Washington, D.C. AGAIN!!!

I am now in recovery mode from my 8th grade Washington, D.C. trip with my 8th graders.  We started the trip at DFW airport at 4:30 in the morning.  Security was helpful and friendly and we made it to take off without any incidents at all.  As we approached we were greeted with a little bit of rain.  Enough rain to put our ponchos on, for those of us who had them.  We joined up with a school Prairie River Middle school from Wisconsin after we visited one of the Smithsonian's.  It took both schools about a day and half for the students to mesh up.  We visited a ton of sites and had a ton of fun.  We parted ways after we went to Mt. Vernon and the Capitol tour.  We had dinner at the airport and talked while we waited for our delayed flight.  One of the biggest questions I received from the kids was how was this not boring from the other times I have been.  I found it to be a simple question.  It is because I experience it with different people.  It isn't about the sites but who you get to view and learn it with.  So, for you future D.C. travelers here is a few tips to enjoy your trip.

1. Take opportunity to get to know your kids by hanging out with different ones everywhere.
2. Walk with them and talk about what you see and get them to ask the coarse leader questions.
3. Use the bus time not just to get to know the other program leaders but to know the other schools students as well.  (Ask Questions)
4. Plan some games to play on the bus:  Song games, color games, I never, etc.  keep it age appropriate and always take time to look at who is at the back of the bus.
5. There is no down time.  Not on the Bus and not walking, there is always time to be social.  This trip is about adventure and it is never fun doing it alone.
6. Take a lot of pictures and make sure people are in them.  Don't get home with 300 pictures of things.
7.  Plan some of those pictures ahead of time:  Group pictures at White House, in front of the tomb of unknown soldiers, listening to the coarse leader.  Every picture is better with students in them.
8. Look for an opportunity for  your students to experience living history.
9. Have a recap every evening about the day, night procedures and morning procedures before you get off the bus.
10. Consistently check to see how you can make a students trip better.

I have experienced multiple trips to D.C. and none of them have been the same.  I think I will do it again.  Make good choices, do great things.