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.

Concerns

My concerns with the service learning project are not being able to communicate effectively in Spanish. I’m concerned with that because I cannot communicate effectively in Spanish. I can’t always think of the word I want to say. I also can’t speak in complete sentences. My reactive time for responding is very long. I can’t think that fast. My other concern is not being able to teach English the best to students. I speak English but I don’t always speak proper English. What if I come across a grammar rule and I can’t explain it? Will I look undependable if I ask for help? I’m concerned with not having the right attitude and conducting this project just to get my need out of it. I know that there is option to teach a class Spanish math. I wanted to learn how to speak Spanish better. I was thinking about myself. However, I had to learn to think about the students. I learned from our discussions that service learning is about the needs of the students. I can’t speak Spanish really good. Could I really reach students basic math in Spanish? I couldn’t even remember what the words for add and subtract was in Spanish. I really have to consider and think about the best option for the students and not for me. If I didn’t do the Spanish math option I had an attitude about teach English. I didn’t want to but I had to change my attitude. My last concern is that I won’t get the most out of this project. I believe my attitude could stop me from getting the most out of the project.

Goals

My goals for the service learning project are many. I hope to become more open minded. I want to learn as much as I can.  I am not excited at the fact that I could possibly be teaching English. I need to be open to that option because it could be very beneficial itself. I hope to understand what service learning is. I have the textbook definition of the word, but I want to truly understand what service learning entitles. I believe this project can help me understand that. I hope to understand the struggle of learning another language through another person’s eyes. I know from my own personal experience how hard it is to learn another language. I want to see it from others experiences

Concerns/ Fears of the class

January 25, 2012

As a class we discussed our concerns and fears. They are as follows:

1.       Not knowing/understanding subject area

2.       Not being able to explain effectively

3.       Having right attitude/right deposition

4.       Not knowing/ meeting course objectives

5.       Not knowing/meeting the objectives of the students.

6.       Not having a good relationship with instructor

7.       Not meeting instructor’s expectations

8.       Miscommunication

9.       Whether or not to create more personal relationships

10.   How you are perceived

11.   Pre-conceived notions/stereotypes

12.   Nobody will want to work with me

13.   Meeting the requirements of the project

14.   Using the language properly and when necessary

15.   Level of student (variety)

Our teacher gave us the following suggestions to help deal with the fears:

·         More than likely you will know more than the person you are helping

·         Goal is to understand material

·         They won’t know if you make a mistake, if you do go and correct it

·         It’s our call if we want to make personal relationships

·         Be professional /get through the homework first

·         Need to decide how I want to present myself

·         Make sure I’m prepared, know before I go in

·         Go in with material, prepare work for an hour and half

·         Ask teacher what they will go over

·         Miscommunication is going  to happen, recognize body language

·         You can’t control what someone else says but you can control how they see you

·         Remember you want to be as happy as you can be, be in the best mood possible

·         If you are not in a good mood and if you tell them they will try to tell you about theirs

·         Not knowing the objective you can be aware by talking with the teacher  or with student

·         Not meeting the objective if you are in a class it’s the teachers responsibility

·         Recognize meeting the objective will take time

·         If you are not comfort will your teacher tell the coordinator

·         If you don’t come forward then that’s your fault

·         Have a conversation with the instructor to see what they want you to do how they want you to do it and if there is something you should change

·         You got to be able to take criticism

·         Have the right attitude

·         It will happen people will not want to work with you. You can’t please everyone

·         Let them be don’t let them wreck your time

·         As long as you start early enough you will meet the requirements

·         You will make mistakes with language but it’s all about how you react to those mistakes

