In The Service of What?

In The Service of What? By: Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer 

Extended Comments

This week I have chosen to do a blog post using Katie's blog for extended comments. An idea Katie stated which stood out to me as well is when Dewey discusses his support of the service learning system and encourages students to take part in said services. Dewey shares he not only stressed the importance of these practices to enforce a student's personal abilities to contribute to a democratic education but to implement change throughout schools as well.  The idea of this being distributed through the assignment of a senior project is dominant in many schools now. In Katie's blog's points so share, she shares her personal enjoyment with completing her services in ways that relate to her personal life and career choice. She has worked in several different school communities with elementary and special education students. This is a prime example of how somebody's desire for their own life plan can be incorporated with helping others besides herself and provide many new opportunities to come.  

Comments/Questions/Points to Share

Just like many others discussed in their blogs, Westerly High School required 30 community service hours and the completion of a senior project as well. I was able to receive credit for the hours through marching in parades for the town, wrapping Christmas presents for families during the holidays and other acts among those lines. The senior project required students to help the community but looking back I realized that sole rule was not enforced as much as it could have been. For example I instructed dance classes for our school's football team and my version of helping the community was to benefit our local football team. While this was true, who was it really helping? Was the assistance that beneficial? What else could I have done to further benefit a wider group of people? Many other students did projects like this as well. When I was younger, my parents made me go to our town's local food and clothing shelter and volunteer every week. I was young and I didn't want to go. When I stopped going back I felt like I did miss it and looking back I realize it was a great thing to do at such a young age. I am also very interested in involving myself in more community service in areas that I feel personally connected to, such as volunteering at Westerly's local animal shelter or Mystic's Aquarium because humans aren't the only people who need a little extra love :)