Field Trips from the Other Side

Something I always enjoyed about school was the day we got to miss for field trips. It didn't matter why; band trips, honor roll trips, etc. Teachers could not be mad at you, because you were not skipping classes. You were simply at an off-campus school function. And it was glorious.
So today we went on our first field trip.
What I learned from ALL of my education classes is there is nothing worse than field trips. Kids scream and run and you want to pull all of your hair out and basically quit your job the very next day.

 

But I, like the students, thought missing a day but getting credit for being there sounded like an awesome plan. And we were going to see The Dallas Brass, which I wanted to do anyway. So we took our sixth and seventh graders and got them on the bus. Immediately, I knew we had to lay down the law. I stood up and told them that if I was standing up, they were silent, because I would not stand up if I did not have something important to say. I got this line from my co-operating teacher. She knows how to get a bus full of students quiet, so I knew she would never steer me into disaster. 

Sure enough, the bus was silent, and except for a couple of times of reminding some students to lower their voices, we were set and ready to go.

THE CONCERT. WAS. AWESOME.

I almost expected it to be a little bit boring to the students, but the guy entertained like no one else. The students kept looking back, as if to say "Are you seeing this too???"

                          

They clapped, they recognized the songs, they heard the crisp clean tones, and ate up every second of it. It was fantastic. And even though it was very chilly and pouring rain, it was worth the damp hair and runny make-up to see the kids face when the trumpeter came down to give them high fives. It was hilarious. 

    So ultimately, it was a lot of work. Taking roll, counting heads, spending the whole concert watching them and not the brass, running all over in the rain to make sure I had everyone on the bus. But in the end, the great concert and the looks on their faces made it worth it.

I did learn, however, several things I did not remember from middle school. 

• Kids will eat. Like until they run out of money. So when given the option to choose restaurants, they will get large fries and milkshakes from McDonalds, then a Subway Sub, then a box of cookies from Publix, then gum. I know. I watched it happen. But overall, it did not cause any problem, except the nausea I felt from watching them. 
• Kids will get excited and then not be able to process their emotions, and will exert their excitement by saying weird things like "PI TIMES PI TIMES PI SQUARED PLUS APPLE EQUALS APPLE PIEYEYEYEYE"
• Kids will not do anything unless you ask them specifically. Instead of emptying the rows one by one, it will immediately become priority number 1 to get out of their seat and out of the row before everyone else, even if that is logistically impossible. You have to release them row by row.
• Kids sense of wonderment at concerts will remind you why you got into music education in the first place.

So, today was a lot of fun. Now to focus all of our energy on making sure MPA goes well. My co-operating teacher is in charge for our district, so it's list making and folder stuffing for me!