·         You will come in contact with a lot of levels of students

·         Keep positive

February 29,2012

Today was my first day in class. It didn’t start out so well. I was late. It wasn’t my intention I just didn’t plan time right. I came in when Ms. Austin had already started. She said it was alright I had come late. I still felt bad. I don’t want to give the service learning students a bad image. Anyways, I was so nervous. She said that I could sit where I wanted; either by her desk or on the side next to the students. I decided to sit next to the students. When I made that decision, I thought of the students. I wanted them to be comfortable with me. I felt that if I had sat next to the teacher I would have felt like a teacher’s pet. I would have felt like I was trying to seem better than the students. I wanted them to see me as their equal.  When I first walked in, I noticed there was another lady sitting in on the classroom. The lady was sitting a seat next to me. She was another ESL teacher. Ms. Austin explained that sometimes teachers sit in on other teacher’s classroom. I don’t remember her name. I was too worried about myself. When Ms. Austin saw me, she said she didn’t know if I was coming; so she just plans class as if I won’t be there. Her statement kind of made me feel bad. Did I come off as undependable when we first met? My tardiness definitely didn’t help put me in a good light.  Whatever the case, she told me that I was just to go around and help others with their board sentences. The lesson plan she gave the class was to write the words she wrote on the board into sentences. I thought it would be real easy. The lesson actually tested me as to what was proper English. I decided to get up and check and see if anyone needed help. I thought my class was all Spanish speakers, but there is one lady who actually speaks English. She speaks what Ms. Austin said is British English. She got confused as to why “yesterday” comes at the beginning of a sentence and not the end. I told her it would sound better grammatically to put it at the beginning. She got frustrated and put her head down. I felt awkward. I didn’t know what to say. I thought I had made things worse for her. All I could think to say was it will be fine don’t give up. I decided to go help other students. The question then passed in my head of: Am I capable of being a good teacher, or will I make it worse? Will I be horrible? I gave it a try to walk over and see if I could help any of the Spanish students. I only had time to make it to two classmates. I had checked their work. They were pretty much done. Ms. Austin called for volunteers to put their answers on the board. After board work, Ms. Austin broke them into groups. Ms. Austin said the week before they talked about the different services that were offered to people. Today, they were to write what each service can do of us as individuals and a community. Post office, library, and court house are some examples of the services mentioned. Ms. Austin said I could walk around, give suggestions to those who needed help, and look at their suggestions to see if they work. A lot of the groups consisted mainly of Spanish speakers. I remember helping this one group and one of the ladies in the group talked about the service of school. She told me the school helped arranged for her son to be in programs that help him because he is ADHD. I know she was just using that as an example, but she really touched me with that information. The fact she would share not knowing me, touched me. After we were done, with the assignment Ms. Austin introduced me to the class. She told them I would be helping the class. She told them I was in a Spanish class and asked me to speak Spanish to them. I was shocked and nervous. I had just spoke English. I wasn’t thinking in Spanish. I didn’t know what to say. I told them my name is Kirstie. I was 21 and nothing else. I could wait to sit down. Even though it was just the first day, I was able to start seeing how others deal with not being able to speak good English.

March 7,2012

Today was better. I arrived a little bit earlier. I arrived before class began. I was excited. I didn’t know what today would consist of. They started off with board work again. Ms. Austin was wrote sentences on the board, but they weren’t in order. She told the class they were to put them in order. I notice she spelled Illinois wrong but I don’t know if I should say something, I didn’t want to put her on the spot. I just kept quiet. Everybody makes mistakes. The good thing is that they speak Spanish so they don’t know if she is making a mistake. Instead of walking around and helping each group, Ms. Austin assigned me to just one group. It was the group involved with book 3.  I didn’t know really know what to do. Ms. Austin said to just help where they need help. I was nervous. When they were working some got off task, I was trying to bring them back to the work. Some were working faster. I had to kind of split them up. I told the ones who were working faster to go ahead and move ahead. The other members of the group were stuck on writing everything that happened. It was a little overwhelming because there wasn’t any order really. I hope I can get better at this.

