Teachers - grow up and admit when you've not done your homework

Click the image to play your own School Trip Bingo

I was surprised when a teacher rocked into the room I was working in, and in his loud opening sentence he whacked three sweeping and inaccurate facts in, one after the other. For instance, we can't FIT "the entire collection" in that room, so telling kids that is what they are looking at is grossly misleading. 

 I feel like I'm whining a lot recently about pushy or dumb visitors. However, I do feel gifted with prize specimens right now, and this one has bigger issues behind it.

All the information the teacher was confidently wrong about can be read on our website (on a single page thereof) and on the text panel by the door (which he was stood beside) 
So Why hasn't he done his homework?

Click the read more link for a plea to educational staff, and some ideas to help with visits... 

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Teachers who act like this really disappoint me, as their behaviors informs and molds their students in ways far beyond the immediate and obvious. To realize that your source of knowledge and world understanding is content to do no research (or not retain that information) and then authoritatively spout assumptions, opinions as fact, and outright lies must be quite jarring. Imagine the impact this has when the students spot the errors and inconsistencies; as it then raises questions about previous and subsequent information imparted

I know that the time available to educational staff is often very stretched, and off site visits can be nightmarish to co-ordinate and run in the lead up and on the day - but please set the example.

• Allocate some time, even if it's just to find out that there's masses of information and cherry pick a couple of facts. 
• If it's too broad, out of your range, or out of your timescale, ask the venue for help - many sites have packs, or can provide a flyer or a few specific handy pointers, or even answer likely questions  in advance. 
• Cheat and tell the kids that they have to check the labels and signs for information BEFORE they ask you, as that then gives you time to skim read them too. 
• If you don't know, find out rather than make it up. Be honest about opinion vs fact "I don't know for sure, but because of X, I think Y. What do you think?"
• The labels don't give the answer? Find some staff, or get the kids to make a list of questions that can be asked later, perhaps even emailed after the visit.
  

Please, when visiting anywhere, act in the manner you would want your students to act were you to set them the homework to plan and run a visit. You wouldn't expect them to know everything, but you sure as heck wouldn't want them to generalise, assume, lie and mislead.