Talking Points #5

Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer
"In The Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning"

1. "In addition to helping those they serve, such service 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--all goals of current curriculum reform efforts."

- I think that when a person does any act, small or large, to help someone else less fortunate, it always boosts their confidence. Doing good feels good. Also, by having students choose what they want to do as a service learning project, they get to explore their interests and decide if that what they want to possibly do in their future. I think that service learning is important for enriching the student's education and personality.

2. "Mr. Johnson explained, students would interact with those less fortunate than themselves and would experience the excitement and joy of learning while using the community as a classroom."

- This made me think of my own experience with service learning. Ever since I was little I knew I wanted to teach. Now that I finally have a chance to be in a classroom trying out what I've always wanted to do, I am so excited. Also, I like watching how the teachers I work with teach and how the children respond to what and how they are being taught. I feel like watching gives me the knowledge and experience that I need so that I can decide for myself how to run my classroom when I am in the field.

3. "For example, a music director at a middle school we studied wanted her suburban, upper-middle-class students to perform at a nearby elementary school in a poor neighborhood. Some of the middle school parents objected, saying that they were concerned for their children's safety."
...
"After they returned, the students' perspectives on these elementary school children changed"

- This directly reminds me of how I was feeling when I found out that we were going to be volunteering in Providence public schools. I already had a judgment build up in my mind. This is because I have spent most if not all of my life in middle class schools. I was very ashamed at my judgements when I actually started going to my tutoring sessions. I was wrong to assume and we all know what assuming does...

I did not really enjoy this article. It was one of those readings that I find myself drifting off into thought while I continue scanning down the page. Then I have to go back and reread, the cycle then repeats itself and I have to reread the same page over and over again. I did understand much of what the authors were trying to say however, the way it was presented was boring. I prefer stories over data and research.