Learning Aboard the Floating Classroom

What is a popular field trip today in London was once called 'school' for many children back in the 1930s.

The Grand Union Canal in London, was a major waterway during the Victorian period about 200 years ago. It also was a host of a floating classroom. The classroom was created for those children back then whose families worked on the canal, giving them an opportunity to go to school one day a week. Today, it is now a popular activity for classes to attend and to learn about the history surrounding the canal.

"The children who come on the boat don't really understand what the canal is. They either think it is a river or they think it is a sewer, because everybody throws their rubbish in," said Michael Moritz, the education manager on the West London Floating Classroom.

The Floating Classroom is a project run by the environmental charity Groundwork Thames Valley. It is used to teach kids about the canal and the surrounding area, enriching the deprived neighborhoods along it.

As kids board the Elsdale II, they don't realize how old it actually is. "It is quite a shock for them when they come on the boat and find out it's over 200 years old," said Michael Moritz.

One of the things they learn is the importance of the Grand Union Canal. The canal network back then can be compared to a major highway system today, or the "M1" route in London. And as they go along, the children play a series of games and quizzes to learn what life was like living and working on the canal.

The change of scenery helps kids actually want to learn. For kids with poor attendance records at school, this was a way to get them to come to school. "We've been trying to engage their parents and get them more involved, said Mrs Das, teacher of a middle school class. "It's certainly worked today because they have all turned up for the trip."

To read more about the Floating Classroom,click below.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-10702473