Keeping students safe is always a top priority any time educators bring their students on a class trip. Student safety should be top of mind during the planning process and throughout the trip to prevent incidents and ensure a successful trip.
1. Set expectations prior to travel. Take the time prior to the trip to explain appropriate behavior with students. If necessary, outline the consequences of failing to abide by trip rules. Be sure to explain that these rules exist to protect the safety of the students as well as provide students with guidelines for representing their school when they are out of the building.
2. Be selective in choosing chaperones. Trips, especially overnight trips, can require multiple chaperones to keep students safe. Whether you are taking parent volunteers or fellow educators, be careful with who you pick. Select chaperones based on character, merit and their ability to follow the guidance of the administrator or teacher in charge.
3. Keep a document of all student needs. Students may have needs that impact their safety. Whether it be necessary medications, sensitivity to certain stimuli (motion sickness, Epilepsy, etc.), it’s important to know what each child needs. Talk to the school nurse and other care professionals to make sure nothing is missed. Keep everything in a single document and keep that document on you at all times, setting medication reminders on your phone if necessary.
4. Be proactive. Waiting until an incident or issue arises to take action is too late. Take a proactive approach to safety to greatly reduce the risk of incidents. This can mean making an if/then plan for challenging students. Also counting group members quite often it important to make sure no student wanders off. Giving each student and chaperone a number is a great time saver in keeping attendance. Have everyone call off their number each time they board the train, airplane or bus and at meeting points after a crowded venue, i.e. museums, food courts, etc.
5. Make sure all vendors are safe and insured. Working with a student tour company like Fantastic Tours & Travel ensures that all vendors are insured and safe, so you have one less thing to worry about when traveling.
