Field trips and relationships

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend an annual field trip my school runs to go skiing or snowboarding at Jack Frost Big Boulder in the Pocono Mountains. We took about 100 students and 12 chaperones on this day trip where every had the chance to practice the winter sport of their choice while hanging out with peers and getting to know each other better. I was asked to join the trip last week and was happy to since a few of my students were going to be there and I wanted to make sure to further develop our relationships. 

These relationships are a critical component to the role of an educator. Without them, students will most likely not perform as well longterm. In fact, according to Dr. Sara Rimm-Kaufman of UVA, they are necessary for better learning to take place.

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If a student feels a personal connection to a teacher, experiences frequent communication with a teacher, and receives more guidance and praise than criticism from the teacher, then the student is likely to become more trustful of that teacher, show more engagement in the academic content presented, display better classroom behavior, and achieve at higher levels academically.

By my participation in this trip I have become more vulnerable to the students, allowing them to better trust my intentions and increasing their willingness to strive more for themselves. There were a number of small interactions I had yesterday that were funny, slightly embarrassing (especially when I fell down a few times) that make my students seen me as a human being and not just a teacher. These relationships are solidified in our school by continued reference to the actions and will benefit me more in the future.

I hope more teachers take the time out of their academic schedules to spend with students on field trips. It is a great way of learning more about our student body and ensure they learn about us as more than just teachers.