An obvious aspect of New Orleans culture is jazz and, more broadly, the influence of music on the city. After a survey in the beginning of the year, I realized that 94% of my scholars have a sibling or family member who plays an instrument in a jazz band. After noticing this, I also noticed that only 2 students in 5th grade actually played any instrument. I immediately realized that, although they know someone who plays in a band, they don't see themselves as musicians or able to be musicians. Growing up, I played drums for over 18 years, so music was a large part of my life as well. It helped me get a scholarship to Ohio State! With this knowledge and passion, I realized that I had the ability to push for my kids to have an incredible experience that only a couple dozen of school groups get to have per year.
Preservation Hall and the foundation associated with it have been preserving and perpetuating jazz music in the country for decades. In fact, it is one of the most sought after jazz tickets in the country. At night, hundreds of visitors line up for hours, waiting to get a ticket into the damp and musty creole cottage to hear the band. During the day, however, Preservation Hall gives back by meeting and working with school groups.
This program is rigorous and requires applications and networking on the teacher's part before any school is even considered. As the sponsoring educator, I had to reach out to the director of the program to even receive the application for the trip. Once I reached out, I received the application, which requires signatures from the sponsoring teacher and principal. Upon review of the application, the program reaches out to the educator with questions and essays to fill out relating to why that particular school should be selected. After review of these, approval is either granted or denied. When we got approval, I was required to secure busing and boxed lunches for my 120 scholars for the field trip. Participation is selective, and we were chosen to participate! Because all students deserved access to this field trip, busing costs came out of my yearly classroom budget so that scholars did not have to pay for any part of the trip.
To take kids to such a historic landmark to hear, learn about, and discuss jazz in terms of professionally playing helped to open their eyes about playing an instrument. While they saw a family member playing, they now talked to men and women who grew up in the same neighborhood as them at the peak of jazz music.
This is an email I received from the director after securing the field trip through the application process. It highlights the work that went into securing the field trip.
Pre-Work
Prior to attending Preservation Hall, scholars watched a video on the history of the location and band. They also reflected on who they knew that played music. They thought of the history of jazz and how it influences their lives at home and talked about listening to music in the context of current music and jazz.
Scholar connected jazz with New Orleans "feeling great about itself"
Scholars, like above, knew a bit about jazz and the relation it has to New Orleans, but didn't have the depth or experience they should have.
Video
The following video details trips to Preservation Hall. Teachers go through a rigorous application process to get students to the Hall. When students are in the Hall, they are provided with an intimate setting to speak with world renown artists about jazz and its influence on New Orleans. According to the Preservation Hall website, no recording or photos are permitted inside the Hall, therefore I couldn't get any photos of my students during the performance.
Above is a video detailing what "Kids in the Hall" looks and sounds like. This gives the viewer a clear representation of what my students attended and what it looks like, as there is typically no videotaping or photos allowed inside the Hall.
Parent Access
Part of the access I wanted to give to my scholars was actually to their parents and families. Preservation Hall is so inspirational and unique that I wanted parents to make sure they were able to participate and experience the history of jazz in New Orleans. After the trip, I sent a letter home to parents detailing the Hall and how they could attend a performance.
Student Reflection
After the trip, scholars got to reflect on their experiences and what they learned. Many scholars were challenged from the musicians to pick up an instrument and start to learn. After the trip, our band director had 18 students independently come to him to ask him to be in band. Scholars reflected on how important music was to the city and to their families, and talked about the importance of tradition and carrying a legacy on. Scholars then created action steps as to how they could either become more musical in their day-to-day lives or how they could incorporate jazz into the classroom setting.
Scholar connects that jazz is a driving factor of why people visit New Orleans and love the city.
After the trip, scholars knew that jazz was invented in their city and were able to explain that jazz makes us unique and important to the world around us.
Teacher Reflection
Giving students such a unique opportunity that most kids don't get to have is the epitome of access. I knew that most scholars were familiar with music, but also knew that their knowledge of New Orleans and the importance the city has on jazz and its founding was limited. To give them the access to that knowledge and passion was an incredible experience for me. Students were engaged and excited during the trip. Scholars were asking constant questions, and I could tell that they were tapping into the tradition of jazz in the city that they knew about. The trip began with a performance, followed by a musical history and discussion of jazz in New Orleans. Scholars got to talk to the members about their family members who played instruments, and were given the chance to lead a dance to a song.
When we returned to school, scholars were visibly more excited about music. Scholars who weren't in band wanted to be involved. 18 students spoke independently with the band director to join band class, and a few others noted that they begin playing a family instrument at home. Scholars also created action steps to integrate music into their lives daily.