by Heather Huff

Created on: July 16, 2009   Last Updated: July 19, 2009

The beloved school field trip. A day of fun and games for students, yet a day of potential misery for the unprepared teacher. With a little thought and organization, the school field trip can be a great experience for students and teachers. A confident, in control, and prepared teacher will set the stage for an enjoyable outing. Here are some no-nonsense tips to make that happen.

Preparation is the name of the game. If you are not sufficiently prepared, it will be hard to manage your students. Naturally, there are some things out of your control, but there are things you can control. The better prepared you are, the more time you will have to spend tending to the students. Here is a list of what you need to be a proactive management strategist:

*Permission slips with important information that parents need

to know (date, time, special gear), and you need to know

(who needs a lunch from the cafeteria, chaperones going).

*Binder with all parent/guardian contact information.

*Medications (inhalers, bee sting kit).

*First aid kit.

*Cell phone with school number and other emergency

numbers programmed in.

*Sign out sheet if parents/chaperones will be taking their child

home with them from the trip.

*Lunches consolidated into one box or big duffel bag. Make

sure and get the count to the cafeteria on time, so they are

prepared for you.

*If you have school shirts for the students to wear, have the

shirts sitting on their desks when they come in the morning of

the trip. Check for appropriate sizes.

*Tickets, if needed, and payment.

*Directions for the bus driver, just in case. Also, knowledge of

where to park.

*Where the group can have their lunch, as well as location of

the restrooms.

*A camera-most students like to ham it up, as well as have a

playful reminder of their experience.

When you get the permission slips back, check to see who will be going as a chaperone. Let the student pick a friend to pal up with them, and assign another student to them as well. Group whoever you can with a chaperone, keeping in mind any students who may not be a good match. As a teacher, I would always reserve the not so well behaved students for myself.

Leading up to the trip, thank your well-behaved students and remind them the field trip is a privilege, not a right. If your principal is effective, they will back you up if any students have displayed behavior that is unfitting of a field trip. Also, while on the trip, the same rules apply

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