Why did you decide to become a teacher?
I decided to become a teacher in my late twenties while working in a support role at a school in Birmingham. I loved helping the children I was working with and seeing them make progress in their learning. I decided to complete a degree through the Open University and went on to complete my PGCE. I have been teaching for ten years across the world in the UK, Dubai, and now Hong Kong.
I currently teach Science and P.E at Harrow International School in Hong Kong. Harrow International is a boarding school, so we're fortunate to get to know our students outside the classroom. I think this helps me help them more in their lessons. I love getting to know my students and see them progress in their learning.
Why did you decide to go on an international school trip?
I decided to take my students on an international school trip because I wanted to give them the chance to step outside of their comfort zone and visit world-class facilities. I found EA tours using a Google search. They offered the trip I was interested in running and were very professional.
I started organising our school trip with EA to Orlando, Florida 18 months before we left. We chose to visit the Kennedy Space Centre and Universal Studios. The pupils had a fantastic time and made excellent progress in their understanding of robotics and programming. We also went on an airboat trip in the Everglades and saw alligators in the wild. This was a big highlight of the trip for me. It was something that I always wanted to do. EA provided a fantastic representative who joined us on the trip. She made sure it ran smoothly and was enjoyable for the students and teachers.
How was the process organising a school trip?
Organising a school trip is a long process. You need to seek approval, collect deposits and complete much paperwork. Keeping on top of risk assessment was a challenge at times, but the rest was easy and worth it in the end. I loved seeing how much the children enjoyed themselves. At times they were grinning from ear to ear and jumping up and down with excitement.
My science students are passionate anyway. However, I've noticed that visiting Kennedy Space Camp has added to their enthusiasm. Since science and technology are developing so rapidly, one of the most significant challenges we face as teachers is staying up-to-date with the latest technology and resources. However, I see it becoming more of a focus in schools moving forward. Being able to run school trips and expose students to world-class facilities is very rewarding and enhances their learning.
I believe international school trips are essential to a child's learning experience. They allow children to experience new cultures, make friends with people they wouldn’t regularly socialise with, and learn in new engaging environments. There's a lot that goes into preparing a trip, but when you are on the trip it is enjoyable, smoothly ran and very rewarding.
- Dan Moss, Teacher, Harrow International School, Hong Kong
