Welcome

Welcome.  My name is Kirstie. I’m a college student in my second year of Spanish.  As a class, we were given the assignment of completing a service learning project. The project took place over the course of the semester from January until May. We were given several options to choose from.  We were to pick one of those options and complete it once a week, each week. At the end of each session, we were to write a journal entry. I chose to help ESL students learn English. It was mainly Spanish speakers, but there was one British English speaker. This is dedicated to that journey. It discusses and captures my feelings, struggles, goals, and revelations. I hope you enjoy reading it.

                                                                                                                                                                                Kirstie

Article # 1 on Service Learning

The two articles I read were Service learning: The next generation in education and Why Service Learning is bad. Service learning: The next generation in education it mainly describes what service learning is and how it works. The article talked about how service learning is different from internship, cooperative learning and volunteering. It explained the two components of the service learning program. It brought out the learning styles that are presented through service learning.  Also, it brought out the beneficial aspects for the students besides academic learning. Why Service Learning is bad had a very different view of service learning. Why service learning is bad  states that service learning doesn’t really help the most important groups involved, the agency, and the community. In fact the article emphasized how the needs of the agency and community come last. The article talked about out how service learning is based one idea; anyone can serve, and how that view can lead to harmful kind of service. This article brought out how service learning is limited, and it needs a solution for the future in order to head in the right direction. I really like the article Service learning: The next generation in education.  This article was very informative and gave me a good understanding of what service learning is. It also was very positive. I didn’t agree with the article Why service learning is bad. I felt this article was too negative and bias on it views. I feel it should have show a positive side of service learning too.

Article # 2 on Service Learning

The article I chose to read was Reaching Beyond Borders Through Service Learning. This article was a teacher’s experience with incorporating service learning with in her classroom. The article talks about the three groups that benefit from service learning project: Latinos students in public school ESL, universities Spanish students, and university professors. The article brings out how public schools are unable to handle the rapidly growing population of Spanish speaking ESL students. It suggests one professor can provide the schools with a flow of regular tutors. It states not only the obvious benefits to the Latino children and schools, but also the professor and the student. The students improve in their Spanish skills, experience motivation in their study of language and cultures. The professors can embrace this opportunity as a public intellectual. This article goes further to explain the objectives of the course which include skill, content, and reflection. It sums up by saying the success of the service learning depends on our willingness to rethink the borders that contain: limits, isolate us as students, professional, and human beings. I agree with this article. I believe that service learning does affect those three groups. The students are the one participating in the project but the teacher also benefits. The ESL students definitely get the help they need. I also agree with what the author believes the success of the service learning depends on. If we aren’t willing to go passed our limits we will never grow. Service learning definitely pushes our limits.