Teacher Judi Velenchick of Cranberry Elementary School is an enthusiastic field-tripper. ”Some children are way ahead in reading, some behind. This puts them all on the same level,” she says. ”Field trips raise self-esteem and build camaraderie among the children. They become a community.”
Of course, let’s say you’re five years old and you’re on one: What’s most clear about field trips is that they’re fun. A break from the classroom finger paints, a diversion from the alphabet banner above the blackboard, a waft of fresh air that’s welcome any time of the year.