One of the Benefits of Homeschooling: The Fieldtrips

One of the Benefits of Homeschooling: The Fieldtrips

I remember when I went to school, that in at least one of my classes of the year, a teacher would announce that we were probably going to be able to take a field trip.  The field trip would be related to something of study and there would be a number of hoops that we would have to figuratively jump through to make it happen: everyone behaved for the assigned amount of time prior to the experience, enough chaperons would volunteer for the ratio of kids going, and the list of things went on.

But fieldtrips are a different animal when it comes to homeschooling.  As a homeschooling family we don’t have to worry about having enough chaperones—it’s the same chaperones for our activities…but the number of kids going tends to be the variable.  You see, my kids have a tendency to offer our fieldtrip adventure to their friends, some of which are homeschooled and some that attend public school.  And I’m always excited about how many of our fieldtrips fit right into what we are learning. 

Take for example last night’s fieldtrip to the Desoto Super (Motor) Speedway.  (And, yes, I called it a fieldtrip.)  To those that do not homeschool, I imagine that they would just consider this an evening out with the kids.  But for us, and with my kids in the beginning stages of an automotive course with their dad this year, this was a great opportunity to see the epitome of automotives in action.  In just three hours of watching various events, the learning opportunities were endless:  why the cars are set up differently depending on the weather;  comparing and contrasting a figure 8 car and an oval car; contrasting 3-speed, 4-speed and automatic transmissions;  the importance of alignment of the car; weight transfer; camber, castor and wedge set up; how mechanics (even those that are only week-end warrior mechanics) need to be proficient  in such things the quick change of a rear-end, a transmission, and tire changes, along with the ability to diagnose on the spot motor and car set up problems.   

Besides the direct automotive educational benefits of going on such a field trip, there are also the secondary learning (life) lessons: sponsorship; promoting your car, driver or team; sportsmanship; working together as a group (of teammates) to brain storm solving an automotive problem. 

And who says that a fieldtrip has to be all work (or educational, in this case) and no play?  Certainly not us!  It was a lot of fun to watch the qualifying process and the heat races of the cars themselves.  I, myself, could not help to cheer for a particular car or two throughout the night!  And I expressed a couple of “awwws” when the drivers of my car choices were cut off in a turn.  But for me, I think the most fun event of the evening to watch was the school bus racing!

Even though our last fieldtrip is over, we have already planned our next couple automotive fieldtrips: Citrus County Speedway (circle track racing) and the Bradenton Motorsports Park (drag strip). 

–Rebecca Miller