March 14,2012

Today I arrived almost right on time. Ms. Austin was already starting class. She was dictating and they were writing. I felt bad for being late. Ms Austin wanted me to read those sentences. After she was done reading, she had the students come to the board and write the sentences on the board. For the most part, the students got them right. There was a couple who didn’t know how to write the word right. One guy wrote “health” wrong. He left off the “h.” It’s understandable because in the Spanish language you don’t hear or sound out a “th.” I don’t even think it’s written in that language. A woman got the word “weight” and “way” confused. It’s easy to see how that could have happened. Especially since if it’s being dictated, and the teacher didn’t put emphasis on the “t.” There are a few more new faces I don’t remember from last week.  Ms. Austin told me that generally no student comes on time. After 20 minutes usually everyone is there.  So, Ms. Austin stated she will always start with some board work, for the first 20 minutes, to give everyone a chance to get there. Today, Ms. Austin announced they will be typing on the computer in the lab. They would be typing some paragraphs they composed the week before. This would take place during the second half of class. I was just there during the first half. So, during the first half we did book work. Ms. Austin told me I would be helping book 3 again. There are three books in class and usually book three is behind.  It is usually because they work at different paces. Ms. Austin wanted me to only have them discuss where it said “discuss.” They will be wasting time and take up too much time if they write everything. I know my group did that last time. So, it was my goal to keep them on task and have them discuss. Ms. Austin explained that it was better for them to speak rather than write the answers. This is because they would be able to learn faster. I understand that.  Based upon my own personal experience, I feel better speaking Spanish because it helps with my nerves. Also, it helps with pronunciation. Today, we had a new guy in our group. His name is Miguel. He is very good when it came to speaking. He can work quickly. Everybody was more on task. Jumi and Veronica still want to write because it helps them. I didn’t tell them they couldn’t. They were a little behind but not as bad as the time before.

March 21, 2012

Today, Ms. Austin assigned me to work with the group of book 2. I was unease because I never worked with this group before. I didn’t even know the people in the group. The students I met in the group were Francisco, Veronica, and Marie. I know there were a few more people in the group, but I couldn’t remember their names.   The lesson today consisted of a lot of reading and speaking. I didn’t know where to start because I didn’t know levels of the group. I did know they all spoke Spanish. Even though this group all speaks Spanish, they don’t try to use Spanish if they don’t know the word like some of the other people did in the book 3. This group a little bit more apprehensive about speaking. Francisco was very nervous. He didn’t want to speak loud. His voice was shaky.  Anybody coming over could just feel the nervousness. I could relate. It actually put me at ease to see they were nervous. I know that nervousness they felt. I feel that when I try to speak Spanish. I feel that nervousness because I don’t know if I’m pronouncing the words.  I decided to tell them I understand in Spanish. I said, “Yo entiendo mas espanol mas or menos yo hablo.”  I was trying to tell them I understand more Spanish than I speak. They chuckled a little. It could have been because they realized that I understood everything they had been saying in Spanish. It also could have been because I may have said it wrong.  After that I had to leave.  I was unease to go to a new group, but this project is about helping the students learn English. I can’t just stay with one group. I have to willing go outside my comfort zone. In regards to this project, today’s experience made me more open to trying to speak Spanish. I realize that I’m not alone in my feelings.  Spanish speakers experience nervousness when speaking a different language from their native tongue.  It brings me comfort and strength that I am not alone.

April 4, 2012

Today I got to work with the group of book 3 again. I’m not going to lie I was happy. I am comfortable with them. I have already worked with them. They know how I am. I also know how they are.  Ms. Austin wanted me to keep them on task today.  This group is very dramatic. They are in the same book, but they still are on different levels of speaking. They can all understand though. They are very smart. They tend to leave other members behind though. Some members are concerned with writing down everything as we go despite if we are just discussing it. This slows the group down. I was trying to keep them all together. The best option was for all of them to take turns reading and answering. Today, Jumi didn’t really want to respond.  I haven’t had a student not want to respond. I didn’t know what to really say or do. I knew, in generally, Ms. Austin would ask the students if they wanted to read and if they didn’t she wouldn’t force them. So, I wasn’t going to force her; but I didn’t give up on her. Every time we came back around to her, I would ask if she wanted to participate. Finally, she did. I didn’t know what specifically was wrong with her. I wanted to ask, but I didn’t know how personal to get.  The aspect I love about this group is that even though the Spanish speakers outnumber the English speaker (5:1 ratio), they still help each other. When Jumi wouldn’t answer or when she was quiet, they would encourage Jumi. Out of all the groups, they are the strongest in team work because they are willing to go out of their comfort zone. The Spanish speakers tried to speak English in order to help their fellow classmate. However, there are times they speak Spanish.  I have to remind them to use English. Veronica is one of the students who used Spanish a lot. She is not one of the strongest speakers in English. If she can’t think of how to say a word quick enough she is prone to just speak in Spanish. She knows I understand Spanish too. It doesn’t help her if I speak back in Spanish. I try not to and remind them to use English. Jumi is good at reminding the group also. Whenever they slip into speaking Spanish she yells, “English please.” It’s amazing to see how this group bonds.

