The reason for this post is to help anyone who hasn’t organized a field trip before. There is no checklist here, rather some tidbits and (hopefully) helpful information from my own learned lessons that might help anyone who is planning a trip. Of course there is extra work, anxiety and fatigue that comes with organizing a large scale field trip today. Not that I haven’t felt anxiety about field trips in the past! On the contrary. Fears about student behavior, money and timing leading up to and on that particular day were always present. ‘Today’ however (especially in a post-covid world), anxiety comes even when beginning the paper work for the trip! Between trying to inquire and receive a response from potential destinations, inquiring and receiving a response from potential bus companies, completing forms, having students submit the forms properly, including paying online and communicating with parents who are unable to afford the trip and try to get funds to assist them, getting the kids to hand them in on time, it can be an onerous task depending on how many students you have and of course where you are going.
I can’t quite put my finger on exactly what is different now than say ten years ago except that it feels like there are more hurdles. The paperwork itself is not more, but the fact that I have to fill out the permission forms myself is. ‘Back then’ the office staff used to do it. They would take the information from the field trip request forms and complete it.
Back then renting a bus for a field trip was almost never a problem. Usually the first call to the first company resulted in a confirmation fax by the end of the day. Now there is an email form for most charter companies of which I have NEVER received a response. The only reason I have been successful in obtaining a charter is because a colleague who also works in the Phys-ed Department and does a lot of team sport trips gave me an employee email address. This proves successful every time:) But in the meantime (and 2x for trips prior), I had already waited a week for someone to respond to my email form.
My current Vice-Principal is quite good at returning forms. In fact I have never had a VP who hasn’t been attentive and efficient, understanding that timing is crucial for these trips. This lady has also been amazing at finding funds for 2 families who could not afford the trip.
After the forms are submitted, the Business Manager organizes the online payment system. He has also been on top of this. But have you ever had families who refuse to pay cashless? My experience is that they do not believe or trust in the cashless society, rather than not being able to use the technology (kids usually show mom and dad if this is the case!).
Once the field trip forms are printed and they are handed to the kids, there are still hurdles:
A. Students lose their forms. So be sure to photocopy 50% more copies than students!
B. There is either no signature, phone number, receipt number etc., completed on the field trip notice to parents and you have to tell the student to have it fixed and bring it back the next day. To circumnavigate this, highlight all of the required boxes to be filled. You can even have the students do it after you give it to them. If it is an online form it would be even easier as a pdf editor can simply add the highlighted areas.
C. Students forget about the form, so they don’t submit it and the morning of the trip, parents call the school and beg to let their child on the trip, even though there is no room on the bus etc. I have no comment on this.
D. You have students who aren’t going and you have to find space for them in another classroom during that specific period for them to work on work in your course, or another in their timetable. I always try to organize this ahead of time, just in case:)
E. On the day of the trip, students don’t meet in the expected spot to board the bus, so you are having to have them called out of their class and then everyone waits…
F. The buses are late, or traffic is a nightmare and you are worried about arriving to the destination late.
G. Kids act inappropriately, they take off or are late in getting back from their designated lunch hour.
H. Kids take off prior to boarding the bus home, or the bus driver is unable to secure a safe spot for a pick-up, particularly in urban centres. If you have time, I would recommend asking the destination for the best drop off/pick up spots, and print off a Google Map for the driver. Almost all drivers know where they are going. But believe it or not, I’ve had a few over the years that did not!!!
Yes, planning and executing a field trip is extra work and albeit at times frustrating. The last trip I did to Toronto with 5 Grade Nine Geography classes totaling about 100 students plus teachers was exhausting. And now 2 days later, I am still mentally mush from all of the worrying and physically sore from the 4 hours of walking and standing in the cold.
But the upside is this:
I had thought my kids did not enjoy the trip this week. It was cold- especially COLD for those who dressed inappropriately. And the tour itself could have had more actionable parts and less standing around, which bothered me, and was also later noted by the kids. HOWEVER, when we regrouped the next day in class- the overwhelming majority loved it! They didn’t love the parts that I thought weren’t so great either, but it was a RELIEF to know that they overall ended the day happy. And to boot- they learned something. Their knowledge is going to help them with their final project in January. Happy and learned are more than I could ask for. This is what makes it all worth while. And while the students will never know the effort that their teacher has put forth, don’t ever forget that their experience may be remembered for decades to come. Remember yourself the times you have gotten together with old high school friends and said, “Remember when…?!”. Hopefully you haven’t already started conversations, “Back in my day…”, because let me tell you your time will come soon enough!!!
Happy Planning!
