In The Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning

I really liked reading “In The Service OF What? The Politics of Service Learning”!  I think I enjoyed it so much because it connected back to each and everyone of us in this class.  In the very beginning of the article, the authors state;

…service learning can improve the community and invigorate the classroom, providing rich educational experiences for students at all levels of schooling…such learning activities seek to promote students’ self-esteem, to develop higher-order thinking skills, to make use of multiple abilities, and to provide authentic learning experiences… (pg. 2)

I personally believe that every student should be involved in some type of community service!  I agree with this quote and how service-learning projects do provide rich educational services for students. 

The quote from President John Kennedy stated; “…ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” (pg. 1)  I guess you could say I live my life like this quote.  I have lived a life where I like to put other peoples feelings and themselves before mine.  For all four years of high school I was heavily involved with community service.  I want to include a paragraph that a former teacher/ softball coach of mine wrote as an introduction for a scholarship I was awarded last year in memory of my deceased softball coach;

This year's recipient has gained the very same values of what it means to help people and the joy you gain from it.   Like Megan, she is the type of person who does random acts of kindness without ever looking for anything in return.  At a very young age, her passion for kindness came in the form of helping students with disabilities.  In high school she became a representative of the Project Unify Youth Activation Committee where she promoted respect, dignity, and advocacy for individuals with disabilities.  She organized the first annual High School Project Unify Plunge which raised $5000.00.  She also devoted countless hours of her personal time to the SHS Life Skills program, unified sports, the Smithfield Challengers Little League, and Special Olympics.

I gave my life to community service.  I did all these things out of the kindness of my heart.  I never looked for anything in return.  One of my goals in life has been to touch and affect others peoples lives. 

The video that Ana posted made me tear up.  That short little video explains all the emotions that I have when I help people.  “What he does receive are emotions.  He witnesses happiness.  Reaches a deeper understanding.  Feels the love.  Receives what money cant buy.  A world made more beautiful.”  I have felt every single one of those things.  Just by making someone’s day brighter, makes the world I live in better.  The smile that you see when a student who has disabilities gets when they make a basket or hits the ball during a game, makes you know you are doing something right.  Just to be part of that students life can change them forever.

I want to be a teacher because I want to leave a positive mark on a child’s life.  I’ve done that with students in my high school.  I’ve done that with the children I watch at the day care I work at.  I do it now in my service-learning classroom.  Just to see a child’s reaction when they get the right answer is the best feeling in the world.  Knowing that you were able to help them doing something they weren’t able to do before is amazing.  Children will always remember those little things. 

Just by doing these little things, students will be able to better themselves and grow and mature into better adults.  That’s why I believe everyone should be able to do some type of service learning project.     

unified volleyball

Challengers Baseball 2013

Special Olympics High School Polar Plunge

Unified Basketball

Challengers Baseball 2014

Senior Prom with Bryan

Graduation with Fred, helping him accept his diploma