Service Learning - Reflection

The article In the Service of What? The Politics of Service Learning by Joseph Kahne and Joel Wertheimer defines service learning as "Making students active participants in service projects that aim to respond to the needs of the community while furthering the academic goals of students". I choose to make this blog a reflection considering both of the service learning cases discussed in this article  essentially share the same goal, to give to the community and have the community give back to us in some sort of way. 

The first type of learning service is "Serving Those in Need" where students can choose the type of service learning they wish to participate in that engages in the community. 

Ms. Adams, a middle school teacher, took a different approach to service learning with her students. She had her students identify common issues in the community for her students to research and to be more knowledgable on these issues.

All of us in FNED are fortunate to be given the opportunity to take part in the service learning project in a public school, many of which experience issues such as poverty or minority. As I am speaking for myself here, but I feel like this service learning project has opened my eyes to many different things, some of which are internally and about my community. So far, this service learning opportunity has made me apart of something much bigger. Although that is what I plan to do in the future, it is nice to be able to feel this way while still being a student. I am able to see and pick up on things that I may wish to do when I am a teacher. By taking part in this project, I am able to help these students that do not have the best home life. Many of which I have already built connections and relationships with. There is a bittersweet feeling knowing that even though I only spend roughly two hours a week with these children, I am still making an impact in their lives. Relating this back to the article, I feel as though anyone interested in some sort of community service/ service learning can do research on their own about the issues that interest them. Actually going out into the community, making relationships, and physically trying to make a change can be more impactful on not only the community but on yourself as a volunteer. 

Questions/ Points

Does anyone else feel this way? Im not trying to get real deep about it, but I feel like there really is a difference when you actually put yourself out there and try and make a difference. Its a different type of reward. 

Does anyone else find themselves favoring one service learning case over the other?