By the time you read this, you and your child will have probably laid in a fresh load of school supplies, registered for classes, and gone through the first of the new school year jitters. As the class schedule is reviewed, perhaps the most important “class” to think about, is the one that is not there. That “class” would be service learning. While this is a voluntary program at Ecker Hill and Treasure Mountain middle schools, this could be the most valuable activity in which your child ever participates. The obvious benefit of helping the community is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what community service does for those served AND for the student doing the serving, yet I am amazed at how many parents seem uninterested in promoting this activity with their children.

Service learning is neither a new concept, nor a complex one. It is simply the act of performing a service to benefit the public while applying the experience to foster personal and academic development. During the last few years it seems to have made a strong resurgence in schools across the country. Many schools require service learning, not just of the older students but also of all students Kindergarten through 12th grade. For colleges service learning is a key part of their decision making when it comes to admissions. When one looks at service learning for what it truly is, and not just one more activity for a parent to schlep their child to and from, it is not hard to understand why this becomes a required activity. In a day and age when many children are home alone while parents work, are glued to television and computer games, and lack parental support in developing into who they are as individuals, we seem to be experiencing a growing problem with kids perceiving themselves to be disenfranchised from the world around them. We as a nation and world are all too well aware of the negative consequences suffered by all when a child or children feel disenfranchised; domestic violence, school shootings and suicide are all too common amongst our youth.

While not a cure all, service learning is an incredible tool. By definition it benefits the public locally and globally. That alone is sufficient reason for participating in service learning, but it is what it can do for the child doing it that is truly mind-boggling. Imagine being able to foster values such as caring, integrity, equality, honesty, responsibility, and restraint. Want more? Okay, how about creating a positive self-identity in terms of personal power, self-esteem, sense of purpose, and a positive view of one’s personal future? Imagine the rush of discovering that people of all ages and backgrounds can respect you, and that you are a genuinely valuable resource to not only the local community but the world as well. And if you still want more, the social skills alone are well worth the effort to have your child participate. With service learning, children learn how to organize and plan, how to follow through, how to prioritize, how to relate to adults and those from different backgrounds, and they learn responsibility, as well as leadership skills.

How does all of this make for happier kids and better students? Children who are not connected to the world around them tend to develop a very low self-esteem. They feel they are not in control of anything they do, they have nothing in which they can take pride, and they tend to take part in high-risk activities. According to various studies kids who take part in service learning are less likely to take part in high-risk activities. Learning that they can be of value to others is a powerful incentive and self –esteem builder. As one 11 year old from Wyoming put it, “You know you’re part of the community. It makes me feel warm inside.” (http://news.communitypress.com) Participating in service learning enhances the academic learning. In many classes students learn about people of different races, cultures and ethnic groups. Service learning takes the kids out of their egocentric world and challenges them to step out of their comfort zone, increasing their self-confidence and skill sets, while broadening their background knowledge, and expanding their view of the world and their place in it. The skills listed in the previous paragraph are all essential to being a successful student. Being successful increases the students’ internal desire to continue doing well. Service learning also provides a wonderful authentic learning experience to augment the school learning by giving it substance and meaning.

Authentic learning, the application of what is learned to real life situations, is becoming more and more a part of a school’s curriculum, which is what makes service learning such an important addition to any school’s curriculum. As a teacher in this district, I know that Park City teachers are being trained to make authentic learning a regular part of classroom activities and assessments. As John Glenn stated in the introduction of the National Committee on Service Learning’s final report, “To me service-learning can be summarized by the ancient saying: “I hear, I forget. I see, I remember. I do, I understand.” (http://learningindeed.org/slcommission/report.html)

When Ecker Hill first started promoting service learning two years ago, I only had a few students in my advisory class that took part. I was very disappointed, but glad that those few seemed to take away a new understanding of themselves and what they were capable of doing. This past year I only had a few students who didn’t take part. The presentations the students made in April about their projects kept me smiling. I was so proud to hear the students not only describe what they had done, but to see the light bulbs go off as they realized that they had done something good, that they had left a positive mark on the world and on the people they touched, and that they alone had ownership of what they had done. That is a knowledge and sensation that is instrumental in being successful. When asked what they had learned, I was thrilled to hear most of them say that they learned that they should start in the summer and continue all year long. They truly had had fun despite the fact they started their project thinking it was just one more “dumb” chore. (For more information on the state curriculum go to http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/lifeskills/index.htm)

Service learning requires only desire and commitment. What is done can be as simple as making colorful placemats for a Ronald McDonald house or performing for senior citizens, as kindergartners from the Laurel School in Shaker Heights, Ohio did, to the extreme of working in a third world nation helping doctors administer medical care, as a former Park City high school student did. This is one activity that is for everyone no matter the age or skill set of the individual. Parents, think about doing a service learning project of your own, or work on one as a family. My husband and I have found working for the Park City Film Series to be quite rewarding and a wonderful transition to empty nesting. Besides, it’s a terrific way to become more of role model for your children, and to strengthen the bond between family members and your ties to the community. Try it you just might like it.

So, with the start of the new school year, I encourage parents to get involved if only to support your child in any way necessary to get them to participate in service learning. Also, don’t wait until the middle school years to get them involved. As soon as they are able to do arts and crafts projects they are old enough to contribute to our global family. Who knows with buy-in from the majority and all those people working together, world peace may not be such a pipe dream after all.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 14th, 2007 at 6:40 pm and is filed under Arts & Culture, Education, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.