Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1035650
on doors, because it will break if they leave and once students are back inside, they can't replace it. ere may be friction among students from constant togeth- erness. But a bigger problem is parents who sign up to chaperone, then complain about the accommodations and food. It's best, she says, when parents stay home, so their children experience independence. "Being away from parents is a good thing, because kids get a bit of freedom and learn practical life skills, such as using the 'Tube' in London, reading a map and learning how to budget when they are given $10 for lunch." Rankins not only travels free; she earns points with EF and has received free teacher appreciation trips to Rome, New York and Boston. "Being a chaperon e i s a w onder ful exp erience," says Rankins. " Students benefit so much from learning about the world that it's 100 percent worth it." Kristy Jimenez took students to Cuba this summer, where they had the unique experience of being guests in private homes. "Our hosts cooked for us and talked with us; it felt like a more personal experience," relates the photography and animation instructor at Palos Verde High School . "Even better, there wasn't an internet connection except in town pla- zas, so kids could not be on their phones." Jimenez, a member of the Palos Verde Faculty Association, says the trip allowed students to connect with Cubans through shared interests in photography. " We traveled throughout Havana and th e countryside making friends and taking their photographs. We saw an old sugar plantation where slaves lived. We enjoyed salsa music and dancing. During the eve- nings, students participated in photo workshops, where they reflected on pho- tos taken that day and learned how to improve their skills. Now we are editing and selecting the best photos from Cuba for an exhibition at our local library." She describes the experience as reju- venating. "Chaperoning is a great way for teach- ers to 'reset.' It can give you the energy to start the next year with a fresh mind and attitude. I love seeing students learn in a different environment. It's inspiring to see them immersed in another world." Students don't need to go overseas to be transformed by travel, says Colleen Taylor, a teacher from Bieber, a remote rural town in Lassen County. " We meet people from all over the planet and make friends we otherwise wouldn't make – who we continue to be friends with and learn from, thanks to social media." — Natalie Valles, Hemet Teachers Association Natalie Valles' Tahquitz High School students with one of the giant buddhas in Japan. 22 cta.org Feature Kristy Jimenez with Palos Verde High School student Beatrice Cabrera in Vinales, Cuba this summer. Natalie Valles took her students to Japan in 2017.