According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thanh Nam (University of Education, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), field trips bring completely new experiences, helping to improve students' understanding and life skills. It is teamwork skills, communication, problem solving, improving thinking ability, becoming a more active learner.
Children are exposed to different environments. From there, stimulating creativity and understanding of the world through topics from animals to plants, from historical knowledge to natural sciences.
“Living in a world with a lot of stressful academic pressure, field trips are an opportunity for students to relieve stress, rebalance their mental health and create many memorable memories to make connections between students and teachers become stronger. It is the relationship established at a young age that can help them grow up more firmly.”, said Mr. Nam.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thanh Nam.
Picnics in new lands always make children step out of their comfort zone to face risks and overcome fears such as having to sit on a cable car but fear heights. This is also a great opportunity for teachers to help children bravely face, practice willpower, resilience.
For example, instead of taking the cable car, encourage your child to walk. When we meet a stream, we must teach children how to observe the water, find shallow water, safe flow, and a non-slip foothold to go through. Such practical experience will form courage and calmness in the face of "high mountains and deep abyss" situations in life.
However, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thanh Nam also warned that organizing field trips always has potential safety risks, especially for young students without parents to supervise.
Not only the problem of accidents and injuries at the place of sightseeing, but also many other risks such as: traffic accidents on the way, property theft, quarrels due to misunderstandings or other health emergencies.
Here are the safety rules to keep in mind during every picnic.
First, choose educational locations and activities appropriate to the age of students in each grade. Not only choosing the right place to visit to ensure safety, but the school needs to find out in advance about the terrain, climate, infrastructure, traffic, and weather to prepare appropriate vehicles and equipment.
Second, plan the tour in detail from schedule, location, situations and possible danger levels, risk management processes. Next is the appraisal and selection of an experienced picnic organizer, skills in controlling and dealing with emergency situations, and assignment of experienced teachers to jointly supervise.
Third, make sure that safety devices are carried from clothes, seat belts, windshields, flashlights, etc. to each student.
Fourth, ensure a safe source of food and drinking water. Fully prepare and ensure food origin to help students have enough energy and health to complete the trip.
Fifth, identification signs and ways of contact need to be thoroughly understood for each student. They must be reminded regularly about discipline, procedures to handle when meeting or witnessing friends in risky situations, remembering contact phone numbers, contact methods and appropriate help-seeking skills.
"With older students, it is necessary to agree on the principle of regular communication to ensure each child's safety and to be immediately updated on emergency situations so that the person in charge, organizing the field trip can act promptly. Even teachers should keep parents updated during the student's trip." Mr. Nam said.
Master Nguyen Diep Ha (school psychologist at Hoan Kiem Secondary School, Hanoi) said that banning children from going on a picnic will lose opportunities for children to interact with the natural environment and bond with friends and teachers.
Children may withdraw, separate from the group and have low self-esteem. What parents should do is create conditions to help their children equip life skills, survival skills (swimming, fire fighting, what to do when lost ...) before starting the picnic.
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