Sad to say, but as my children have grown older, it is harder to find times when our whole family can be together. This week, we were fortunate to schedule a mini-vacation in and around New York City. We had a great time seeing a show on Broadway, walking all over lower Manhattan, and experiencing a wide range of culinary treats. Throughout the visit, we noticed the significant difference between life in New York City and what life is like in New Hampshire, which led to conversations about what it must be like to live in New York.
Our family is lucky to have the opportunity to travel and to experience a way of living that is different. It is my belief that experiences such as this help me and my family to better understand the world in which we live. When I used to teach 6th Grade Geography, I would frequently tell the students in that class that if I had unlimited resources, their class would be a yearlong trek throughout the world experiencing the places firsthand, that we could only read about or see in movies. While technology has allowed students to experience more of the world without leaving the classroom, it can never replace actually “being there.”
In the wake of COVID, BHS teachers are once again taking students on field trips with increased frequency. In the future, I envision opportunities for BHS students to travel outside New England – perhaps even internationally. For now, I am excited for our students to, once again, have the opportunity to experience learning beyond our campus.