Teacher Checklist For Field Trip Bus Rides (Do This Before Leaving The School Parking Lot!)
So you are going on a field trip? Exciting! (Or maybe it’s terrifying depending on your personality.) Don’t worry, I have 15 years experience taking kiddos of all ages on excursions with success. If you follow these simple steps when getting on the bus, you can make your adventure less stressful and more successful!
6 Steps For Successful Bus Rides
- Make sure everyone has their stuff needed (backpack, filled water bottle, lunch, jacket, pencil, epipen whatever they actually need.) Also make sure students don’t have things they don’t need. I’ve had kids try to bring their whole binder and school backpack when we were just going to the Zoo for a couple hours. They get weighted down and complain their back hurts after ten minutes expecting me to carry their stuff… not gonna happen.
- Ask if everyone has gone to the bathroom (including teachers). This may seem obvious but it is crucial for 1st graders and schoolers alike. Just because someone is 14 does not mean they actually think about going to the bathroom before getting on the bus. What’s worse is that some of them would be too embarrassed to tell anyone if they actually had an accident at their age so they walk around wet. It’s heartbreaking so do what you can to prevent this social awkwardness.
- Remind them about expectations with noise level. If the bus gets too loud, you have every right to allow or suggest the driver pull over until it quiets down. It may throw your timing off, but you make your point quickly. I have only had to do this once and used my best “teacher voice” to let the 7th graders know how their actions affect others including the driver.
- Tell students where to put and where not to put their body. This sounds odd but kids don’t realize how big they are. My go to line is “backs and bottoms against the seats at all times.” This way when they are tempted to stand up, switch seats, lean over into the isle, pull themselves up onto the seat in front of them and all other crazy things they do with pubescent bodies, you just state “backs and bottoms” like a broken record.
- Talk about food and drinks as well as a trash policy. The Driver and teachers should not be the ones picking up bits of trash off the floor when we arrive at our destination. Make it clear that the bus is for everyone so keeping it tidy is important.
- Let everyone know how long the ride will be. This is a crucial step! If you tell students, “We will get there in about an hour so look at your watch now to see what time we should arrive,” they feel empowered with knowledge and can answer their own question (how much longer?)
If you use this checklist, students will (hopefully) be set up for success and you will have less stress. Did you use this checklist on a field trip? Let me know how it went in the comments section below. Subscribe to this blog for more tips for educators taking students on adventures!
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