Customarily, we attend school from pre-school on through college consistently learning in a classroom environment. Sure, we may go to recess or have physical education class and possibly be outside for 30 minutes in a day. How often do schools actually travel? Educational travel creates knowledge and understanding in the world we live in. Americans need to have more educational travel experiences. Given this, we won’t be so ignorant in geography. Students learn by reading, seeing, and doing. Students can read about the Statue of Liberty or the White House, but what is better – reading about them or exploring them?
Now, I am against government interfering in schools when it spends money on programs proven not to work. However, if there is one program government should spend money on – it is helping students with educational travel – not sitting in an auditorium listening to a motivational speaker who claims he had a bad life, but bettered himself by going to school.
Field Trips
Yes, many schools take field trips to locations such as local zoos, museums, and even amusement parks. They can be very fun and educational field trips; they just do not happen often enough. Poor Eastern European countries have more field trips than we do, so money is not an excuse. They have a better transportation system in the form of mini-buses and gas is more expensive there.
We, as Americans, can have an awesome transportation system in the form of high speed rail and mini buses, but people argue that this idea is socialism. It isn’t socialism; it is convenience so as a country, more field trips equal better education.
Student Travel
Student travel can be similar to field trips, but for me, student travel is when students travel without teachers and travel together themselves. A great example would be a senior trip. Seniors get together after graduation and choose to fly to London or Mexico or another agreed upon destination so they can all be together for one last time.
I also define field trips as returning in the same day, whereas student travel may include a few nights on the road. For example, oftentimes, student travel consists of finding travel companies to explore different colleges around the state. After a few nights on the road, students can return home with the knowledge of how colleges accept students through admissions, financial aid, athletics, and more.
Travel Companies
There are hundreds of travel companies to choose from if you are looking for a student travel experience. The best experiences students can have are travel companies with a professional tour director who is very knowledgeable about the destination. The tour director can give you humorous lectures while learning about history, life, and culture. It is his/her job to educate students in a fun and exciting way. Doesn’t this beat staying in a classroom environment day after day watching the clock and hoping the day will end? Search online for travel companies with student travel, then go explore your world.
