Lesson 11- Making the Most of Community Resources and Field Trips

If I were asked to quickly list some instructional tools for teachers, I'd rattle off questioning strategies, concept mapping, and computers—but I doubt that field trips would pop into my mind. Many educators don't take field trips seriously because we associate them with fun. They also have their drawbacks: They're costly, logistically involved, extravagant with time, and contain an element of uncertainty. No wonder kids like them so much. Most teachers still take at least one field trip each year

 

Justifying Field Trips

 

Field trips without obvious academic content can be hard to sell to administrators focused on test scores. To obtain approval, most teachers try to justify field trips by citing standards and curriculum goals. Nevertheless, the trips often get tacked onto the back end of the school year, the assumption being that they are unlikely to directly support the reading and math skills that show up on yearly standardized achievement tests.

Field trips offer, however, a crucial advantage: They can bring balance to the curriculum. The most popular destinations—museums, zoos, outdoor venues, and performances—have a natural fit with science, history, and the arts, subjects that have been marginalized by our current focus on basic skills.

Moreover, musical and theatrical performances provide opportunities that many students would not otherwise have to watch talented people demonstrate their arts. When I taught 2nd grade, we attended the free concerts that the local symphony orchestra performed during the day for schoolchildren. Most of our schools regularly take field trips to the community college, where students attend free plays. Performance field trips not only have the potential to develop aesthetic appreciation in students, but they can also develop background knowledge and oral vocabulary, which improve reading comprehension (Torgeson, 1998).

 

Funding Field Trips

 

When it comes to resource allocation, field trips are not a priority for districts. Few field trips are included in school budgets, so most funds often come from parents (Anderson, Kisiel, & Storksdieck, 2006). The biggest contributors, besides individual families, are site-based parent organizations that often pay for the entire field trip, transportation, or scholarships for students whose families cannot afford the fees.

Many local grant programs fund field trips, so an Internet search and a simple grant proposal can be worthwhile. For example, one of our local quarries paid to bus a group of earth science students out for a site visit because the management saw it as a way to create goodwill in the community. A few organizations, such as Target, have grant programs specifically designed to fund field trips (Target, n.d.).

Educational field trips may be developed by each school to provide a variety of experiences and enhance the student's educational opportunities. Although field trips are adjunct to the instructional program, each is a learning activity and bears a direct relationship to the normal school experience.

For optimum student benefit, each field trip must be well planned beforehand and thoroughly evaluated after completion. The teacher or sponsor in charge of the group is responsible for the activity just as if it were conducted at school. All students within the class or school group must be given the opportunity to participate in the field trip.

This procedure has been developed to assist schools in planning and conducting educational field trips and travel to school-oriented activities off campus. The overall objective is to facilitate optimum learning experiences through educational field trips and school-sponsored student travel to approved activities.

FIELD TRIPS AND OTHER STUDENT TRAVEL

The Board recognizes that field trips, when used for teaching and learning integral to the curriculum, are an educationally sound and important ingredient in the instructional program of the schools. Properly planned and executed field trips should:

	A.	supplement and enrich classroom procedures by providing learning experiences in an environment outside the schools;
	B.	arouse new interests among students;
	C.	help students relate school experiences to the reality of the world outside of school;
	D.	bring the resources of the community - natural, artistic, industrial, commercial, governmental, educational - within the student's learning experience;
	E.	afford students the opportunity to study and explore real situations and processes in their actual environment.

For purposes of this procedure, a field trip shall be defined as any planned journey for one or more students away from District premises, which is under the supervision of an instructional staff member and an integral part of a course of study.

Other student travel shall be defined as any planned, student-travel activity that is approved as part of the District's total educational program.

