Student Travel Impacts Student Achievement
Topics: student travel, educational travel, student tour, student tours
Many middle schools have an annual trip to Washington, D.C. where seventh and eighth graders focus on U.S. history connections to the social studies curriculum. Fifteen years of student travel experience have convinced me that these travel opportunities provide substantial benefits to both the individual and the school as a whole.
While acting as a middle school trip sponsor, I have seen tremendous growth in students who have participated in a student travel program. They become excited about learning. They not only develop new skills, but they become more involved in their everyday classroom experiences. I’m convinced that educators can truly impact a young adolescent’s education when they include student travel whether it’s domestic or international in their curriculum.
Initially, students gain a greater understanding of the geography of the portion of the country they are visiting. Teaching geography is a traditional challenge, but geography comes alive when young people see it with their own eyes instead of looking at a map hanging from the classroom wall or a textbook photo. I recommend that student tour groups try to take full advantage of this by having students ride on motor coaches rather than flying. It may take longer to reach your destination, but every moment of the trip can be a learning experience.
A second benefit is the valuable knowledge you gain about the specific region being toured. Each area has local customs and historical areas that capture the past and are rich in educational value. I believe it’s wise not to rush to a destination, but to take time to experience the unique qualities of communities while passing through, whether it’s an authentic Eastern European meal in Chicago or visiting the cradle of liberty in Philadelphia.
Students can also be exposed to the arts and culture through educational travel. For example, I always scheduled a dinner theater production when our school visited Washington, D.C. The experience was often the initial exposure to a live production and a meal of this nature. Our teachers also made a big deal of the event by asking the students to dress up for the occasion.
When traveling to large cities, students are able to visit art museums and see, for example, the Impressionist paintings. One advantage to traveling with a student group is that the group can attend special activities such as mini-lectures by museum personnel to prepare them for what they are about to see. An opportunity of this nature at such an early age is invaluable to the overall development of the individual. The experiences we have in our formative years help prepare us for adulthood.
While students clearly gain from educational travel, so does the school. The students learn about the tradition of educational travel and look forward to the grade level experience for years prior to their actual trip. In addition, they continue to talk about it for years following the trip. A high school counselor once told me that the two most memorable middle school experiences seniors recalled were their eight grade trip to Washington, D.C. and the academic honors they achieved during their middle school careers. The school also builds positive relationships with the parents who serve as trip chaperones, and they share their enthusiasm. I always selected chaperones from my PTO, teachers in the district or neighboring districts, or school board members. Once they went on a successful trip, they became ambassadors for youth educational travel.
In my experience educational trips lead to greater academic achievement in the classroom. A traditional yearly trip certainly provides an incentive to those students wishing to participate. The travel experiences also turn on some students who cannot be reached in the traditional classroom setting. School Boards view student travel as an extension and enrichment of the curriculum. Therefore, the attendance and behavioral guidelines in effect during the academic year can also be used to select the participants and guide behavioral expectations throughout the trip.
“Travel brings the classroom curriculum alive, inspiring students to learn through first-hand, interactive experiences. It teaches understanding of other people, their history and customs. Travel also motivates students to achieve in their classrooms.”
Michael Palmer, Student Youth Travel Association Executive Director
We are staffed by educators who understand the needs of teachers. We’ve been creating unique and educational student travel experiences since 1987. We provide travel arrangements while empowering teachers to create change by expanding the classroom to the world. www.traveladventures.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Luggage For Travel Is Durable And Decorative (1)
Some business travelers will choose decorative designs for the luggage they buy for business trips because these designs help them to identify it when it is revolving around the turnstiles in a baggage handling area.
Volunteering In Nepal, A Unique Asian Destination (2)
You will be teaching English so that the locals are able to make a living by talking to trekkers, mountaineers and acting as tour guides within the tourism industry. Another section of teaching as a part of volunteering in Nepal includes learning how to provide first aid, information on health care, management skills and information related to conservation of forests and wildlife.
