Top 10 Tips From Experienced Group Leaders

  1. Ask your tour consultant for advice
    The tour consultants are awesome. They bend over backwards to help out when I have a need.
    —Russell D., Administrator, Tennessee
  2. Plan early
    Get organized and know exactly what you want to accomplish on your first trip – then call Smithsonian Student Travel and relax! I have traveled with EF and SST for 15 years and have always been in good hands!
    —Cheryl J., Spanish and French teacher, Maryland  

    Start planning early; that's the key. It's a lot of information, and it can be a little overwhelming, especially for a new group leader. The most important thing to keep in mind when coordinating a trip, is that you have to look at it as a process, not an event.
    —Edgar F., Dean of Student and Community Affairs and gifted program teacher,
    Illinois
  3. Don't be afraid to ask for fundraising advice
    Smithsonian Student Travel worked with me every step of the way to help make our tour a reality. They gave me ideas for raising money and helped with payment deadlines. They knew from the start how meaningful this trip would be for the students, and they really wanted to see us go! We asked for donations from people and businesses in the community, made lunch for the teachers at our school, sold flowers, balloons, coffee and candles, and had bake sales and car washes. We did everything we could think of to raise money because my students needed to learn firsthand that nothing is impossible.
    —Susie M., English teacher, Texas
  4. Use the free materials to promote your tour
    I use the Smithsonian Student Travel posters, and at the meeting I show the Recruitment Video and hand out itineraries. I use everything Smithsonian Student Travel has. They put out top quality materials, which come to you just as they should—ready to use.
    —Russell D., Administrator, Tennessee
  5. Stress the educational value to parents
    I have always stressed the educational value of class trips for students. Smithsonian Student Travel clearly demonstrates its inherent educational value on tour, in addition to their accreditation, credit programs and wide array of partnerships. Smithsonian Student Travel also supports me throughout the pre-, on-, and post-tour continuum so that I can contribute to my students' learning before, during and after the tour. The educational value behind each and every tour is so apparent that our school supports elective courses built around Smithsonian Student Travel tours. They always go above and beyond the "trip" experience and allow me to create what I like to call, "the ultimate lesson plan."
    —Mike S., History teacher, North Carolina
  6. Give parents all the information they need
    Parents tend to ask me a lot of questions, and I want to be able to give them the best answers. The Smithsonian Student Travel staff has always been great at answering every question I have so it's easy for me to satisfy parents. Parents can also call customer service with their questions. This is a huge help!
    —Matilda D., Massachusetts
  7. Meet often with your students
    The most important thing to have at pre-trip meetings is enthusiasm. It is contagious!
    —Paula J., French teacher, Tennessee

    Psychologically, it's key to hold several meetings prior to departure to build anticipation and excitement. We review tour details, learn about the places and we'll visit and prepare for any differences we might experience.
    —Mike S., History teacher, North Carolina

    I have a meeting with my group and go over the dos and don'ts and what-to-take lists that I've developed. I stress to them that they need to have a good attitude and be open-minded to changes that may arise.
    —Rosie R., 7th grade teacher, Texas
  8. Build your upcoming tour into your lesson plans
    I always prepare my students for what they will be learning. If they study the Lincoln Memorial before we go on tour, actually being there becomes that much more significant for them. From the very first meeting with my students, education is my primary focus.
    —Judy K., Special Education teacher, Iowa

    My Smithsonian Student Travel tour consultant gives me ideas and materials that I can expand upon in the classroom. In my United States' History class, for example, we just finished a unit on the American Revolution. Every day, I played Yankee Doodle for my students as we were starting class. At the end of the unit, they wrote their own lines to the song, based on their class trip to Washington, D.C.
    —Mike S., History teacher, North Carolina
  9. Get free PR from the local paper
    Parents love to see photos of their kids in the local newspaper. Every year, I put the best photo of my class trip group in the paper, and I submit an article about our trip. Parents see that and want to send their kids on the next trip because they'll have their picture in the newspaper.
    —Lillian B., Biology teacher, Illinois
  10. Take advantage of the professional development opportunities
    The fact that Smithsonian Student Travel is now offering credits to teachers is phenomenal. Traveling with Smithsonian Student Travel provides far more valuable tools for teaching than any staff development courses I've attended.
    —Bob J., Social Studies teacher, Florida

    Smithsonian Student Travel's accreditation is excellent—it boosts enrollment! Educator credits are great. I will definitely take advantage. It's an exceptional opportunity for the teachers and students.
    —James W., World History teacher, North Carolina