Students Experience Gettysburg
Being a great trip chaperone is a big responsibility. For several days, you are responsible for keeping track of the students in your group and for disciplining where necessary. So what’s the catch? What are the benefits to being a chaperone?
1. Learn Something! : Students aren’t the only ones who learn on educational trips, so do the chaperones! Even if you are an expert on the trip topic, you will inevitably learn and experience something new, whether it is from the tour leader’s commentary or noticing something you hadn’t observed before. Traveling can often be the fastest way to learn.
2. New Perspective: It can be very rewarding to view your destination through the students’ perspective, to see their eyes open to new experiences, to see what inspires them, and what engages them most. It is also rewarding to share your perspective with students, who may have a more distant memory or experience of an event that deeply impacted your life. For example, your recollection of where you were on 9/11/01 or John F. Kennedy’s assassination can offer valuable insight and perspective for a student who may not have first-hand memories of the event
3. Promote Lifelong Learning: Learning doesn’t stop when you leave the classroom. As a chaperone, you inspire high school students to become lifelong learners. Your enthusiasm and engaging questions speak volumes about continuing to grow and learn regardless of your age.
4. Get Involved: Demonstrate a personal interest in what students are learning and in the development of the students themselves. Since this is an important stage of their personal development, your presence on a trip will help shape students’ minds and instill values of leadership. You are an active role model and can have a lasting positive impact
5. Discounted Trip: Being a chaperone allows you to see a destination for a substantially lower price than you could see traveling on your own. In addition, your tour leader will share stories, information, and other hidden places that you may overlook otherwise.
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