Baggage Used For Air Travel (3)
These well-worn baggage selections have certain memories attached to them that are considered priceless and older travelers would hate to lose them in the baggage claim areas. Younger travelers are not real concerned with the luggage choices that their parents make, but they are certainly concerned about the items that the carry-on luggage contains.
Coins To Own Now For The Regular Coin Collector Part I (4)
If you want to stay in the "regular collector" space though, you can consider buying rolls of 1909 VDB cents. Be prepared to pay several hundred dollars for a roll of these coins.
Volunteer In Latin America- Learning Spanish While Volunteering (5)
Sports Volunteerism: Sports may seem to be the unlikely area for volunteer work. South America has a lot of sporting talent especially in soccer but there is no infrastructure, coaches or training schools that can hone the skills of the youngsters or teenagers who want to enter the professional sports arena.
Understanding Labrador Retrievers: Three Things You Can Always Count On (6)
Similarly, at home, they constantly wait by their owner's side for the next task or command, regardless of what it is. It could be to walk, eat, anything really.
House Attracts Car Fanatics (7)
Car fanatics can see anything from a Tucker which is only one of 50 to have been made, to a 1903 Buckmobile. The collection started when Harold toured America looking for special vehicles, many of which were produced in limited numbers which makes the collection even more special.
Developing Photos Using A Computer System (8)
These camera buffs are truly delighted when they learn about photos that can be developed just by using the computer printer in the home. People now have the capability of using digital cameras which allow them to develop photos using a home computer system.
Preparing A Checklist Of Camping Equipment (9)
A sleeping bag for warmth 3. A sleeping pad or air mattress is often placed underneath the sleeping bag for cushioning from stones and twigs as well as for insulation from the ground 4.
Lifting Issue With Trucks And Cars (10)
Keep in mind that other components are still stock which would affect the ride handle and airflow to the engine. Spring Over Axle - Among the numerous ways to lift vehicles, the spring over axle lift commonly comes as a stock design for most of the 4 wheel drive vehicles.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Making New Friends While Traveling By Air (1)
They will make contact with many flight attendants and inquire about security precautions, uniforms and eventually about whether they are single or not. Some flight attendants have met their mates through conversations that started in this manner.
N C A A Influence On Basketball (2)
Any collegiate athlete has the full attention of the NCAA in all of their dreams and some of them might not include pursuing a professional sports career. The NCAA focuses their attention on the academic excellence of the members in their association, and it just so happens that all of their members are athletes.
Go Ahead With Exhaust Upgrades (3)
It is an upgrade that starts with the engine manifold to the catalytic converter unto the mufflers. Headers There are two types of aftermarket header upgrades; the long header and the short header.
Elliptical Machines - What You Must Know About Elliptical Trainers Before You Buy (4)
Elliptical trainers use the arms and the legs making it a cross trainer, in a smooth and natural motion. And elliptical machines give you a weight resistant workout which is very important because, weight resistant workouts burn calories faster and more efficiently.
How To Fundraise For Your Student Trip (5)
If you consider these tips when planning your next fundraiser you will be more likely to increase student involvement and help off-set the costs of the trip - two of the key elements used by trip sponsors to plan a successful student travel experience.
Finding The Best Golf Training Aids (6)
They have a hook, poor grip or sloppy swing. 3. What are they getting the training for? Meaning do they want to become professionals or not? 4.
The Beijing Art Scene: Factory 798 (7)
It's now considered the place to go for a look at modern Chinese art. Unfortunately, Factory 798 is an endangered species. The city is continuing its campaign of urban development, replacing the labor-intense and polluting industries with low-pollution, low-capital office buildings and high-tech electronic industries.
3 Tips For Polishing Your Golf Skills (8)
2. Group together with other golfers - You will always get effective results when you group together with other golfers having same level of skills. Group learning helps in two ways.
Essential Photographic Techniques For Amateurs (9)
When capturing a moving object, it is advisable to capture them moving into the imaginary tic tac toe frame from one of the two sides. Capture a straight line at an angle by moving five to ten feet away to the side to capture at an angle.
Opportunities To Stay Involved In The N F L (10)
The wife begins to feel like a widow and will feel that she has no other choice but to get involved with NFL football games just to keep peace at home.