Who is ILG?

International Learning Group (ILG) School is a non-profit, International Baccalaureate (IB) Continuum School in Prishtina, Kosovo. In fact, we are Kosovo’s first and only IB school and are proud of the footprint we are making as Kosovo emerges as Europe’s youngest nation. Originally founded in 2004 as an international school with only a Primary division,  ILG has now grown to include a Secondary division and is fully authorized for the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP).  

We began the IB PYP journey in 2019 and after two years of practice implementing the Standards and Practices and being authorized in May 2021, the 2021-2022 was our first year of fully engaging in all aspects of the program. Our Early Years team has collaborated this year in a Professional Learning Community to find ways to build professional knowledge and understanding of the impact of the best practices inherent in the PYP, and this Spring Field Trip was a culmination of our exploration of inquiry-driven real-world experiential learning.

This blog gives an insight into the field trip organized by two Early Years teachers. We had EY1, and EY2 classes that were learning about two different Central ideas and Lines of Inquiry, such as EY1 was learning about Living and Non Living things, and EY2 was learning about Plants and other living things. 

We planned this field trip for many different purposes: to provide first-hand experience, stimulate interest and motivation in science, add relevance to learning and interrelationships, strengthen observation and perception skills, and promote personal (social) development skills.

Prepare with the Students

Before going on this trip, EY1 and EY2 talked a lot about their expectations. We showed different pictures of children being on a bus, about the park related to our lines of inquiry, and we read books pertaining to plants and animals related to our central idea and things that they could see outdoors. We talked about their inquiries and new perspectives and asked them to predict what they might see or do there.

Engaging Students

EY1 focused on living and non-living things, the requirements to stay healthy and grow, their characteristics, and our responsibility for the well-being of the living things. This field trip was designed to enhance what our students are taught in the classrooms. Many children are visual learners, which means they will retain information and understand concepts when they come face-to-face with the experience. Our common goal was to let students touch, feel, and experience things closely so a visit to the park was the perfect idea for all of us.

Different from EY1, EY2 was focused on plants. What plants provide for us and other living things. Students explored what was found that could be used as food for animals, the structure of plants, and the differences between them. During this field trip, EY2 students discussed the impact of humans on plant life and how we can take care of our environment.

Here we are sharing some of the questions relating to our lines of inquiry, that helped us get a better understanding of this unit while we were outdoors. 

The Adventure

This field trip was the highlight of the year for Early Year 1 students. They all had a fantastic time being outdoors. It provided rich exposure to environments and vibrant locations that reinforce what our students learned in the classroom. 

Additionally, this field trip was necessary because students could engage with content in various ways. The visit to the park was a big help for the students who struggle with traditional learning and can feel competent and confident. Once we returned to school, the trip they took could serve as a touchpoint for an entire unit.

Early Year 2 had a fantastic time on their trip to the Italian park, a city park. During this field trip, EY2 learned about ecosystem diversity, and the vital habitat plays in a healthy community. Students experienced science exploration and enjoyed hiking through the beautiful Italian park. Activities and lessons explored the topics of habitats, life cycles, and transformations. Students discovered how adaptions help plants and learned how seeds travel depending on their knowledge.

Reflection

They could not wait to return to the classroom and communicate all the unexpected plants and creatures we learned about. We have been comparing the park to the school garden and looking at the different plants and animals. It was brilliant for the children to practice all those learning experiences in real life. In science, we have been comparing the plants found in the school with the plants found in the Italian park. We experimented with the park and completed observational drawings of the different plant types we discovered. 

During this field trip, students found various evidence connecting to their learning in the classroom. They found different plants, animals, and pine cones. They could compare living and non-living things and see the difference between the plants and their environment. It was an incredible collaboration between the classes. They all shared the evidence they saw there and the inquiries they had. 

The educational importance of field trips can be seen in the ways in which field trips encourage different methods of developing understanding of the world beyond the classroom. Many students are visual learners, indicating they are more likely to keep information and understand ideas face-to-face. Entertaining visual and hands-on learning methods via field trips can also create confidence for students who stumble to engage and understand in a standard classroom setting. School trips allow them to have more autonomy to learn without as many limitations or expectations.