6 Ways School Trips help Students

I have vivid memories of frolicking with my friends and screaming my lungs out during a roller coaster ride when I was a school-girl. During that time, I was in ninth standard, in 2005. And, I have been lucky enough to enjoy a delightful school trip to a local amusement park. Besides this excursion, my school had also organized trips to the local zoological gardens and a science museum, all of which I savor till the present-day.

Imagine a fun outing with all your class-mates and teachers, with a heart full of curiosity and glee, travelling away to an exciting spot. It might be an educational trip for a few hours that might spread to the entire day, or even a few days! It might be nature centers, governmental agencies, amusement parks or science museums – or any thrilling historical spot.

But, the common element of all these trips is an immense form of enjoyment coupled with dynamic learning, a form of learning that extends beyond traditional classrooms! What makes them a school trip more special is its unique way of making subjects like History seem more interesting. And, that is only one of the numerable benefits of these excursions. Let us discuss the top six ways school trips help students:

• Practical knowledge: When you visit a science museum, you get a golden opportunity to take part in certain scientific experiments. When you touch and move objects, you learn more about them and grasp the logic behind certain things work in a particular way. In museums or nature parks, you can also read up the labels or ‘tags’ to discover the truth behind most applications or living creatures like plants, flowers, etc. And, real-life scenarios enable you to learn faster than what you might have done by pouring into books.

• Introduces variety: As most of you already know, ‘variation is the essence of life’. Classroom lectures and exams might turn quite monotonous for students, after a point of time. Humans tend to lose interest in a certain activity that’s repeated for almost 365 days. A nice field trip organized by your school could spice things up and act as a much-needed break for learners. You are exposed to new learning options when you take part in a school trip. Apart from that, your team spirit also receives a boost.

• Helps gain perspective: Developing a perspective or ‘viewpoint’ of the external world in the minds of students is an essential responsibility of teachers as well as parents. Children gain perspective of their surroundings only when they venture out of their comfort zone, be it their home or their school where they go every day. When they meet new people and are introduced to a new culture or language, they learn to respect the differences in people. School trips thus make students more responsible, humble and cooperative towards one another.

• Motivates students: When I was an eight-year-old school-girl, my class-teacher promised us a school trip to the local zoo, if our aggregate marks in the finals hovered around 80%. She added that if any of the 55 students would fail in any subject, the trip would be cancelled even if the majority of us would score in the eighties. I remember all my classmates turning serious all of a sudden. The class attendance improved. So did the grades of every student. Teachers can motivate students through these trips, it’s true!

• Build social skills: Some students might be introverts. Others might be shy. I have met kids who hesitate to mix freely with their classmates and have very few friends. Others might possess learning disabilities. School trips never discriminate between any students and welcomes each learner. This inspires them to open up to people they otherwise don’t speak to during the normal school hours. They learn how to share food with their peers, be polite in public spaces and ask questions to the museum’s curator. It enhances their social skills.

• Classroom supplement: How many of you agree with me when I say that classroom learning is not enough to make you an effective learner? The traditional chalk-and-blackboard technique might turn dull after a prolonged period of time. Moreover, students, especially children, learn tough lessons better when they are illustrated with realistic examples. And what can be more thrilling than school trips to instill a longing to learn more, amongst young students? It creates a curiosity in children to discover new things. Such experiences can teach you more than any textbooks, reference books or study notes.

School trips equip students with social skills, team-spirit, enhanced communication skills and motivates them to perform better in academics. In such tours, they get a chance to bond well with their teachers and peers and explore the outdoors. So naturally, learning becomes more fun and memorable for them, in such happy-go-lucky circumstances. It urges them to observe their surroundings and develop an eternal thirst for knowledge. So, remember students, you just cannot afford to miss your next school trip! Participate in this form of special ‘fun-learning’, gel well with your friends and imbibe knowledge in every way you can.