Some of my favorite memories from middle school are going on field trips, whether that be to museums, movies, cultural exhibits, or nature.
There’s something special about actually going into the real world to learn, compared to the monotony of sitting around in a classroom all day. Escaping that for even a day can be cathartic and incredibly rewarding.
This leaves classes with little flexibility because the last week they’re able to take field trips is the week of AP exams. Taking a field trip then is also difficult because many students don’t want to miss valuable studying time, not to mention those who can’t attend because they are taking an AP test that day.
However, in high school, those opportunities seem harder to come by. Even missing a single day of school can make students feel behind. And of course there’s the dilemma of when to schedule field trips. Do you schedule them on an anchor day when students will miss all or at least almost all of their classes but won’t miss as much material in any one? Or do you schedule them on a Blue or Green Day when students miss fewer classes but with more material in each?
Another reason hindering classes’ abilities to take field trips are rules that forbid classes from taking field trips in the final weeks of a semester.
This leaves classes with little flexibility because the last week they’re able to take field trips is the week of AP exams. Taking a field trip then is also difficult because many students don’t want to miss valuable studying time, not to mention those who can’t attend because they are taking an AP test that day.
When large numbers of students can’t go, the experience isn’t the same. It’s like having a party without your best friends.
Sure, not all students share this situation as many are not in AP classes. They might be more focused on their End of Semester “Experiences.” Nobody would be forced to take a field trip, but the option should be left open for classes where that works best.
In many of my classes, it’s the final opportunity to spend time with the seniors before they graduate and a moment to rejoice and celebrate after the conclusion of exams and weeks of preparation.
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It’s also the time of the school year when the weather is best, providing a perfect opportunity for outdoor field trips, such as the tradition of going to Six Flags in many physics classes. More broadly, a field trip walking around outside is much more enjoyable in late May weather than when it’s 40s and raining in March or April.
More time available for field trips also avoids potential scheduling headaches by creating more time for classes to find an open date to take a trip. That way students aren’t missing classes all at one time, but may have a field trip in April, and then another in the second half of May. Missing multiple full days in a short time period can create more pressure, at a time of year it’s arguably least needed.
Many students lose focus at the end of the school year and don’t want to be in class anyway, with their minds fixed on the impending summer. In many classes, the material winds down towards the end of the year, so people won’t be missing as much, further reducing stress.
Field trips such as the recent trip to Indianapolis that science classes took to see the eclipse are irreplaceable experiences for students. The school should make them more accessible and convenient for classes to take, not less. They should let classes go on field trips through the month of May, let students get out, and enjoy the real world.