Comments on: Farms, Field Trips and Test Scores http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/10/26/farms-field-trips-and-test-scores/ Closing the Achievement Gap: Teaching Content Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:08:16 -0500 hourly 1 By: Ashley http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/10/26/farms-field-trips-and-test-scores/comment-page-1/#comment-9255 Ashley Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:37:49 +0000 http://blog.coreknowledge.org/?p=3645#comment-9255 Working as an tutor I've seen a lot of students who would rather fiddle their thumbs than pay attention. Especially if the students are visual learners, which most young students are. Some field trips might be more recreational than others, but none-the-less it's a helpful change the classroom. But, field trips work best with a firm educational base on what the students are learning. Working as an tutor I’ve seen a lot of students who would rather fiddle their thumbs than pay attention. Especially if the students are visual learners, which most young students are. Some field trips might be more recreational than others, but none-the-less it’s a helpful change the classroom. But, field trips work best with a firm educational base on what the students are learning.

]]> By: Dee http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/10/26/farms-field-trips-and-test-scores/comment-page-1/#comment-8165 Dee Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:38:13 +0000 http://blog.coreknowledge.org/?p=3645#comment-8165 It is not the going; it is the doing. Everyone needs to get away from the desk and experience in real time not virtual. A plastic pumpkin can be punted quite a few yards by a five year old. A real pumpkin can barely be lifted by that same individual. You will not get that experience on a video. We HomeEducate and the biggest and most expensive subject we have is to go and see and do it. Most people around my little world know me and the kids and will wonder over and see what we are learning. They may even give us a few pointers. As the kids are older we are broadening our trips and what we learn. You just can't get everything from a book or from the great programs on the History Channel with out some context. That context of time and space and dimension comes from your eyes, ears, nose, touch, and smell. Truly, it changes lives and broadens the scope of your existence. It is not the going; it is the doing. Everyone needs to get away from the desk and experience in real time not virtual. A plastic pumpkin can be punted quite a few yards by a five year old. A real pumpkin can barely be lifted by that same individual. You will not get that experience on a video. We HomeEducate and the biggest and most expensive subject we have is to go and see and do it. Most people around my little world know me and the kids and will wonder over and see what we are learning. They may even give us a few pointers. As the kids are older we are broadening our trips and what we learn.

You just can’t get everything from a book or from the great programs on the History Channel with out some context. That context of time and space and dimension comes from your eyes, ears, nose, touch, and smell. Truly, it changes lives and broadens the scope of your existence.

]]> By: momof4 http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/10/26/farms-field-trips-and-test-scores/comment-page-1/#comment-8130 momof4 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:52:35 +0000 http://blog.coreknowledge.org/?p=3645#comment-8130 Especially at the ES level, I think most field trips are a waste of time. In order to be significant learning experiences, field trips need to be preceeded by background instruction and contain specific instruction on-site regarding what they are seeing and what it means, followed by suitable post-trip instruction. Left to themselves - as usual in my experiences as student and parent chaperone - kids will learn almost nothing. In the same time period, there could have been far more learning in the classroom, especially with the whole world of videos available. Especially at the ES level, I think most field trips are a waste of time. In order to be significant learning experiences, field trips need to be preceeded by background instruction and contain specific instruction on-site regarding what they are seeing and what it means, followed by suitable post-trip instruction. Left to themselves – as usual in my experiences as student and parent chaperone – kids will learn almost nothing. In the same time period, there could have been far more learning in the classroom, especially with the whole world of videos available.

]]> By: Crimson Wife http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/10/26/farms-field-trips-and-test-scores/comment-page-1/#comment-8117 Crimson Wife Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:02:54 +0000 http://blog.coreknowledge.org/?p=3645#comment-8117 I suspect it's teachers trying to justify an educational field trip in the only language that seems compelling to administrators these days. I suspect it’s teachers trying to justify an educational field trip in the only language that seems compelling to administrators these days.

]]> By: Rachel http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/10/26/farms-field-trips-and-test-scores/comment-page-1/#comment-8116 Rachel Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:16:14 +0000 http://blog.coreknowledge.org/?p=3645#comment-8116 My guess is that the school prepared the kids too much for they trip -- or at least for the talking to reporters part of it. I'd like to have a better idea whether this is a test-prep obsessed school justifying a field trip through their particular lens, or a school that actually seems a well-rounded education as an end in itself. My impression was the former -- and though a test-prep obsessed school with a few field trips is better than a test-prep obsessed school without them, it's still depressing. My guess is that the school prepared the kids too much for they trip — or at least for the talking to reporters part of it.

I’d like to have a better idea whether this is a test-prep obsessed school justifying a field trip through their particular lens, or a school that actually seems a well-rounded education as an end in itself. My impression was the former — and though a test-prep obsessed school with a few field trips is better than a test-prep obsessed school without them, it’s still depressing.

]]> By: Claus http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/10/26/farms-field-trips-and-test-scores/comment-page-1/#comment-8115 Claus Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:13:47 +0000 http://blog.coreknowledge.org/?p=3645#comment-8115 I fault the Times' telling of the story. For a more compelling story on a similar theme, have a look at the story of George Hall Elementary School in Mobile, AL--http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/interview-alabama-principal-terri-tomlinson. George Hall's educators take their overwhelmingly low-income students on frequent field trips to give them a strong foundation in knowledge and vocabulary. The faculty carefully plans the trips by explicitly tying them to standards and critical vocabulary. They then have students write about the trips to demonstrate their mastery of relevant vocabulary and knowledge. The schools assessment results are impressive, to say the least. I fault the Times’ telling of the story. For a more compelling story on a similar theme, have a look at the story of George Hall Elementary School in Mobile, AL–http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/interview-alabama-principal-terri-tomlinson. George Hall’s educators take their overwhelmingly low-income students on frequent field trips to give them a strong foundation in knowledge and vocabulary.

The faculty carefully plans the trips by explicitly tying them to standards and critical vocabulary. They then have students write about the trips to demonstrate their mastery of relevant vocabulary and knowledge. The schools assessment results are impressive, to say the least.

]]> By: Deirdre Mundy http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/10/26/farms-field-trips-and-test-scores/comment-page-1/#comment-8114 Deirdre Mundy Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:22:52 +0000 http://blog.coreknowledge.org/?p=3645#comment-8114 I wonder if the reporter made up the Kindergartener's quote. If you ask most of the 5 year olds of my acquaintance why they'd like to visit a farm it's usually -to see animals -to see baby animals -to see tractors and big machines -to see animals poop. (This is a HUGE hit with the kids....) -to jump on hay bales etc. etc. Maybe the school didn't do enough to prepare the kids for the trip? If the kids had any concept of the fun and mayhem available on a farm, test-prep would be the very LEAST of their desires........ I wonder if the reporter made up the Kindergartener’s quote.

If you ask most of the 5 year olds of my acquaintance why they’d like to visit a farm it’s usually

-to see animals
-to see baby animals
-to see tractors and big machines
-to see animals poop. (This is a HUGE hit with the kids….)
-to jump on hay bales

etc.
etc.

Maybe the school didn’t do enough to prepare the kids for the trip? If the kids had any concept of the fun and mayhem available on a farm, test-prep would be the very LEAST of their desires……..

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