I recently led an expedition along the spectacular south coast of NSW with a group of Year 9 boys. The journey covered 30km from Dolphin Point to North Durras.
But this wasn't a standard "follow the leader" hike. I framed my briefing so the boys were running the expedition, not me.
From a staffing perspective, we were simply the "safety blanket". If they walked in the wrong direction for an hour? I didn't care. That’s a learning experience. But if they looked at crossing a flooded river? That is my moment to intervene.
The Pied Piper Trap
Too many teachers fall into the trap of "taking" students on a trip. Anyone can blindly lead students around the bush like the Pied Piper. Sure, they see some sights, but there is no actual learning involved.
As an experiential educator, you must let them lead you. This is hard for teachers who struggle to give up control like the guy I saw in a café who insisted on pouring his own milk while the barista stared at him in disbelief. Sometimes, you just need to let go!
Case Study: The Headland Decision
On Day 1, we approached a headland with high seas. I positioned myself at the front—not to take over, but to act as the safety manager and facilitate a dynamic risk assessment.
The boys had two options: a bush track over the headland or the rock platforms below. The swell was powerful, with sets of waves crashing onto the platform.
One "passenger" student, the type who wants everything done for him—immediately said, "Let’s just go straight ahead!". He wanted the fast solution and perceived no risk.
If I hadn't been there to facilitate, they might have walked onto that shelf and turned a nice walk into a coronial inquest.
The Teachable Moment
I didn't say "No." I said, "Wait. Let's run through the options.".
I made them stand and watch the ocean. Within 30 seconds, a massive set of three waves pounded the rocks, covering us in spray. Suddenly, the attitude changed. "We don't want to go down there!" one said. When the "passenger" student suggested running across, I asked, "How exactly are we going to time it with 20 people?" He went silent.
They made the decision themselves: "We're going to go around, Sir.".
Why This Matters for Risk Management
I could have stopped them earlier and said, "It's too dangerous, follow me". But I would have wasted a powerful learning opportunity.
By allowing them to engage in decision-making and risk assessment, they learned to distinguish between a dangerous risk and a perceived risk. For the rest of the trip, at every headland, they ran this process themselves without my prompting.
This is the gold standard of school risk management and excursion safety. Don't just keep them supposedly ‘safe’; teach them how to make safer decisions and this is a skill for light. Use these moments to empower your students to make well-informed decisions, creating a safer culture for everyone.
