Traveling the Globe With Your Students
by Jeannie Barry-Sanders
RIDE ON A GONDOLA, waltz on the Piazza San Marco at midnight, or spend the evening riding a vaporetto (waterbus) the length of the Grand Canal. Or visit a Fulani village in West Africa,
where the environment is so friendly and peaceful that nonverbal
communication transcends the spoken word. History, art, music,
and a challenging educational experience await creative educators
willing to step out from behind the podium and lead a study
tour. Combining travel and teaching is a heady experience
for educators at all levels. To plan and execute a travel-abroad
classroom, of course, is an impressive task loaded with responsibility. It takes a savvy educator to accomplish it.
English Professor John Drury, of the University of Cincinnati,
traveled with seven students (ranging in age from 20 to 43)
on an eight-night literary study tour to Venice, Italy. He
started planning a year in advance and also took a preliminary
exploration trip to Venice alone, before the tour. Initially,
he tried to work with the study tour with the American Council
for International Studies (ACIS), a professional tour-organizing
agency. However, it didn’t pan out, and he took over the travel
arrangements himself. The only hitch Drury encountered (and
not his fault) was when the airline left the group’s luggage
in Brussels. It took a couple of days for the luggage to catch
up; however, he says, “it was a bonding experience. It probably
also helped that the students were older than average undergraduates were.”
Educators interested in similar tours, Drury says, must have
patience, flexibility, good humor, common sense, and some
expertise. To finance the trip, Drury wrote a program grant
to the University of Cincinnati’s Institute for Global Studies
and Affairs and received money for each student and $500 for
his own expenses. As a result of Professor Drury’s pre-planning
and creativity, his students stayed in the heart of the most
scenic part of Venice, traveled inexpensively (the students
paid approximately $800 less than they would have if Drury
had gone through a tour agency), and saw wonders they had
only read about. The entire trip cost less than $1500 per
person. Students also received three undergraduate credits.
Associate Professor Jocelyn Ladner, who teaches English and
coordinates global education at St. Louis Community College
at Florissant Valley, Missouri, agrees with Drury on trip
organization. She recently combined an eighteen-day historical
trek and a literary adventure to Senegal and The Gambia, West
Africa. “There is a great deal of responsibility involved,”
says Ladner. “However, it is worth it to see students change
before your eyes. Most of our students had never been outside
the U.S., or even Missouri, for that matter. The connections
they made were lifelong.” Twelve students and five faculty
members traveled with Professor Ladner, including a media
specialist who chronicled the trip with still photography and video.
After receiving approval from the history departments at
Forest Park Community College and Florissant Valley Community
College and the Board of Trustees, Ladner began the planning
phase. This was her first coordination effort, and the challenges
of organizing were minimized because she had assistance from
Dr. Aboudaloya Barry, a professor at the University of Gaston
Berger in Senegal, West Africa. Professor Ladner and Dr. Barry
planned the itinerary and cultural activities and organized
lectures that students participated in once they arrived in
Senegal. Dr. Barry also hired a doctor and interpreters.
To finance the trip, the Community College Foundation Office
raised funds through Anheuser-Bush and the Urban League in
St. Louis. The Student Development Office at Forest Park and
Florissant Valley campuses donated funds, and the President
of Florissant Valley Community College donated from the President’s Growth Fund. Approximate cost of the trip: $2500 per person. Professor Ladner and students (ranging in age from 19 to 35) had a memorable educational adventure. Even though the group had more problems than Professor Drury had on his trip to
Venice, the positive reactions of the students overshadowed
the pitfalls. The travel to and from Africa was a “nightmare,”
says Professor Ladner. “Two students became ill from the malaria
medicine, the group was stranded in Casablanca, and we missed
the return flight in New York.”
If you’re ready for an educational odyssey, you can do it.
Both Drury and Ladner arranged their own trips; however, a
tour company can be a valuable asset. The most well-known
tour organizer is the American Council for International Studies
(ACIS). Check updated criteria at the ACIS web site at .
Another organizer, EF Tours at , is very competitive in pricing. I requested a tour to Spain on EF’s information page, indicated price range and number of days, and received 16 possibilities under $1500. Both ACIS and EF Tours offer incentives, including free travel for the teacher depending on the number of participants. They also eliminate the worry of decision making.
However, if you’re a creative, innovative educator interested
in visiting foreign places on a study tour on your own terms,
both Professors Drury and Ladner recommend the hands-on method of organization. Taking your classroom global is an adventure not to be missed. Start planning now for next year! Bon Voyage, Innocents! Readers may email me at jsanscript@aol.com
with questions or suggestions. I love hearing from you. Your
comments are so insightful and encouraging.
