According to NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks, “School trips allow students to observe, explore, discover, and engage in hands-on experiences”. To add to this, field trips also offer real-world learning. This comes in the form of access to new tools and fields, an increase in critical skills, and a positive overall academic impact.
A study from the University of Arkansas shows that students who attended . “field trips were more empathetic and tolerant”. This shows that trips offer students fundamental skills(such as). After asking senior Shanice Fuller if there are any skills she gains from field trips she said “ I am more social. Trips uplift my mood. Going on trips lets me talk and have fun with my friends and I get to meet new people and build connections with new people”. This allows students to reach out of their comfort zone and enjoy themselves.
Field trips give students an experience in an environment and tools that aren’t accessible to them. “School trips give students access to resources they often can’t have in the classroom. Access to primary source documents and hands-on learning opportunities”.
Yet all teachers say that field trips are beneficial to students. Those same teachers show a willingness to brainstorm unique field trip ideas. John Dewey High School students don’t enjoy enough field trips. More trips will provide students with real-world learning, access to new tools and fields, and an increase in critical skills, and they have an academic impact.
Speaking about the benefits of school field trips, junior Kankoune Yvon said, “I feel trips do help me more academically, they expose me to different subjects and ideas”. Another student, senior Shanice Fuller says “Trips will help me more academically. Trips help you experience things that you can’t do in a class”.
There are also academic advantages to field trips. A study done by Emilyn Rubel Whitesell shows that “Field trips and hands-on learning make concepts more memorable”. Not only does it help memorization but it increases enjoyment which helps focusing. Senior Michelle Perez agreed and said “I believe trips can provide us with real-world experience which allows us to engage more in our classes.
After asking the teacher their opinion of field trips there were different takes varying in the classes. when asking does the school give you enough money for trips, I got the same answer that, if asked, the school tends to provide. According to social studies teacher Mr. Schwartzberg “I don’t feel budget is an issue and the main cost is transportation and that tends to be the subway and that cost isn’t too high”. This was agreed with by teachers, the school does provide a way for students to be on trips.
There are obstacles in creating trips for students. Culinary teacher Ms.Chan says it’s not easy planning trips, there are lots of protocols and other factors that come into play. Mr. Schwartzberg says “Chaperone is a problem because you need to have people you trust and those specific teachers have to also be covered for their class”. Where I got different views was whether or not there is enough time in the curriculum. Ms Chan said “Yes there is enough space to teach what’s required and plan trips” while Mr Schwartzberg said, “It’s really hard to fit in the time with the curriculum.”
With all of the research demonstrating the positive effects that field trips have on student outcomes, John Dewey as a whole consider increasing the frequency of educational field trips.