April 11, 2012

Ms. Austin warned me the week before that today’s class maybe light. Many of the students had children. The children’s spring break was this week. The women didn’t have baby sitters so they had to stay at home.  Well, she was right. There were only a total of five students. Ms. Austin started the class differently today. Today we were going to read some stories. Before we read the stories we were going to look up words that could be problematic and define them. Ms. Austin said I could help explain the meaning of the words. It wasn’t bad. The words weren’t terrible. One example of the words was prophecy. The one word that was hard for me to explain was species. I had no clue how to define that. My definition I gave to them was a cousin of animals. They are the same kind of animal. I used dogs as an example. There is the animal dog but dogs are broken into different types.  I said it was like a family. Cousins are related, but they aren’t immediate family. Ms. Austin said although I struggled with that word, I did well with explaining it.  When dealing with a big group, it’s hard to balance the students. I wanted to give everyone the same amount of attention and help. I wanted them to help each other, but they were kind of separated. Well, Jumi, who could speak English, was by herself.  I had to make sure I wasn’t being bias and spread my help around.  After defining all the words, we read the story as a big group together.  Ms. Austin went around in the circle and had each of them read a section of the story. After wards, we answered the questions to see if they knew the answer. I liked the way class was conducted. I felt the class was together as oppose to being separated.  I asked Ms. Austin how I was doing, if there was anything she wanted me to do differently. She was happy with how I taught. She said I look for different ways to teach and that I understand them. She also said I am very patient.  

April 16,2012

Today in class for board work as a class we had already discussed what is appropriate and inappropriate at school. Today’s lesson plan was what is appropriate and inappropriate at work. We branched off into groups. It wasn’t the regular book group. Ms. Austin count off the students by fours. There were four groups of four students. Ms. Austin said that I could just walk around and help the groups with the suggestions. Ms. Austin said that they could use ideas from their culture as to what is appropriate or inappropriate.  So I walked around. The first group asked me how you would say when a person is not respectful. They asked would it be unrespectful. I knew that didn’t sound right. However, I couldn’t think of how to say it. I was nervous. My mind drawing a blank. I just told them yes. I still get nervous when they ask me questions as a group. I get nervous because I feel they look to me for answers. I feel like they expect me to be knowledgeable. I am also nervous that I will say something grammatically incorrect. I found out later that it was disrespectful.  I felt bad for making the mistake but everybody makes mistakes.  Nobody is perfect. I went to another group. Miguel was in this group and he said it’s inappropriate in Mexico to have tattoos showing. In Jumi’s group, she said it was inappropriate to bring guns to school. She kept saying that suggestion over and over again. I wanted to ask if that is what happens in Nigeria, but I didn’t want to offend and kept that question to myself. It’s very interesting to hear what other cultures allow or don’t allow. What they view as their reality.

