Dealing with students going on a trip can be tough. You have a lot of students who feel excited about the trip, but you also worry about everyone’s safety. You want them to have maximum fun while you are on the trip and learn from the places they visit, but you fear that something could go wrong. It is possible for some of them to wander around and get lost. Others might not be accounted for until it is already too late.
The key to success is planning. Make sure that you plan everything ahead of time. This includes the place where you will be staying, means of transportation and places to visit. There are a lot of wonderful places to visit where students can have fun and learn at the same time. In both Madrid and Barcelona, students will surely learn a lot given the historical value of the places.
Another way to make it easier is to allow the students to be more involved in planning. They will have ownership of this trip if they help plan the trip with you. Don’t just tell them where to go and where to stay. They must also have a say in these details. After all, the trip is meant for them.
Set clear expectations
It is also important to have clear expectations right from the start. You want everyone to know what is going to happen. Why is this trip happening? Why should certain places be visited rather than others? These details are important to make sure that everyone has a clear idea of what will really take place. This also prevents frustration from happening. Students who are not involved in the entire process might feel frustrated later on to see that things don’t go exactly as they had expected.
Evaluate the trip
Once the trip is over, make sure it is evaluated. Everyone who joined the trip must have a say in how they felt about what took place. Make sure they are open to say what they want without barriers. This allows them to be more honest with their opinions. The evaluation should point out the strengths of the trip and what else can be improved for the future.
It is tough organising a studierejser or study trip that involves a lot of people. There are tons of details to be dealt with. However, it has to be done given the benefits that students can get from it. Don’t worry about not making it a huge success at first. It can be refined over time. With proper planning and help from the right agencies, it can be a better trip the next time.