Could Field Trips Come Back Soon?
If you think about one of the funnest activities the school has done, what comes to mind? The first idea that would pop into my head would definitely be field trips. Field trips have been a school tradition for a long time, but due to Covid, we haven't been able to do them. But now that the pandemic is dwindling, maybe it’s time to bring them back?
The Washington Post published an article last year, in which they stated: “In a systematic review of published studies on the transmission of the novel coronavirus and other respiratory viruses, Razani and colleagues found that less than 10 percent of cases described were spread outdoors.” This proves that there have been multiple tests done and they all prove that it is much less likely to get Covid outdoors. Even though this article is not that recent, it shows that only a year into the pandemic, scientists already knew that being outdoors is more Covid-friendly.
The first problem everyone would bring up is that we are still in a pandemic. But COVID-19 has been around for about almost 3 years now and we have to adapt to this new lifestyle. You obviously still have to avoid going to a party with 1,000 people, but field trips are not such a risky activity; you are less likely to contract the virus, and it is an effective way to peak student interest in what they are learning and introduce a FUN activity everyone is craving for.
A possible solution for field trips to come back could be that each class could go in its own bus, instead of the whole grade going in a single bus like we used to do. We already spend the entire day with our classmates in a similar environment (classroom), at a distance and with masks on. The destination of the field trip would need to be an open space, of course, because that lowers the chances of getting the virus while giving us the opportunity of getting fresh air, exercise, and lots of great memories.
Lucia, Valentina, and Alejandra are eager to have the field trips back! Photo credit: Adriana Martinez
I decided to interview Ms. Nohelia, a teacher who has taken her students to a lot of field trips in the past, asked her why she liked taking them. “Los lugares que siempre llevé a mis estudiantes a visitar fue la ciudad de León, sobre todo en está época de la Jornada Dariana. Iba con un propósito, enseñarles el museo que es el legado que dejó Darío y la catedral donde están sus restos. También íbamos a la casa Ortiz Gurdián donde hay muchas pinturas de los renacentistas y barrocos. Mi objetivo era que conocieran y aprendieran más.”
Ms. Nohelia has been a teacher at St. Augustine Preparatory School for more than 10 years! Photo credit: Adriana Martinez
Some people may say that it's still risky to have field trips, but there are other ways to make sure everyone will be safe. We could all do a rapid test the day before, and only those who are negative would be allowed to attend. We could also sign a pledge to be on our best behavior during the entire field trip and commit to following all the protocols, since going on a field trip is a valuable activity we should all work to bring back.
Hopefully, we will have field trips back before this semester is over. They are a fun and interactive way of learning and students would look forward to the day they disconnect from regular classes, screens, and busy work and enjoy quality time outdoors with their friends!
At the publication date of this article, the seniors were scheduled to go on a field trip to León. This is encouraging news because things are starting to go back to normal. Hopefully, every grade will be able to go on field trips soon!