Travel Brings Studies To Life For Students
(NAPSI)-The world is shrinking, and to succeed, today’s students will need to understand the language, customs and geography of other nations.
While much of this can be learned in the classroom, many educators say that the best way for students to better understand the way the world works is to see more of it up close and personal.
A well-organized educational trip can benefit students’ understanding of a variety of subjects ranging from mu-sic and art to history and science. Travel can help students appreciate other cultures. Learning a new language is often easier when it is experienced in its ori-ginal setting.
Set the Foundation
A frequent criticism of young people and the population as a whole is their lack of involvement in the governing process. Schools can set the foundation for voting and more active participation in the democratic process.
"Memorizing charts about how a bill becomes law doesn’t often excite students," noted Michael Palmer, ex-ecutive director for the Student and Youth Travel Association of North America (SYTA), a non-profit organization created to provide accurate and timely information regarding student travel-related issues. "When students on a school trip visit their state, pro-vince or nation’s Capitol and see legislation debated on the floor of Congress, meet with a lobbyist and see first-hand how lawmakers gain support for a bill, they get a more accurate picture of civics that’s difficult to present in a classroom."
Music students can learn from work-ing in the classroom but may benefit even more from going to band, orchestra and chorus competitions, clinics and exchange programs with other schools’ music departments, whether here or abroad.
Travel not only energizes the curriculum but also gives students a wide-screen vision of the world by letting them step outside established boundaries, whether for enlightenment or en-joyment. School trips broaden a student’s personal horizons, and these memories are cherished for many years.
When choosing a school travel program, parents and educators may wonder if a program is reputable and what steps should be taken to ensure that travel is safe for students. School districts can minimize problems by in-vesting time in studying travel options.
SYTA members are committed to meeting the highest code of ethics in representing their travel products and services. For free advice and resources on planning safe student trips, visit SYTA on the Web at www.syta.org or call 1-800-509-SYTA (7982).