Nations Classroom Blog

The old adage, “You’re only as good as the company you keep,” is certainly true when you’re chaperoning a field trip.

Planning chaperone groups in a thoughtful and intentional way will help everyone make the most of the educational experience. There are a few ways to help make that happen.

One of the most stressful responsibilities for chaperones on a student trip is dispensing medications. Not only is it nerve racking for medical and liability reasons, it also can be laborious, which can slow down a tour group and throw off a well-planned itinerary.

Here is advice for creating a plan to effectively manage the distribution of student medications while on a school trip. 

In an effort to be even more inclusive of all students, Philadelphia's National Constitution Center now offers new resources to make the museum experience more accessible.  

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorders, and other neurodevelopmental disabilities often find social stories to be a helpful way to successfully prepare for what to expect when traveling to a new place.

There are many people who make up a well-rounded student travel team. They are the get-it-done, supportive professionals who take the pressure off of you and who turn your ideas into amazing tour experiences.

Understanding what each team members does will help you rest assured knowing that every aspect of your tour will be well managed.

It takes a well-prepared group of chaperones to make the most of any field trip or educational tour. Before you hit the road, take time to meet with your reinforcements to make sure expectations are clear and that everyone has what they need to make it a great experience. 

Here are seven things you should cover during a meeting with your chaperones. 

You’re excited about planning a trip that has real value for your students. Now you need to gain reinforcements: your fellow teachers.

Before reaching out to other teachers for support, consider the questions they may ask. This will give you time to prepare your answers and gather all the appropriate information. Their questions also will prepare you for what an administrator or parent might ask.  

Here are four questions and responses that will help you earn the support of your colleagues. 

One of the highlights for students traveling on an educational tour is the chance to have a “sleepover” with friends away from home. Thrilling for them, but nerve-racking for some parents who may prefer to share a roof with their kids at all times.

Providing hotel guidelines will set expectations for students while reassuring parents who are sending their children on an overnight field trip. 

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced new security technology coming to airports this year that may eventually change the way you travel.

Wrapping up this series is one final Google App that helps us power our trip - Google Forms. Forms is a data collector. Its uses are unlimited! If you want to collect, well, ANYthing, a Google Form can do this for you.

Forms itself is simple to start and use - as simple as a collection of names, phone numbers, and email addresses, but as complex as a medical questionnaire where your next question depends on your previous answer - and everything in between. Let me give you some examples.