This week’s reading focused on
service learning. This was the first chapter of Cathryn Berger Kaye’s The Complete
Guide to Service Learning: Proven, Practical Ways to Engage Students in Civic
Responsibility. It begins with definition of service learning stating that
service learning is a way to connect the classroom with its content, literature
and skills to aid in community’s needs. The definition continues with six more
points stating that students will:
·
apply academic, social, and personal skills to
improve the community.
·
Make decisions that have real, not hypothetical,
results.
·
Grow as individuals, gain respect for peers, and
increase civic participation.
·
Experience success no matter what their of
ability level.
·
Gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their
community, and society (Kaye, 2010, p.9).
The
next part of the chapter contains a series of questions and answers which deals
with different aspects of service learning. This section is very informational
as well as containing bits of humor as in response to the question “what do I
do if I’ve been assigned to coordinate service learning for my
grade/school/organization” (Kaye, 2010, p.12)? The first part of the answer
says to celebrate; I found that to be humorous.
This
is followed by a section which describes the ingredients for making successful
service learning. Here it is conveyed the importance of all members, the
facilitator, the students, and the community partners being familiar with
service learning strategies. Also, it is stated that the teacher or other
adults are responsible for infusing the standards while it is the
responsibility of the students to focus on progressing through the different
stages in service to.
The
next section gives us these standards which are meaningful service, link to
curriculum, reflection, diversity, youth voice, partnership, progress mentoring
and in need with, duration and intensity. In this section each one of these
standards for quality practices is clearly described. This provides a sturdy
framework for developing service learning.
The next
section provides an overview of the five stages involved in service learning.
These stages are investigation, preparation and planning, action, reflection
and demonstration. This section also provides a clear explanation of each of
these stages. This again provides a clear blueprint for developing a service
learning project.
The
next section of the chapter provides different examples demonstrating the
different service learning projects for different grade levels. The first
example explains how they can food drive which can provide needed food to food
banks was transformed into a service learning project where students actually
provided meals for needy. This idea was expanded with first-graders after
reading Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen
then prepared sack lunches for an agency that delivered meals to needy. Fourth
graders learned about the Irish potato famine and how the Choctaw tribe raised
money in 1847 to help out. The students learned to draw a parallel between Native
Americans loss of tribal land and people today who lose their homes due to
poverty. Middle school students learned about increasing unemployment in the
region and the strain on social service agencies. This led to students learning
important lessons about everything from water food staples to nutrition
information and food groups. Freshman learned about malnutrition and childhood
hunger which led to the promotion of canned food drives as well as creating a
coloring book about fruits and vegetables to give to needy children. In history
a class students read Nickel and Dimed:
On (Not) Getting By in America and were inspired to investigate poverty in
their community through a student design project. A drama class created a
theatrical adaptation of The Can-Do
Thanksgiving for elementary students which launched a citywide canned food
drive. Photography students captured photos depicting the need for food
donation. Choral groups song about homeless and provided handouts with
information. A computer class created a template promoting can food drives
posting it to a website to be viewed by local schools and agencies.
Overall
this chapter provided a very clear and precise description of what a service
learning project should look like and provided a clear outline on how to create
one. I found one of the most inspiring aspects of this chapter where the
sprinkling of inspirational quotes which gave meaning and credibility. I felt this
gave the chapter and extra dimension.
I feel
that a meaningful service learning project for this community which elementary
students could be involved in could be in befriending senior citizens in a
local senior community center. Students could write short stories that they
could share with the individuals in the community center. They can also be
involved in a clothing drive to get lightly used sweaters and jackets donated that
they can also give to needy seniors. I think however one of the most important
parts to ineffective service learning project would be to provide direction and
have the students decide the actual details and how they wish to carry out the
project.
References
Kaye, C. B.
(2010). The complete guide to service learning: Proven, practical ways to engage students
in civic responsibility. Minneapolis, MN: free Spirit Publishing Inc.
