It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) to actively support and protect the right of all students, including those with healthcare needs or disabilities, to participate in school-sponsored trips, in accordance with federal regulations (USDOE/OCR, 2020). The registered professional school nurse (hereinafter referred…

This practice article examines the design, implementation and impacts of a collaborative German language learning (LL) field trip in the United States through the conceptual framework of LL and teaching beyond the classroom. We explore the affordances of semi-structured out-of-class experiences in supporting world language students' target…

The contemporary education system aides in the development of students' cognitive learning skills to better prepare them for the future; however, education can also prepare students to be more engaged citizens in a democratic society. Civic literacy is a valuable skill for students to learn as it provides a foundation for a better understanding of…

All "friluftsliv," or "open-air living," is to some degree a "quest." This certainly applies to paddling the big, open waters, although William James (1981) originally used the term to deepen the understanding of the Canadian soul during expeditionary travel on the great northern rivers. James was inspired in his task…

The arts disciplines (visual arts, music, theatre, and dance) merit and require formal study. Policy makers should support studies in the arts as core disciplines, as specified in the "Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)," the federal legislation that sets policy and appropriations for public education. The arts merit and…

Last February, in search of expanded thinking, the author led a group of 20 early childhood professionals on a study tour to Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). The group included two Canadians and two Aussies, with everyone else from the United States. While they knew they had much to learn from the overall system of early childhood education in NZ, the…

Jeremey Stoddard's article in this issue, "Toward a Virtual Field Trip Model for the Social Studies," describes his analysis of the Colonial Williamsburg Electronic Field Trip and a conceptual model for developing meaningful and successful electronic or virtual field trips. In an effort to contextualize the Colonial Williamsburg…

The teacher's of America's one-room schoolhouses long ago mastered the concept of differentiation. Small class sizes were the norm, including children of all ages. Older, or more advanced students, helped others understand their lessons. Students move on to more difficult work as they were ready. Skipping grades was not uncommon. As the population…

The author cites the popular distinction between "traveler" and "tourist", noting that the latter has come to signify someone less enlightened, less conscientious and less distinguished than the former. Discussing critical pedagogy in terms of this paradox, she draws upon her experience in designing and teaching an…

In this article, the author objects to what curricularists and teachers often believe that meaningful activities in school have to be scripted, planned to the nth degree and assigned learning objectives and goals ahead of time, or they have no educational worth. Instead, he used Elliot Eisner's classic curriculum text, "The Educational…

Each autumn, the author leads a group of teenagers around Walden Pond, once the home of Henry David Thoreau, and proves that a whole curriculum--from history to philosophy to science--can be taught outside of a conventional classroom. The pond--located in Concord, about 20 miles west of Boston--is where Thoreau built his famous cabin and wrote…

An introduction to the science of speleology is presented. Discussed is why people explore caves--for the physical challenge, the thrill of discovery, and the joy of viewing their beauty. Cave conservation, cave biology, caving safety, and caving equipment are topics of discussion. A reading list on caves is included. (KR)

Suggests a desktop-video-conferencing alternative to typical field trips. Describes a system that features easy-to-use menus and split screens. Asserts that desktop-video-conferencing will allow creative teachers to open up new opportunities for learning in the elementary classroom. (Author/JOW)

Describes how the British use museum visits as an opportunity for young people to place themselves in a wider context of time and place while learning about their technical heritage. (JOW)

Words and their meanings are the building blocks of literacy development. They are the key to children's comprehension of stories and information books. Just about any fun experience, from learning center activities to a field trip to sharing picture books, offers many opportunities to build children's vocabulary. In this article, the author…