Planning school trips abroad can be quite tricky and involved, which is all the more reason to get all the information you can early on. In this guide you will learn about all of the different things that need to be considered when planning this sort of trip. Educational tourism can be extremely beneficial for students of all ages, but you will need to plan everything out properly if you want your students to have the best possible experience. The more time and effort you put into this planning, the better your trip is going to turn out overall.
Why plan a school trip abroad?
There are many different reasons that study tours can be an excellent idea for students, whether they are in elementary school or university. You will find that this sort of trip will allow your students to not only learn about but also interact with a whole other culture in another country. There is no better way for young people to learn about other cultures than by experiencing them first hand with this type of trip.
If you find that some of your students aren’t quite as passionate about learning the material you are trying to teach them as you’d like, planning a trip abroad could be exactly what you need to inspire and motivate them. During this trip your students will learn a lot of new things while developing a passion for travelling. These days many teachers at all levels of education are planning student trips abroad for these reasons and more.
Deciding on the right place to visit
When it comes to educational tourism, the actual place that you decide to visit with your students will be incredibly important. You will definitely need to take enough time to research various places around the world and find one in particular that you think your students can really benefit from visiting.
You should also make sure that wherever you have chosen for your trip has lots of fun but educational sites and activities for your students to enjoy. There are certainly going to be some places that are better than others for educational fun, so you will need to keep that in mind. You don’t want to choose just any place for your educational trip abroad, especially if you want your students to get the most out of it.
Choosing the right time to go
You will need to think about when the best time to plan your trip is so that you will be able to make the most of it. Depending on where you want to go, chances are there are certain times of year that are better than others in terms of weather and other things. If you have quite a bit of flexibility as to when you can do on this sort of trip with your students, it’s definitely something you’ll need to think about. In the end you will be glad that you did this because of how much it will benefit your students and enhance their experience.
Preparing your Students
There are some things that you will need to do when it comes to preparing your students for the trip abroad. The more time you spend preparing your students, the more they will benefit from the study tour.
You should make a point of introducing the upcoming trip you are planning as part of the curriculum so they understand that it’s not just a vacation to do whatever they want. You will also want to go over the itinerary that you have drafted with them so they know exactly what to expect. If you really want to get your students excited about the trip, you might want to use artefacts from previous trips to the country such as photos, videos and even just brochures. These things will most likely get your students very excited about taking the trip.
It’s also important that you discuss your expectations of the students with regards to learning as well as their behaviour. It can be difficult to manage numerous students when travelling abroad, which is why it’s so crucial that you go over these things with them well in advance and then again closer to the actual date of the trip. If your students know exactly what you expect from them, the trip as a whole will go much smoother.
Take the time to explain exactly what and how the students will learn when visiting the country you are going to, and which tools they will be using to do so. Do not simply assume that students possess the observational skills to carry through with the activities that you have planned for them.
When planning school trips abroad, it is essential that teachers create a detailed schedule/itinerary that they can follow throughout the entire trip. This itinerary should include all of the different things that you plan on doing and seeing with your students while you are there. You don’t necessarily have to plan everything down to the minute, but it’s definitely a good idea to make sure that you have at least a general plan in place.
One of the best ways to prepare students for a trip abroad is to do a 24 hour “staging period.” This involves reminding your students to get a good night’s sleep and to eat a healthy and hardy breakfast before departing. You should also make a point of requesting that your students dress appropriately and mentally prepare themselves for the experience. Tell your students to think about how the behaviour they exhibit while in school might not be appropriate for the public places you will be going with them.
Also, take some time to create a packing checklist so you don’t forget anything yourself. The last thing you want is to leave something important behind.
Looking into travel companies
There are plenty of different companies out there that specialize in helping educators plan school trips abroad with their students, and it is important that you find the right one to go with. Make sure that you choose a company with years of experience and an impeccable reputation so you can trust them to help you with planning/organizing your trip. While it’s true that you may have to spend some additional money for these services, it is well worth it when you consider everything you get in return. You will find that some of these companies even offer free airline tickets for teachers who are travelling with qualifying student groups. Make sure that you find out what kinds of rewards each travel company you research offers so you can select the right one overall.
Manage your expectations
It is important that you manage your expectations when it comes to how your students are going to behave while you are travelling with them. While it’s very possible that most of your students will be very well behaved for the duration of the trip, you should still be prepared for stragglers and those who want to go off and do their own thing. As the teacher and leader of the group, you will need to make sure that you have an eye on your students at all times.
For the best advice and expert help in planning your school trip abroad call one of our team here at The School Travel Consultancy on 01392 660056.