise the students to bring an extra set of clothes in case they get wet while collecting samples in the lake.
Explain to students how they should conduct themselves during the trip. A day before the scheduled educational field trip, the class should be briefed on how they should behave while on the trip for their own safety. The same thing should also be done in the bus on the way to the destination. You can never remind your students enough to look out for their safety and that of their classmates.
Tell students about the site of the educational field trip and any known hazards. If possible, walk the students through the field trip, what they will see and how much time they will spend on the site. Make sure that the students know what they are facing and the safety hazards that they might encounter along the way.
Follow the tips presented above and manage the risk of incidents during an educational field trip.
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