- Be available for an average of 2 tours per month during the touring season.
- Respond to the head guide that you have received the messages regarding the upcoming tour (e-mail or phone).
- If you cannot tour on your assigned date, it is your responsibility to trade with another guide. Notify both head guides about the exchange, including the name of your substitute.
- If the Head guide has not called to confirm your tour one week ahead, please call him/her to confirm.
- TBA (To Be Announced) tours must be assigned at least 2 weeks prior to the scheduled tour date. Unassigned TBA’s will not be considered as a “tour given”. If a TBA is not assigned, the scheduler will notify the head guide who will notify the scheduled guides as soon as possible so that the guides can clear their calendars.
- Any tour that is canceled by the school (weather, emergencies, etc) within 48 hours of the scheduled tour can be counted as a tour given if the guide wishes.
- ON TOUR DAY Wear your name-tag, carry photo identification, your cell phone, the phone number of the school, the teacher’s cell phone number and emergency procedures for your tour.
- Arrive 15 minutes prior to the tour start time in order to receive any last minute information.
- Tell each adult chaperone specifically how she/he may assist. She/he is in charge of the children and is responsible for discipline. The chaperone brings up the rear and keeps the children together close to the guide. If there are two or more chaperones, intersperse them among the children.
- Remind the chaperones that although they are welcome to carry cell-phones and pagers, they MUST be turned off during the tour, unless other arrangements have been made with you personally, before the start of the tour.
- Tours end two hours after the scheduled start time. End your tour promptly at the designated place. Bus schedules are strict. Stay for a debriefing with your head guide. Inform the head guide of any problems so that documentation can be made.
- DURING THE TOUR, SAFETY FIRST!!! Tell the children about the SAFETY RULE: “I am the leader, and
the group always stays behind me.” Be aware of and follow the UTG Street Safety Guidelines. There is no stop on your tour that is so important that you must jeopardize safety to get there. - Should it come to your attention that your chaperone is carrying a weapon, attempt to find another group to join, or call the teacher and ask his/her group to join you. Once you have joined another group, thank the chaperone for his/her help, but ask him/her to leave. Report the incident to the Head Guide at the end of the tour, fill out an “Incident
Report” form and mail it to the President. - Unless the Head Guide has previous permission from the teacher, photos of the children are not permitted on the tour. This is a safety issue for the children.
- Have a plan, but be flexible. Students are active participants. Plan for both quiet and active times on your tour. Be consistent, children can spot indecision. It’s OK to say, “I don’t know.”
- Plan a bathroom break.
- For discipline problems, do not touch children or use force. That is neither necessary nor prudent. During the tour, children can usually be controlled by having them walk with the parent or guide. If necessary, the whole group may take a “time-out”. In severe situations, call the teacher on his/her cell phone and arrange to meet up with her/him. The tour may be terminated and the group taken to the pickup point where the guide stays with the group until the teacher and other groups arrive.
- Involve the children. Base the length of your comments or stories on the attention span of the children. Some are longer than others.
- Be enthusiastic and have fun!!!
(UTG Board, Feb 17, 2016)
