Airports Are Classrooms

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COVID-19 has grounded flights and laid off staff.
Airports are big classrooms, but no big deal to kids that fly all the time to  Spelling Bee competitions arranged by public schools, visit relatives in Atlanta, go on vacation to Port Louis, Mauritius or regularly pick up mom from the airport after her business trip to Milan.

Most schools have field trips, a great learning tool, especially for kids whose parents don’t have cars. Even if they do, we cannot assume that they’ve been to airports.

Canada and the U.S. have affordable vehicles they use to go to work, take kids to schools or just take drives on the excellent roads, but not all parents have taken kids to the airport for lunch or to watch planes take off.

You don’t need a car to go to the airport in most countries in Europe. For example, if you live in London, the underground will take you to Heathrow Airport.

Still, not all kids are exposed to airports because most of them are situated out of town. Airports occupy a lot of land for runways, parking for all those planes, shuttle buses, towers, and many buildings needed for aviation.

Airports are big classrooms because they have examples for every subject. Take ARRIVALS and DEPARTURES for example, the first thing kids will see on a field trip to the airport. The electronic ticker tape tells kids about many things, besides saying that the plane from Buenos Aires has landed.

Teachers should encourage kids to absorb the airport environment especially people. They will notice flight crews, pilots and flight attendants in their uniforms, without a hair out of place. They might notice people wearing religious clothes or tattoos on their faces.

Lunch. Some airports have restaurants or cafeterias where you can sit and watch planes land or take off. Others don’t. That watching is very educational because there’s a lot happening down there. Planes are not the same size and they have different colors because they are from different countries. Airport workers. Back in class, teachers will discuss the workers’ responsibilities.

PREPARATION
Teachers should get in touch with the PUBLIC RELATIONS or GUEST SERVICES of an airport and tell them about the intention to bring the kids. Most airports will be happy to meet teachers and take them on a tour, before the actual field trip.

Who knows, the airport might even arrange for visiting the cockpit and meeting the pilots.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.


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