Publish at October 20 2019 Updated April 23 2026
If we only have rare memories of classes during our primary and secondary school years, we remember outings and discovery classes much more often. There was something magical and exciting about leaving the school grounds. From sports like skiing to museums and animal sanctuaries, the outing could take many different forms.
But what seems like a relaxing moment for learners is not at all so for teachers. For them, it's months of planning and organization. Leaving a school is anything but a breeze.
The work begins by defining the reasons for the outing. You'll need to be able to justify an external activity to the school administration. It's imperative to show that only the chosen location or type of location corresponds to the educational needs. What's more, you'll need to specify the educational purpose. How will going to the mountains for a few days be educational? What activities will be organized? Who will supervise the youngsters?
And the application must be submitted weeks in advance, so that it can be approved - even more so if the trip takes place in another region or abroad. On this page, for example, you can see all the things to think about for teachers in the Rhône region wishing to organize a classe découverte. Sites such as Ligue de l'enseignement can also help with the implementation of a personalized project. But, as they point out, this should ideally be prepared 6 to 10 months before departure.
Then, once it has been defined, it needs to be put into practice. This means drawing up a provisional budget, finding sources of finance (grants or fund-raising), securing sufficient supervision, etc. The project will then be ready for approval by the Inspecteur de l'Académie, who, as this tourist site points out, must receive it at least 8 weeks in advance.
Finally, once approved, the project becomes a reality, and there are only a few weeks and days left to prepare. You need to make sure that everything has been thought out and booked, if necessary, including accommodation, meals and so on. Parental authorizations must be in place for minors to participate. We also need to be prepared for emergencies, whether by preparing a first-aid kit or being able to contact parents just in case.
Together with the pupils, we'll have drawn up the instructions for the outing, whether it's short or over several days. Teachers will also have explained the reasons for the discovery class to their students. For what educational purpose are they going? In fact, it may be a good idea to plan an activity before the trip to prepare them.
During the trip, make sure the group is well divided between chaperones, so as not to have too many young people to supervise at once. You also need to ensure that instructions are followed, and that consequences are put in place for those who want to be troublemakers.
Finally, once back home, it might be a good idea to organize a debriefing session with the class on what happened, and to carry out educational activities related to what they experienced. Classes could also create a note, letter or document thanking the hosts. A way of teaching etiquette and maintaining the school's reputation for the establishment or location in question.
Illustration: H W on Unsplash
References
"Comment Organiser Une Classe Découverte?" Cap France. Last update: March 20, 2019.
https://capfrance-groupes.com/guide-classe-decouverte/
Lafay, Geneviève. " Organiser Une Classe De Découverte." Circonscription De Saint Pierre De Chandieu. Last updated: March 12, 2019. https://spdc.circo.ac-lyon.fr/spip/spip.php?article103
"Les étapes Dans L'organisation De Ma Classe De Découvertes." Lecoleailleurs. Last updated: November 27, 2018.
http://lecoleailleurs.fr/les-etapes-dans-lorganisation-de-ma-classe-de-decouvertes/
Lewis, Beth. "Field Trip Tips for Safe, Fun Learning & Success." ThoughtCo. Last updated March 8, 2019.
https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-have-a-safe-fun-and-successful-field-trip-2081575
Swaity, Sharilee. "How to Plan a Field Trip: A Step-by-Step Guide." Owlcation. Last updated February 25, 2019.
https://owlcation.com/academia/How-to-Plan-a-Field-Trip
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