Kenneth Dragseth on field trips: safety concerns and NCLB requirements should not scare districts into eliminating travel for students.

Kenneth Dragseth on field trips: safety concerns and NCLB requirements should not scare districts into eliminating travel for students. As superintendents and school districts face the challenges ofmandated testing and the pressure to improve test scores, there's adanger we may develop a very short-sighted short-sightedAdjective1. unable to see faraway things clearly2. not taking likely future developments into account: a short-sighted approach to the problem approach to education--anapproach that could deprive de��privev.1. To take something from someone or something.2. To keep from possessing or enjoying something. students of experiences they need to succeedas adults in our global society. Certainly no one argues with a school district'sresponsibility to focus on a high quality academic program. But a totaleducation involves more than reading and math. We cannot shortchange short��change?tr.v. short��changed, short��chang��ing, short��chang��es1. To give (someone) less change than is due in a transaction.2. ourstudents. What comes to my mind is the value of student travel. As ateacher, building administrator and now superintendent, I have seen thevalue of travel. It can: * Motivate students to achieve in their classrooms * Expand understanding of their country and the world * Encourage them to be active citizens in our democracy * Enhance their development in the performing arts. Student travel supports youngsters' academic progress,reinforcing and bringing to life what they are exposed to in theclassroom. Some people learn best when they experience an activity orsee an event. A scientific concept may be difficult to comprehendthoroughly and apply until a student sees it firsthand first��hand?adj.Received from the original source: firsthand information.first in a sciencemuseum. The value of voting may have little meaning until a young personsees Congress in action in the nation's capital. One of thetraditional educational trips for adolescents is to visit Washington Washington, town, EnglandWashington,town (1991 pop. 48,856), Sunderland metropolitan district, NE England. Washington was designated one of the new towns in 1964 to alleviate overpopulation in the Tyneside-Wearside area. ,D.C. There they can meet with governmental leaders, see how money ismade, learn about the influence of advocates on the legislative process,and understand the many steps required for a thought to becomelegislation. One of the greatest challenges our by the majority of ourcitizens in the governmental process. Anything school to participate isextremely valuable. Going Overseas As our society becomes more global, students need more diverseskills and understanding to participate fully in society. Student travelexpands a person's understandings of other cultures and otherareas. Many of us reside in communities that do not offer the diversitythat makes the United States United States,officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. special. When our students return fromtrips to Los Angeles Los Angeles(lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , El Paso El Paso(ĕl pă`sō), city (1990 pop. 515,342), seat of El Paso co., extreme W Tex., on the Rio Grande opposite Juárez, Mex.; inc. 1873. or New York New York, state, United StatesNew York,Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of they bring back a newappreciation of the breadth or our country. International travel isbecoming even more important to give students an understanding of thenations where they may well do business as adults. Through travel we canlearn the habits and cultural differences of another country and get anaccurate perspective of what those in other Travel is also important to students in the performing arts. We canask band and orchestra students to practice at school, but when theyhave the chance to meet with clinicians and perform during festivals,they become much more motivated mo��ti��vate?tr.v. mo��ti��vat��ed, mo��ti��vat��ing, mo��ti��vatesTo provide with an incentive; move to action; impel.mo to achieve. Schools have a special responsibility to give all students travelopportunities. While some families travel, typically they cannot providetheir youngsters the insights available through a school trip. Travelwith school groups are organized by providers who know the location,have experience with individuals at the site, and are knowledgeableabout the safest and most educational ways to conduct the trip. Also,some families aren't aren't?Contraction of are not. See Usage Note at ain't.aren'tare notaren'tbe in a position to travel, and school travelwill be the only opportunity these youngsters will have to learn awayfrom home. Travel has an important role in education today. As superintendentswe should support student travel, but we also must demand that it beoffered in the most appropriate ways. Today's world is a littlemore precarious than it was five years ago. What we can't do isgive into fear and stay in our homes and communities. What we should dois plan excursions with established travel consultants who can offer usstructured trips to venues that are as safe as possible. The Student& Youth Travel Association of North America North America,third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. can recommend suchexperienced consultants through its Web site, www.syta.org. No Child Left Behind is the law of the land today, but it dealsonly with the basic aspects of learning. While it can guide us inproviding those basics to students, it should not limit us from givingstudents all that they need to succeed in a global society. Studenttravel is key to that. Kenneth Dragseth is superintendent of Edina (Minn.) Public Schoolsand 2003 National Superintendent of the Year.