Everybody loves a field trip! Exploring, seeing new things, meeting new people…

Excursions are valuable ways to get children interacting with others. They open the world to them- the things going on, the possibilities. Charlotte talks about students trips to the British Museum several times in the V’s. This was part of the child’s self learning as well as adding to the relationship-building aspect of a Living Education. Interacting live with someone or something is invaluable to building a friendship with it.

Sometimes we can let the Home part of Learning keep us home and not moving about in our communities. It is VERY easy to get stuck in the bog of the day-in and day-out of lessons and routine. If you have littles it is hard to get out. Messing up their routine- well, someone will pay for it later – probably all of you.  But maybe in this situation you could do field trips that are very close to home and intentionally short.

-What do you have near by?
a water treatment facility
a park
a historical landmark
a historical plaque
a river
a TV station
an animal shelter
an art museum
a print shop
a cement business
city hall
art gallery
grocery store
college
print shop
a business that manufactures something

“This slight study of the British Museum we find very valuable; whether the children have or have not the opportunity of visiting the Museum itself, they have the hope of doing so, and, besides, their minds are awakened to the treasures of local museums.” – Volume 6 p.175-176

“A short time ago when the King and Queen paid a private visit to the British Museum, in the next hall, also, no doubt, examining the Parthenon Room, were a group of children from a London County Council School, as full of information and interest as the child above mentioned because they had been doing the same work. It was not a small thing for those children to know that their interests and delights were common to them and their Sovereigns. Of such strands are formed the cord which binds society; and one of the main purposes of a ‘liberal education for all’ is to form links between high and low, rich and poor, the classes and the masses, in the strong sympathy of common knowledge.” – Volume 6 p.77-78

“Mother took her to Westminster Abbey one afternoon and while I was seeing her to bed she told me all the things she had noticed there which they had been hearing about in ‘architecture’ this term. She loves ‘architecture.’ She also expressed her anxiety to make acquaintance with the British Museum and see the things there that they had been ‘having’ in their term’s work. So the next morning we went there and studied the Parthenon Room in great detail. She was a most interesting companion and taught me ever so much! We also went to St. Paul’s and Madame Tussaud’s where she was delighted to see so many people out of ‘history.’ The modern people did not interest her so much except Jack Cornwell and Nurse Cavell.”
            It will be noticed that the child is educating herself; her friends merely take her to see the things she knows about and she tells what she has read, a quite different matter from the act of pouring information down the throats of the unhappy children who are taken to visit our national treasure houses.” – Volume 6 p.77