The Superintendent shall prepare administrative procedures for the operation of both field and other District-sponsored trips, including athletic trips, which shall ensure:

	A.	the safety and well-being of students;
	B.	parental permission is sought and obtained before any student leaves the District on a trip;
	C.	each trip is properly planned, and if a field trip, is integrated with the curriculum, evaluated, and followed up by appropriate activities which enhance its usefulness;
	D.	the effectiveness of field trip activities is judged in terms of demonstrated learning outcomes;
	E.	each trip is properly monitored and supervised;
	F.	student behavior while on all field trips complies with the Student Code of Conduct and on all other rules, policies, and procedures set forth by schools;
	G.	a copy of each student's Emergency Medical Authorization Form is in the possession of the staff member in charge.

Lesson 10- Demonstrations in Teaching

A demonstration is a teaching method used with both large and small groups. Demonstrations become more effective when verbalization accompanies them. For example, in a half demonstration-half lecture, an explanation accompanies the actions performed. It is a generally accepted learning theory that the greater the degree of active participation and sensory involvement by the learner, the more effective learning will be.

Advantages (Newby, Stepich, Lehman, & Russell, 1996, p. 48)

Demonstrations....

·         Utilize several senses; students can see, hear, and possibly experience an actual event

·         Stimulate interest

·         Present ideas and concepts more clearly

·         Provide direct experiences

·         Reinforce learning

Disadvantages (Kozma, Belle, Williams, 1978, p. 343)

Demonstrations...

·         May fail

·         May limit participation

·         May limit audience/client input

·         Require pre-preparation

Tips: (Chernoff, 1994, p. 17-20)

1. Know your audience

·         How much experience or knowledge do they have?

·         Are you teaching them a new technique or sharing basic information?

2. Set your objectives

• Review your lesson plan for your objectives.
• What do you expect the learner to be able to do following your demonstration?

3. Plan your preparation time

• Plan for the time it takes to shop for groceries and to prepare props
• Make a list of ingredients, utensils, or props needed
• Test equipment, recipes, methods etc. ahead of time

4. Plan your recipes/activities

·         Choose uncomplicated recipes with few ingredients

·         Consider the amount of pre-preparation required

·         Be aware of the cost of ingredients

·         Do you need a full recipe? How long does it take?

·         Do you need to prepare a recipe in advance?

·         Practice recipe or activity

Source:  Training Curriculum, Family Nutrition Program, Purdue University

Cooperative Extension, 2001.

5. Involve your audience/client

·         Ask for a volunteer to stir, chop, and assist with other preparation

·         Involve the audience in activities or demonstrations where possible

6. Be prepared for various room arrangements

·         Do you need an electric skillet? Burner? Extension Cord?

·         You may need to be flexible, go prepared for a variety of settings

·         Exclude distractions (close the door, turn off the radio/TV)

7. Help your audience/client to see what you are doing

·         Use trays and clear containers

·         Arrange the room so everyone can see (If a large group, may need to be in a semicircle.)

·         Face your audience as much as possible

8. Provide handouts to support what you say

·         Typed copies of recipes used

·         Review the key points of the demonstration

9. Be organized

·         Have everything for one recipe on a single tray

·         Place ingredients in a logical order and label (name, quantity)

·         Work in one direction

·         Dovetail various tasks

·         Plan for serving procedure & clean up (serving utensils, dish cloths, waste containers, etc.)

10. Follow food safety precautions

·         Remind participants to wash hands before handling food

·         Keep foods out of the Danger Zone

      Demonstrations are an effective method for teaching concepts and problem-solving procedures. A good demonstration should lead to increased attentiveness, learning, and performance

Lesson 9 – Teaching with Dramatized Experiences

Listening to storytelling or reading is an individual activity, even if the story is presented to a group of children; dramatization of a story is a collective activity. Dramatization of a story means that we are “inside” of events and not “outside”, as often in story reading activity. “the pupils can be liberate to explore, what they understand of the original author’s ideas, they can embellish, expand, create ones…They become a powerful community with the ability to solve problems and resolve dilemmas” (Toye & Prendiville, 2000, p18). Individual experience is juxtaposed with a social context in ‘acting out’ the story, which is very important for young children.

Dramatizations together with adults offer an opportunity not only to observe but to practice ‘acting’ skills as well. We can conclude that the story gives shared content to children’s play activity and creates strong motivation.

