Seize the Educational Moments: Questions for Reflection After a School Trip to China

Right now is the first week of school after spring break. I asked my students, who participated in the China Trip during the past spring break, to reflect on their experiences by answering the following ten questions. Since teachers usually serve as chaperones on school trips, they make school trips special by taking advantage of all the educational moments on and beyond the trip. Having the students reflect in depth their experiences shortly after the trip takes place is certainly one of those educational moments. I hope these questions can help other school develop similar questions for their various school trips.

1. What did you learn about yourself on this trip?

2. What challenged you about living with a host family? What did you learn from living with a host family?

3. How would you compare the four schools we visited in China?

4. What surprises / cultural differences challenged you to think about your own biases?

5. What did you find in common between "your" culture and Chinese culture?

6. What Chinese words/phrases did you learn on the trip / from your host siblings?

7. What did you learn about Chinese culture (family relationships, family values, school culture, social interaction, Confucianism, history, etiquette,etc.)?

 8. How do you think you can help raise international and multi-cultural awareness at Riverdale?

9. How do you think you can contribute to global collaboration in the future (in your studies, work, humanitarian work, environmental conservation, economic development, cultural exchange, etc.)?

10. What was the best/most fun moment on the trip?

 In fact, these questions were sent to both students and chaperones (myself and my colleague included). After collecting all the responses, I plan to videotape participants for some of our responses. Other responses will be shared in writing. All reflections, photos, and memorabilia from the trip, will finally be compiled into a China Trip photo video, so that we as participants, and everyone else, can always relive our beautiful memories together.