Going to the Museum

Many schools arrange field trips for students with the goal of connecting art or history in the real world to their studies, and that is often the thought behind arranging to visit a local museum. The displays are much more real to students than the information they read in their school books, and it can make a huge impression that will last throughout their lifetime. This is the hope of educators, but students often come away with different impressions.

While a work of art can be enjoyed by people of all ages, students have their own unique views on what they see. A painting by an old master might illustrate an important leap in the world of art, but a student might view it as an old picture someone sold at a yard sale. They will not necessarily see the conceptual nature of the piece, and they might instead focus on the fact that the canvas looks worn. While it is not the view the educator might have planned for them to have, it does at least strike a chord within the student. Making a different connection is what the trip is all about, so at least it is a success in one way.

Students usually see things differently than adults, so it is little wonder that they will focus on the less educational factors of the trip. The transport to and from the museum might be more exciting for them, and they will have a chance to learn more about traffic and neighborhoods than about fine art or history. This should be seen as an important part of their learning experience as well as the goal of the field trip. Educators who can appreciate the additional learning experience are in tune with their students.

When all is said and done, the students will learn something from their trip. If the adults learn something about the students as well, then the entire outing to a museum is a complete success.