Dramatic entrance is something that catches and holds our attention and has an emotional impact.

Formal  Dramatized Experience

    A. Plays - Depict life, character, or culture or a      combination of all three.

    B. Pageants  - usually community dramas that are based on local history, presented by local actors.

    C. Puppets – unlike regular stage play, it can present ideas with extreme simplicity, without elaborate scenery or costume yet effective.

Less Formal Dramatized Experiences

A. Pantomime – is the art of conveying a story through bodily movements only.

 B. Tableau – (French word means PICTURE) is a picture-like scene composed of people against a background.

 C. Puppets – unlike the regular stage play, can present ideas with extremely simplicity, without elaborate scenery or costume, yet effective.

Quite simply, a puppet is an inanimate object, constructed of wood, cloth, plastic, cardboard, papiermâché, or any other type of material, brought to life and personified by the puppeteer. The puppet does not need to look like a human being, rather it must act like one. This is the puppeteer’s job and it will be discussed later.

1.      Types of Puppet

The Marionette

Marionettes are generally fashioned from wood and resemble a human body. Body joints (ankles, knees,etc.) are connected by movable hinges. String is attached to various parts of the body, but most commonly to the arms, legs, and head, and it allows the puppeteer to create very lifelike movements. Although marionettes are renowned as an artistic and sophisticated method of puppetry, they are difficult to manipulate, especially for the beginner.
For the inexperienced marionette operator, the performance can be frustrating, as the puppet may not move in the intended fashion, and the operation strings may tangle or break.

Shadow Puppets

Similar to the marionette, but less sophisticated, is the shadow puppet. Shadow puppets are generally flat characters created from heavy paper or cardboard. Again, the characters are hinged, thus allowing the puppets to move freely, and rods are used to operate the gross movements. The figures are placed against a thin fabric panel, and a bright light is shone behind the screen. The result is that the audience sees a clear silhouette or shadow of a puppet. Although these puppets are quite simple to produce, they are not always simple to present.

Stick Puppets

Like most puppets, stick puppets vary in their complexity. A stick puppet can be as simple as a Styrofoam ball head attached to a stick, or a two-dimensional picture attached to a stick, or as complicated as a two-stick process whereby one stick supports the puppet’s head and body and the other stick becomes an arm and hand. Puppets can also be created using wooden spoons. Spoon puppets are easy to create and manipulate, but the puppeteer is restricted to very simple movements when using them.

Hand Puppets

Hand puppets are by far the most common type of puppet. They are relatively simple to
create and readily available to purchase for those who are not inclined to make their own. With a hand puppet, the puppeteer’s hand is placed directly inside the puppet. Different fingers control the head and arms of the puppet. In addition to moving their head and arms, these puppets can pick up or manipulate props. The puppet becomes an extension of the puppeteer’s own hand, thus making movements with the puppet relatively natural. I recommend this type of puppet, particularly for the beginning puppeteer.

Mouth Puppets

(Muppet® type)

Mouth puppets are my favorite type of puppet. They appear more lifelike than their counterparts (although this is not necessarily important to the child).
Mouth puppets are distinguished from other puppets in that they have movable mouths, thus allowing the puppets to talk more realistically. The puppeteer inserts his thumb into the lower jaw of the puppet and the other fingers operate the upper jaw. If the mouth puppet also has a body and arms, the puppeteer must decide what to do with the arms. A beginner might choose to simply leave the arms hanging to the side of the puppet. A second option is to tie some fishing line or invisible thread to both the wrist and the neck of the puppet.
Consequently, any large movement by the puppet would result in smaller movements of the arms.

Rod Puppets

Flat cut out figures tacked to a stick, with one or more movable parts, and operated from below the stage level wire rods or slender stick .

Glove-and-finger puppets

Make used of old gloves to which small costumed figure are attached.

