M AKING THE M OST OF C OMMUNITY R ESOURCES AND F IELD T RIPS

“Field trips offer an excellent bridge between the work of the school and the work of the world outside.”

“ I took a group of students to the local museum. We just wondered from corner to corner without anything specific to look for. It was an experience but it did not connect with any specific lesson objective.” “ The whole trip was a mess. Some lost their way and arrived very late. Others arrived at the place much earlier and were inconvenienced waiting for the arrival of the others. Anyway, everybody enjoyed the picnic.” “ The students enjoyed the field trip. But when asked to relate what they saw to our lesson, they were not able to connect.”

S TEPS IN P LANNING A F IELD T RIP 1.Preliminary planning by the teacher 2. Preplanning with others going on the trip 3.Taking the field trip itself and, 4.Post-field trip follow up activities.

Make preliminary contacts, a tour on final arrangements with the place to be visited. Make final arrangements with the school principal about the details of the trip: time, schedule, transportation arrangements, finances, and permission slips from parents. Make a tentative route plan, subject to later alteration based on class planning and objectives. Try to work out mutually satisfactory arrangements with teachers if the trip will conflict with their classes. Prepare preliminary lists of questions or other materials which will be helpful in planning with the students.

P REPLANNING WITH STUDENTS JOINING THE TRIP Discuss the objectives of the trip and write them down. The main objectives should be consulted later when the trip is evaluated. Here is a sample of Permit Slip) Prepare a list of questions to send ahead to the guide of the study trip.

Define safety and behavior standards for the journey there and for the field trip site itself. Discuss and decide on ways to document the trip. Everyone is expected to take notes. List specific objects to be seen on their way to site, on the site of the field trip and on their way home from the site.

Discuss appropriate dress. Comfortable shoes for walking are important. Before the trip, use a variety of learning materials in order to give each student a background for the trip. For example, by viewing a film, a slide set, or a still picture unit dealing with housing standards and conditions, a class maybe better prepared to learn through a visit to an actual slum area.

P REPLANNING WITH O THERS J OINING THE T RIP Other people accompanying the group need to be oriented on the objectives, route, behavior standards required of everyone so they can help enforce these standards. These may be parents who will assist, other teachers and/or school administrator staff.

T AKING THE F IELD T RIP Distribute route map of places to be observed. Upon arriving at the destination, teacher should check the group and introduce the guide. Special effort should be made to ensure that:

a) -the trip keeps to the time schedule b) -the students have the opportunity to obtain answers to questions c) -the group participates courteously in the entire trip d) -the guide sticks closely to the list of questions.

E VALUATING F IELD T RIP These are the questions we can ask after the field trip to evaluate the field trip we just had. Could the same benefits be achieved by other materials? Was it worth the time, effort, and perhaps, extra money?

Were there any unexpected problems which could be foreseen another time? Were these due to guides, students, poor planning, or unexpected trip conditions? Were new interests developed? Should the trip be recommended to other classes studying similar topics?

E DUCATIONAL B ENEFITS D ERIVED FROM A F IELD T RIP 1.The acquisition of lasting concepts and change in attitudes are rooted on concrete and rich experiences. 2.Field trips bring us to the world beyond the classroom. 3.Field trips have a wide range of application. It is not meant only for children. It is for adults also. 4.It can bring about a lot of realizations which may lead to changes in attitudes and insights.

H ERE ARE SOME REALIZATIONS STUDENTS HAD AFTER JOINING A FIELD TRIP TO THE FOLLOWING PLACES : a. A school for the blind: ”I’m glad, I’m not blind. What can we do to prevent blindness?” b. An automobile factory: ”More and more factory work is automated. How soon will we have three working days and four days off the job? What will people do with their time ?” c. A museum :” There is so much to be known and I know so little!”

D ISADVANTAGES OF F IELD T RIPS 1. It is costly 2. It involves logistics 3. It is extravagant with time 4. Contains an element of uncertainty

C OMMUNITY R ESOURCES A field trip may be a visit to a scenic spot or to a historical place. What community resources can we use for learning? a. Parents of our Students b. Dentist c. Journalist

Dynamic Teacher Senior Citizen and a War Veteran Public Libraries and Private Libraries

ANALYSIS WHAT PROCEDURES AND CRITERIA MUST BE OBSERVED IN PLANNING AND CONDUCTING FIELD TRIPS? WHAT EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS ARE DERIVED FROM A FIELD TRIP? WHAT COMMUNITY RESOURCES CAN BE UTILIZED FOR LEARNING?

P OSTSCRIPT - T HE FIELD TRIP : A BRIDGE OF THE SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY

M AKING THE C ONNECTION 1.Louis Pasteur once said: “In the fields of observation, chance favors only the prepared minds.” How does this quote relate to field trips? 2.Some schools have made it a policy not to allow field trips of all sorts. Can you think of some reasons?

P REPARED BY :  Micah Odessa Villamin  Mutya Landicho  Darwin Parago