What would you choose? An excursion to see the CERN Hadron Collider, a testament to the future scope of particle physics, or a visit to the crumbling Acropolis? A journey to the business sector in Frankfurt, or the awesome sights of Colosseum? Many people rate excursions based on practical relevance, especially in connection to skills that may be useful in the workforce, so travel to examine the past seems to lag behind in importance to excursions focused on subjects deemed more pragmatic, such as science or economics. But this greatly misjudges the deep benefits of students coming to terms with the heritage of humanity. Maths comes alive On the one hand, history school trips lay a foundation for bringing other subjects to life by laying them against the silhouette of their own historical context. A fine example is the case of mathematics. Much of the formulae, algorithms and rules of modern maths that find a practical outlet in engineering, actuarial studies and other fields have their roots in historical practices. By visiting the locales of Pythagoras or Euclid, students will be able to grasp the significance of how their classroom studies have been applied. Great stories with colour Likewise, the study of literature or the classics is vital for equipping students with sturdy theorems and language skills, but such understanding is augmented by knowing the historical context of modern and classical authors via history school trips. The obtuseness of Shakespeare or the strangeness of Virgil can be stripped away once students travel to the places in England and Italy where these great writers crafted their works. They can then begin to appreciate the cultural context and original significance of their ideas. Villains and heroes On the other hand, history school trips highlight role models and negative character traits to avoid by exposing a long narrative of heroes and villains that litter textbooks. While the classroom does provide ample opportunity to explore the nuances of these famous personages, it is really only an excursion that brings their lives to light. Students can walk the streets Lincoln walked, see the sights Charlemagne saw and touch the stone slabs which Aristotle, Plato and Alexander touched. Understand the present This understanding of the mistakes and glory of the past lays the groundwork for a conception of the present. History school trips validate the expression that you only know where you are going once you understand from whence you have come. While it may seem rather abstract, once heritage is tied to personal memory, students will begin to understand that the present world is shaped by the past just as their present experience is coloured by their memories. Young people can then realise that by engaging with the past in a hands on fashion, they are forging tools with which they will help mould the future. Angela Bowden works for STS (School Travel Service), the UK's largest educational travel company, providing school trips for secondary schools, primary schools and colleges. STS arrange History school trips, as well as trips with a focus on art/design, foreign languages, science/nature, geography and more to worldwide destinations.
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