Service Learning

Quotes:

"Educators who emphasize change would clearly also value the educational benefits of this approach" (pg 6)

This quote is pretty straught forward. It is very true that if more schools and teachers participated in service learning, they would see a huge change in their students. Students who have the ability to get out and view the "real" world tend to open their eyes and realize that there is more to life than they think they know. Service learning would allow there to be more conversations in the class room. It would allow for better conversations between students and teachers.

"This curriculum highlights the explicitly political nature of service and community action, teaches meaningful skills in a systematic manner, and intergrates these ideas with academic investigations." (pg 10)

My second quote speaks about Katherine Issac's curriculum that demonstrates a more common type of service learning. Issac's curriculum is something that you would see in a school today. Educator's are pushing to have everything and anything that they can connected to something in the classroom. I think that by connecting what we learn to another lesson in the classroom, it reinforces the idea of the original lesson.

"These statements testify to the transformative power of service learning experiences. The effect could be even greater if students discussed the possible causes of these rumors and their impact." (pg 12)

This last quote comes after a series of quotes from children who participated in service learning. The kids talked about how the experience wasn't as bad as they thought it was. This quote that I chose shows a way to turn the reflection pieces into something greater. It gives the idea to expand the reflection and helps to open the minds of students.

*If anyone is interested in doing extra service learning here is a website that gives RI organizations: http://www.riddc.org/servicelearning.shtml

The website also talks about highschools and how they incorporate service learning/community service!