prompt #3

I spent a great deal of time in the fourth grade classroom after my first session. I wasn’t sure I could make it through at first, but I knew more than anything that I wanted to be a teacher and this was a stepping stone to achieving that goal. I was with the class for 4 or 5 sessions and the kids had really grown attached to me. It was hard to ask to be switched to another class, but I knew it had to be done. I really wanted to make the most of my experience and the game-oriented setting wasn’t stimulating to my academic needs.

Previous to starting our service learning my FNED class dedicated a period to learning about what we were in for. We were taught a lot about phonics, for the reading buddies, and about the upside down triangle. It was really eye-opening to hear about how many students needed extra help in these classrooms, but nothing could ever compare to actually encountering it. When I was in the 4th grade class there were some students who could barely read. I could read an entire book in kindergarten, and didn’t think that was abnormal. Struggling in the 4th grade.. that was devastating to me. I wanted so badly to do everything I could for them, but there just wasn’t enough time. They spent ten minutes, if that, on homework every week and I did not feel as if I could make any type of change in that amount of time. I approached the director and asked for a different classroom, maybe younger, and definitely one that was a bit more studious.

Our teacher had us read Kahne and Westheimer’s article “In Service of What?” to prepare for our service learning experience. Kahne and Westheimer explained that there are two different types of service learning experiences, which they called the charity model and the change model. Their understanding is that a lot of students will willingly volunteer their time if assigned, but simply attending their assigned destination, doing what they are told, and going home will not make any substantial difference in this world. Also, there are many wealthy people out there who feel good about going and helping out those less fortunate than them. They are much like the students, going through the motions because it is the right thing to do. In no way do Kahne and Westheimer believe there is anything wrong with this “charity” but it is certainly not the most productive form of service learning.

The change model of service learning is about caring for those you are volunteering with, making a political social reconstruction where you can, and having a transformed outlook on life when you have finished. To be able to do this one must first critically analyze the group they are to be working with. Why are they in need? What circumstances have put them there? What actions plans are there already or could be implemented to change this? You also have to be able to have a meaningful, reflective component to empower the volunteers and the curriculum. The change model is about changing the status quo and really coming up with solutions. I was determined to have my service learning experience to the same.

When I was switched into the 1st and 2nd grade combined classroom I was thrilled. This was the happiest time for me, because these kids really wanted to learn. They wanted to be able to understand the material they were doing, not just answer it. It was a joy to be able to really dedicate my time to helping these children. Yet, there were still many things they should have a prior knowledge of. Even being so young, they were very behind. It was very obvious to me that in many cases I was teaching these children an entire lesson, not just tutoring them on it. One change that definitely needs to be made is that children in Providence schools should not be given the opportunity to fall behind. There is no excuse for any 4th grader to have trouble reading. Reading is the foundation for every other subject you will ever learn. Many argue that the school can only do so much; the parents have to take over practicing with them at some point and in many cases that is not possible. That may be true, but I believe there should be more help available to make up for that. An after school program could be a very effective means if it was laid out correctly, teachers should have a more diverse curriculum and have a plan B when a student isn’t learning according to their “usual” way of teaching. There are things that can help these students, we just need a more change oriented mind set for it to take effect.