Words of Wisdom for Organizing Homeschool Field Trips
I wanted to share this piece of wisdom that comes from one of the homeschool moms from our group back in El Paso, TX. It is shared with permission from Debora and I am very grateful to her for allowing me to post it! Enjoy!
With over 10 years of homeschooling under my belt, please don't think I'm an expert. However, I do have some experience with various aspects of homeschooling. I can still vividly remember the anxiety I felt when I started, the joy of completing my first year of homeschool, the peace of hanging out with other homeschooling moms, the excitement of starting my first class at a homeschool co-op, the joy & tears of watching my first child graduate, the awkwardness of coordinating a field trip, and the list grows with each passing year.
I've organized some field trips in the past and I want to encourage new homeschooling parents and veteran ones who have thought about it, but have not yet taken this step. Organizing a field trip is not really that difficult, especially with today's technology. Think about it, the first field trip I organized I was using the old but reliable Alexander Graham Bell system (you know, the phone). Hahaha!
Okay, so from my experience, a field trip organizer can be broken down to these basic steps:
1) Get the word out - Location, Date/Time, and age appropriateness.
2) Contact person - You become the contact person or liaison between the museum, park, etc. & the homeschool group. You will need to give out your phone number & e-mail address.
3) Maintain Accurate Lists - Get head count, names, phone # and ages of student who will attend field trip.
4) Get & Give out Accurate Info - Its important to find out all pertinent info & let the group know such as if spacing is limited or if there is an age restriction, handicap accessible (even today some places are not set-up for wheelchairs). (Most locations have no age restriction, but some do.)
5) Timeliness - Since you are the contact person, be at the museum/location/park, etc. before the designated time (at least 20 min. before, to be prepared, find out if there any changes, etc.) Remind group of start-up & end time. Most places gladly want groups of students (it really gives them joy), but they may have more than one group that day.
6) Name Tags & Markers - Sometimes these are needed. Colored ones help chaperones keep an eye on younger students.
7) Get your children involved - Give responsibility to older ones of maintaining accurate lists, keeping track of name tags & markers (supplies); Teaching them to be Greeters to everyone and to remember to Thank everyone as well.
8) Delegate - Don't be afraid to ask for help from other homeschooling moms, friends, & even relatives. Sometimes you may need a translator.
If you have never organized an activity, it will feel strange at first, but it will be exciting and your children will learn so much. Not every activity given out through the network has to become a field trip, it can be a family outing, or perhaps your family and a few friends. However, something like the Corn Maze or a trip to a museum, or something you find interesting, can be a great time for the group to participate and for children to bond with parents and friends.
If you find out about some event, please share with the group and if you want to make it a field trip and no one has put it forth, even if you are new please don't hesitate to become the liaison. It's just for the one event. It doesn't mean you will become the coordinator for life. No pressure.
Also, we can't always make it to every activity or event. We can pick and choose. It may not suit our schedule or our children's ages, so it may be a smaller turnout than you expected or it may be a larger one. Life happens. Be prepared for the unexpected in God's Kingdom. Be prepared for great things and for laughter.
Surprises come in small packages. Have a Blessed Day!
From Debora
