Excursions and incursions provide exciting and highly social learning opportunities especially for those student who do not necessarily engage with classroom learning. They connect abstract classroom learning with concrete experiences.

The key to success is being prepared. Coordinating logistics can be onerous but will ensure an organised and powerful learning opportunity for even the most disengaged student.

•Strengths:

–Experience that engages students who may not respond to traditional classroom learning.

–Connects abstract concepts with concrete experience to give deeper understanding.

–Gives students the opportunity to explore the reality and social context of an environment.

–Promotes discussion.

–An active and highly motivating way to learn.

–Opportunities to connect with other students and teachers outside the confines of the classroom.

–Connects classroom theory with real life.

–Engages students who struggle with classroom learning.

I am yet to meet a student who does not find excursions or incursion exciting. A change of environment, an opportunity to socialize with others and link learning to the real world.

Yet for some the excitement and freedom from the classroom is too over stimulating and costs must be considered to include those with financial restrictions.

•Challenges:

–Ensuring the logistics are properly planned for.

–Avoiding missed learning opportunities due to lack of classroom exposure before and after the experience.

–Ensuring affective communication and organisation between staff.

–Ensuring safety of students

–Ensuring student behaviour in public is respectful and appropriate.

–Self regulation - Staying focused in a highly engaging, less restrictive environment.

–Some families may struggle with the costs involved with excursions and camps.

The key to success is all in the planning.

Teachers must provide learning experiences both before and after the event to maximise understanding and knowledge retention. Information kits are often available and should be used to facilitate this.

Policy documents, checklists and staff communication can facilitate the safety and logistics to ensure excursions and incursion run smoothly.

•BE PREPARED to ensure you maximise the learning opportunities of these experiences !!!

•Always request information kits well before the experiences and ensure there is preliminary learning so children can link abstract concepts to concrete experiences.

•Keep a central file on policy documentation to remove the need to “start from scratch” when planning an experience outside the classroom.

•Communicate with staff