Preparing Classes for Public Places: Student Etiquette on School Trips
School trips allow students to discover new environments, have practical experiences, and create lifelong memories. But going out with students to a public space like a museum, a monument, or a national heritage site necessitates practicing proper behavior and courtesy among students. Inculcating appropriate etiquette in your students will ensure a problem-free, pleasurable trip for everyone involved. Teach students to respect before, during, and even after the trip.
The Trip: Managing Expectations During the Trip
- Talk about the value of Respect
Explain to students that museums and memorials where people are in a public space are not meant for leisure, but for study, contemplation, and enjoyment. Educate them to know that a place and its guests deserve to be respected.
- Review of Target Behavior
Requirement per destination will vary, so run through:
- Noise Levels: Use soft voices, especially in quiet places like memorials.
- Personal Space: Be considerate of your fellow attendees and don’t barricade an exhibit
- Need to Know: Flash and/or no photographs are banned at many museums and exhibitions
- Touching Exhibits: No touching of exhibits is allowed, unless otherwise noted above
Role-Play Situations
Students can role-play a variety of scenarios they will face including:
- Waiting in line patiently.
- Respectfully asking questions.
- Refrain from arguing when and wherever possible when you are caught by chaperones and school staff
Create a Code of Conduct
Collaborate with the students to create a simple, memorable standard of courtesy codes that can be used on the trip.
- On the road: Practice proper etiquette
Lead By Example
It is very important that teachers and chaperones set the right example for students with the way he or she is speaking to the students, if they are obeying the laws and regulations given at school, and if they are presenting and saying they have a learning attitude.
Encourage Team Interaction
Teach students to be inquirers and to practice active listening when tour guides and museum workers speak
- Admin — Go Over Expectations
- Before going somewhere new, do a quick search of the etiquette for that environment.
- Monitor Behavior and Take Immediate Action
- When a student disobeys or forgets a principal provide them with a gentle reminder and stress the importance of respect.
Post-Trip: Reflection and Reinforcement
Discuss the Experience
- Ask students to recount their favorite moments on the trip and talk about why respectful behavior made it so that everyone had a positive experience.
Encourage Thank-You Notes
Have students write a thank-you note to guides, museum workers, or any other people who played a role in their trip’s success.
Review Lessons Learned
- Discuss any etiquette-related challenges encountered and how students might use such lessons in future trips and life overall
Teaching students to be respectful in a public setting contributes to the value of field trips serving as enjoyable, yet educational, experiences. If we can define behavior in a realm of proactivity, role-model the proper behavior, and instruct after the fact, will instill in the students a medicine in formations for a life-long practice of value, accountability, and respect for heritage and cultural settings.
The right school travel partner can make all the difference between an ordinary trip and a truly memorable experience. At Student Adventures, our expertise, innovation, and dedication set us apart. With professional in-house consultants, innovative tools like TripApp, and the comprehensive TripWheel, we make every stage of your trip simple, easy, and effortless.
We hope this guide has given you valuable insight into why we are the best partner for your next school trip. Ready to get started? Call Student Adventures at 1-877-873-7550