April 25, 2012

I was early to class today. There was only one other person sitting in class. It was Marie. Ms. Austin came in. She said there was a work and share fair. It was a job fair and a fair of other things like services. A few more students came in as she was saying that. Ms. Austin said that if they wanted to they could go out and look at the vendors.    They were getting ready to start board work when a lady walked in. The lady said that the ESL classroom could go first and look at the fair. So, we all went to the fair. The tables had jobs, services (health clinics), and information about the school.  Some of the vendors were Aunt Martha’s, UPS, Comcast, etc.  We went to every table.  When we got to Aunt Martha’s table, they were talking about family planning; how to prevent kids. Ms. Austin said that all the women have kids. The fact he was mentioning prevention is irrelevant. I told her they do have other services. I know this because I use Aunt Martha’s. If you have no insurance, they are a good place to go the doctor. The representative never brought out those other services. Ms. Austin encouraged them to go practice their English at each table.  I noticed they gravitated towards those who spoke Spanish. I understand. It’s a normal instinct to go where you are familiar. It’s not easy to want to step outside the comfort zone. When I’m at work, I have heard Spanish speaker customers before. I get the desire to talk to them, but I get nervous and talk myself out of it.  Ms. Austin understood that they wanted the Spanish speakers. So instead of pushing them, she just stated this will be good practice for me. So, I did follow the class and listened in Spanish. When we got to the table about a job, the woman listened out of respect, but they said that they couldn’t take a job because they have family to take care of. We finished and went back to class. Another lady came to say there will be a seminar on fitness at 10:40 if they wanted to go. The class got up and went. It was time for me to leave. So, during my stay there was no class.

May 2,2012

Today there were more people in class. Ms. Austin announced that instead of warm up with board work. They would start with the book work. So, everybody got into their groups. Today, Ms. Austin said I would be working with book 2 today. I have worked with the group of book 2 before. Although, I did forget if it was many people involved with that group. It was only two ladies I was working with today. I worked with Marie and Sandra. We worked out of the grammar book first.  We were working on the grammar rule on a topic I didn’t really know. I didn’t know how to effectively teach and explain it. The grammar rule was changing the “be” verb and none “be” verb into negative. I was confused. Basically it was changing “was” to “wasn’t” and “did to didn’t + base verb.” So, I was trying to explain when to use didn’t + base verb and when it was just was the word weren’t or wasn’t  by itself. I was concerned. I asked them if I was teaching okay. They didn’t really understand at first was I was saying.  Marie answered later “you teach okay. I can understand you. “ I was glad I wasn’t too difficult to understand. Sandra was having more of a problem though. When I would ask her for the answer she would look for an example and give me the answer that way. Usually I accept that, but today I wanted to see if they knew the reason why. So I asked and Marie could tell me. Sandra couldn’t. Later Marie left to take a test, so I was able to work with Sandra more one on one to work on the grammar. I asked Ms. Austin how I could better explain how the grammar rule. She said did involve action. “Be” is the past of “is.” So it has to do with feeling. She also said working the examples would help with the explanation also. After explaining it, I was better able to understand it. I also noticed that they had a little difficulty with the contractions. Marie could say wasn’t and weren’t. Sandra couldn’t say wasn’t or weren’t. 

Letter of Confirmation

This is the letter Ms. Austin provided confirming my participation in this project.

Conclusion

Before I started this project, I had no idea what a service learning project was. When I learned about the project I was selfish.  I thought about what I could get out the experience. I quickly learned this project really had little to do with me. It was hard to accept that reality, but I tried my best to embrace it. As this project evolved, I begin to grow. I begin to become more open-minded. Witnessing the struggle other cultures had in learning another language really influenced my viewpoint. It really helped me mature. The understanding I acquired of myself and other is remarkable. I truly enjoyed participating in this project. Service learning projects help a person experience feelings that can’t be taught from a teacher. I hope everyone gets a chance to experience the benefits of a service learning project.

                                                                                                                                                                Kirstie

Grading Rubic

Grading Rubric SPAN 202 Service Learning Project

NAME:  _______Kirstie Anderson___________________________

Participation in 10 sessions                                                                                          /20%

Individual Concerns/Goals/Article Summaries                                                    /20%

Journal each session                                                                                                       /40%

End of semester reflection/evaluation                                                                   /20%

Total:                                                                                                                                     /100%

*You will not be receiving these back.  If you would like copies, please make a copy for yourself before turning it in.

*I will be presenting at a conference in November regarding the creation of this project.  I would like to use information from your project at my conference.  Please sign and date this giving me permission to use it.  You are not required to sign this.

__Kirstie  A. Anderson_________________________5-11-12__________________                                      __________________

Name