Field Trip

Today I experienced my first ever field trip with my students. I have tried (and failed) many times to take students to the Holocaust Museum in Dallas. After all sorts of ridiculous problems, we were finally able to make it a reality.
Nineteen at-risk 10th grades (from age 14-19) gave up their "Christmas Movie Day" today to instead go to the museum. They were so excited. We loaded the bus and headed to Dallas.

My students just finished reading the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel. So many of them read ahead in the book, and most say its the best book they have every read. Some say its the only book they ever actually read. A few ask if they can have a personal copy.
We were blessed to hear a survivor speak. As we waited anxiously, we talked about how this is probably the only time they will hear a survivor. We discussed how their children won't have that option because the survivors are aging. My only pregnant girl on the trip proudly proclaimed that her daughter is getting to hear a survivor. I smiled. We talked about how when her daughter learns about the Holocaust in school, she will probably be the only one that ever had that opportunity, even if there is no way she will remember it.
Max Glauben shared with us. His story was amazing.(See it on YouTube link at end of this blog)
We combined with another school, with about 50 students of their own. My students listened, most with wide eyes. One of my favorite students, lets call her Julie, was the only one bold enough to ask any questions after his talk. She asked how he was able to stay alive with so much discouragement. Glauben shared about his faith helping him persevere. I was so proud of her.
His talk was about an hour and one of my most difficult students looked a bit bored. Let's call him Mike. I was disappointed because I thought he had tuned out. But then Glauben mentioned his tattoo, explaining how inhumanly it was applied. Mike is a tattoo artist, and his attention was immediately captured. After the talk, Mike was the only student brave enough to ask to see the tattoo up close.
Mike and I had some issues this term. He had been so disrespectful to me and our substitute, so I told him he could not go on the field trip. When we finished the book, he begged me to let him go, offered to pay his own way, and wanted his own copy of the book to read again. I gave in.
Today, I almost cried when he came up to me to tell me about seeing Glauben's tattoo. He said "Thank you so much for taking me, miss. This was a really amazing experience." I have never heard him so genuine.
As we made our way through the really small museum exhibits, my students spent SO much time reading and listening to their audio guides. I am not very good with museums and especially audio guides. I think they did better than I did. They took photos and asked me questions. They learned so much even though the museum was small. On the way back, they were hungry and rowdy, but after about 10 minutes, they all fell asleep :)
As I looked around at them sleeping and recalled their comments to me all day, I was so grateful for a chance to be part of this experience. Most of them will remember this experience the rest of their lives. They knew I fought hard to be sure the field trip happened. I have never seen such impact or gratitude. I am so blessed to be a part of shaping their lives.

Do or do not, there is no try

What horrible advice! I don't consider myself a student of Master Yoda. Although I think he's kind of cute, his "wisdom" isn't always wise. For some reason, I seem to follow his words.
Sometimes its easier to "do not" than to try and fail. I find that I will avoid trying new things. I would rather have the hope of success and enjoyment later than the failure now. If I don't try, it might still work someday when I do.
A silly example...every now and then they come up with new "low protein" food choices. (If you don't know, I have a special diet I need to follow). I will order the new product and when it arrives, admire it from a distance. Occasionally, I will examine the packaging. It takes weeks to build up the courage to have a taste.
The most recent was "low pro" hot dogs. I love hot dogs, but I am not really supposed to eat them. The "low pro" ones looked great and I was excited to try them. As soon as they arrived, I packed them away. They spent a month in the freezer. I would see them and have hope that perhaps I had found an alternative to hot dogs - that I could bring them to summer BBQs and maybe everywhere else I go. Finally, one day I had nothing to eat in my cabinets, so I gave in and tried one. It was probably one of the most disgusting things I have ever tasted! I once again had no hope of a "low pro" hot dog. So was it better to live with "hope" in suspense? Or to know the truth (that they were indeed DISGUSTING!)?
January of this year, I heard of a medicine that could change my life. I quickly signed up for the program. I was told I would try it right away. After months of insurance problems, phone tag, and misunderstandings, its now December. I might finally get to try it. And it scares me. For a year, I have had hope that it will work. I am so excited about what life could be...so much less guilt at meal time and so much more ejnoyment. In just a few weeks, I will either have a different lifestyle OR go back to my hopeless hot-dog-free diet. Somehow, the unknown seems more comforting than the truth. But I know that if I don't try, I will NEVER be able to enjoy hot dogs, pepperoni, and cheese guilt free. Do or do not, there is no try? I think not. I am ready to know the truth!