For decades, children of all ages across the United States have had the opportunity
to go on field trips as part of their educational experience. These trips have had an
improvement on students’ end of year test scores, attendance, and behavior, according to
Brigham Young University News.
But as elementary children move to middle school and high school, limited funding,
loss of instructional time, standardized tests, heavier workloads and travel restrictions
have decreased the amount of field trips high school aged students go on, according to a
National Education Association article and The Raider Review.
“I haven’t gone on many, if any, field trips in any of my core classes… I would say
that all of my field trips in high school have come from the Academies,” said Hassan
Whitmore, 11.
Whitmore most vividly remembers going to the Joslyn Art Museum and the Rose
Theater in elementary school. He believes going on field trips makes learning more
interesting and allows students to have a visual representation of the things they learn in
school.
In early elementary school, field trips to farms and fire stations are common to
introduce basic concepts and real–world experiences, and as children age, trips to
museums and outdoor educational centers are common in order to line up with the
curriculum, according to Waldorf School of the Peninsula.
These experiences enhance academic performance in school children by providing
learning opportunities. They can reinforce classroom concepts, improve knowledge
retention and boost critical thinking skills, according to Imed Bouchrika, PhD and a Chief
Data Scientist.
As students continue to climb their education ladder, they are encouraged to see
how their teachings apply to the real world. One way to gain awareness about real world
experiences through field trips. Although this is true, students in high school tend to feel
that they go on less field trips than elementary students.
Siobhan Barajas, Social Studies teacher at Omaha North High school, has not been
able to take any of her classes on field trips. If she were to go on a field trip, it would likely
mean that she would miss time with another class. She believes that this is because of the
90–minute classes and because she does not generally have the same classes back–to–
back.
“As much as I want to be able to give those additional experiences to my classes, it
would mean taking away effective instructional time for others,” said Barajas.
to go on field trips as part of their educational experience. These trips have had an
improvement on students’ end of year test scores, attendance, and behavior, according to
Brigham Young University News.
But as elementary children move to middle school and high school, limited funding,
loss of instructional time, standardized tests, heavier workloads and travel restrictions
have decreased the amount of field trips high school aged students go on, according to a
National Education Association article and The Raider Review.
“I haven’t gone on many, if any, field trips in any of my core classes… I would say
that all of my field trips in high school have come from the Academies,” said Hassan
Whitmore, 11.
Whitmore most vividly remembers going to the Joslyn Art Museum and the Rose
Theater in elementary school. He believes going on field trips makes learning more
interesting and allows students to have a visual representation of the things they learn in
school.
In early elementary school, field trips to farms and fire stations are common to
introduce basic concepts and real–world experiences, and as children age, trips to
museums and outdoor educational centers are common in order to line up with the
curriculum, according to Waldorf School of the Peninsula.
These experiences enhance academic performance in school children by providing
learning opportunities. They can reinforce classroom concepts, improve knowledge
retention and boost critical thinking skills, according to Imed Bouchrika, PhD and a Chief
Data Scientist.
As students continue to climb their education ladder, they are encouraged to see
how their teachings apply to the real world. One way to gain awareness about real world
experiences through field trips. Although this is true, students in high school tend to feel
that they go on less field trips than elementary students.
Siobhan Barajas, Social Studies teacher at Omaha North High school, has not been
able to take any of her classes on field trips. If she were to go on a field trip, it would likely
mean that she would miss time with another class. She believes that this is because of the
90–minute classes and because she does not generally have the same classes back–to–
back.
“As much as I want to be able to give those additional experiences to my classes, it
would mean taking away effective instructional time for others,” said Barajas.
Although field trips in classes such as Math, History and English take a deep dive in
high school, other opportunities become more available as students grow.
For example, athletics has become a main focus in high schools. Students have
more chances to further their physical achievements through sports in high school
compared to middle school and elementary. High school sports are different because they
are more time consuming, and the competition is more difficult, according to FHC Sports
Report.
Other educational opportunities such as internships, academic competitions and
band and orchestra are more prevalent as students age. In elementary school, the spelling
bee and the geography bee are one of the only academic competitions in elementary
school.
Each year at North, the band and orchestra department go to the All–City Music
Festival. This is a competitive chance for students in this department to show off their skills
to a large audience.
Maxwell Long, 11, believes that there are less grade field trips, but that there are
more clubs, activities, sports and extracurriculars that you can do.
“For band, you can audition for honors bands like All–City, Boch Festival, All–State…
you also have to go to marching band [competitions]… and sometimes they’ll be hours
away,” said Long.
Sadie Larkin, 11, feels as though the academies at North offer a way to get out of the
classroom, see how people are applying the small things she learns in school into their
larger projects and what adults do on a day–to–day basis in their jobs.
“I would say that [the engineering pathway] has opened up the most opportunities…
especially for girls,” said Larkin.
Though classroom field trips for core classes, such as History, Math and English, are
not as common in high school compared to elementary school, schools still strive to
provide different opportunities for students to experience the world outside of school.
high school, other opportunities become more available as students grow.
For example, athletics has become a main focus in high schools. Students have
more chances to further their physical achievements through sports in high school
compared to middle school and elementary. High school sports are different because they
are more time consuming, and the competition is more difficult, according to FHC Sports
Report.
Other educational opportunities such as internships, academic competitions and
band and orchestra are more prevalent as students age. In elementary school, the spelling
bee and the geography bee are one of the only academic competitions in elementary
school.
Each year at North, the band and orchestra department go to the All–City Music
Festival. This is a competitive chance for students in this department to show off their skills
to a large audience.
Maxwell Long, 11, believes that there are less grade field trips, but that there are
more clubs, activities, sports and extracurriculars that you can do.
“For band, you can audition for honors bands like All–City, Boch Festival, All–State…
you also have to go to marching band [competitions]… and sometimes they’ll be hours
away,” said Long.
Sadie Larkin, 11, feels as though the academies at North offer a way to get out of the
classroom, see how people are applying the small things she learns in school into their
larger projects and what adults do on a day–to–day basis in their jobs.
“I would say that [the engineering pathway] has opened up the most opportunities…
especially for girls,” said Larkin.
Though classroom field trips for core classes, such as History, Math and English, are
not as common in high school compared to elementary school, schools still strive to
provide different opportunities for students to experience the world outside of school.