2. Other Puppet Ideas

1. Stocking puppets
2. Silhouettes makes good shadow puppets
3. Cardboard face  on a stick is excellent for lower-grade children
4. Cardboard face fastened to a band on pupils head

3. Making Puppet Theatres

Steps:

1. Nail stick legs to each corner of a wooden crate that has two sides removed.
2. Drape cloth from the bottom of the box and tack it around sides and front. Operators crouch behind the theatre.
3. You may also use pieces of plywood, heavy cardboard,

       Or masonite  to produce a self-standing puppet theatre.

4. Suggestions of the puppeters

1. Do not use puppets for plays that can be done just as well or better by dramatic mean.
2. Puppet plays must be based on action rather than on words.
3. Keep the play short.
4. Do not omit possibilities of music and dancing as part of the puppet show.

Adapt the puppet show to the age, background, and tastes of the  students.

D. Role Playing: How role playing is done:

It can be done  by describing  a situation which would create different viewpoints on an issue and then asking the students to play the roles of the individuals involved. Any kind of conflict situation, real or potential, is useful for role playing or any situation in which real feelings are concealed. Consider situation in school, at home, on the playground, at work, in the government.

The role playing has to be followed by a discussion.

Among the questions that may be asked are:

v  How  did you, as actors, feel? Would you act/think that way in real life?

v  As observers, would you agree with what the actors sais or did?

v  Any lessons learned? 

LESSON 8: Teaching with Contrived Experiences

Contrived experiences are those which are designed and arranged closely resembling direct experiences. It is not always possible to let a student have a direct experience of all things; some contrivances such as laboratory experiments, working models, etc. are very useful. Contrary to belief, contrived experiences are usually better than direct experiences. This is because models are made less complex, see-through as also easier and safer to operate.

We make use of representative models or mock ups of reality for practical reasons and so that we can make the real-life accessible to the students’ perception and understanding. For instance, a mock up of Apollo, the capsule for exploration of the moon, enabled the North American Aviation Co. to study the problem of lunar flight.

Recall how you were taught how to read time. Your teacher might have used a mocked clock. Those whose hands you could turn to set the time you were instructed to set.

Examples:

·         Drama and role-playing

·         Demonstrations

·         Field Trips

·         Exhibits and Models

·         Motion Pictured and Video

·         Visual Symbols

·         Verbal Symbols

Why do we use them?

·         Having the original is impossible

·         It is the most effective and appropriate way to portray the idea

·         It can justify the cost purchased

·         It can stimulate to further learning

LESSON 7 : Direct, Purposeful Experiences and Beyond

Is a complex, integrated process involving people, procedures, ideas, devices, and organization for analyzing problems and devising, implementing, evaluating, and managing solution to those problems, involved in all aspects of human learning. Is a very board item. It is the application of scientific findings in our method, process or procedure of working in the field trip of education in order to effect learning. It embraces curriculum and instructional design, learning environment, theories of teaching-learning. It is also a filed study and a profession. It is the use of all human inventions for teachers to realize their mission to teach in order that students learn.

—  These are our concrete and first hand experiences that make up the foundation of our learning.

—  These are the rich experiences that our senses bring from which we construct the ideas, the concepts, the generalizations that give meaning and order to our lives (Dale, 1969)

Example of Direct activities

—  Preparing meals

—  Making a piece of furniture

—  Performing a laboratory experiment

—  Delivering a speech

—  Taking a trip

—  In contrast, indirect experiences are experience of other… people that we observe, read or hear about. They are not our experiences but still experiences in the sense that we see, read and hear about them. They are not first hand but rather vicarious.           

Why are these direct experiences described to be purposeful?

—  They are experiences that are internalized in the sense that these experiences involve the asking of questions that have significance in the life of the person undergoing the direct experience.

—  These experiences are undergone in relation to a purpose, i.e. learning

—  It is done in relation to a certain learning objective.

Summary:

Direct experiences are first hand experiences that serve as the foundation of learning. The opposite of direct experiences are indirect or vicarious experiences

Direct  experiences  lead us to concept formation and abstraction. We should not end our lessons knowing only the concrete. We go beyond the concrete by reaching the level of abstract concepts.