Service Learning (Fall 2014)
Course Description
Students work with the instructor and WLC faculty advisors to research, synthesize, write and present their Capstone projects. Students will also assemble a Graduation Portfolio reflecting how each MLO was met. This course is required for all Japanese, Spanish and World Languages and Cultures majors.
Reflective Narrative
When going into service learning, I was expecting a class where I would be told to go to a school to work with some kids and receive an easy grade. The reality, on the other hand, was an experience where I learned about concepts such as social responsibility and justice. In class we read articles about how to approach service learning, such as when we read an article about the difference between the words "fixing", "helping", and "serving". Before this class, I had never thought about the differences between these rather similar and mundane words, but properly thinking about how you go into your own service learning project is just as, if not, more important than the service itself. "Fixing" or "Helping" indicates that someone needs assistance and you are in a superior position to do so. "Serving" still has those same implications of assisting another. However, the position is not a superior one, but rather, you are in the same level as the person you are working with. This attitude creates an environment where you do not only teach to the students, but also creates opportunities for the students to teach you.
I was assigned to assist the California Partnership for Youth (CPY) program at Ord Terrace Elementary School in Seaside, California with a group of Japanese majors and Japanese international students. My group worked with 1st and 2nd grade students where we taught them about Japanese Language and Culture through planned lessons. Through both the service learning class at the university and teaching at the elementary school, I was given the chance to hone my classroom management techniques. For instance, in order to obtain the attention of my students without them being distracted by the materials they were going to work with, I made them place their materials underneath their seats until I finished explaining. One of my favorite lessons plans involved us teaching about cosplay during Halloween. After doing a short presentation, we then gave them masks of famous characters from Japan (Mario, Hello Kitty, etc.) and allowed them to color it however they wanted.
Students work with the instructor and WLC faculty advisors to research, synthesize, write and present their Capstone projects. Students will also assemble a Graduation Portfolio reflecting how each MLO was met. This course is required for all Japanese, Spanish and World Languages and Cultures majors.
Reflective Narrative
When going into service learning, I was expecting a class where I would be told to go to a school to work with some kids and receive an easy grade. The reality, on the other hand, was an experience where I learned about concepts such as social responsibility and justice. In class we read articles about how to approach service learning, such as when we read an article about the difference between the words "fixing", "helping", and "serving". Before this class, I had never thought about the differences between these rather similar and mundane words, but properly thinking about how you go into your own service learning project is just as, if not, more important than the service itself. "Fixing" or "Helping" indicates that someone needs assistance and you are in a superior position to do so. "Serving" still has those same implications of assisting another. However, the position is not a superior one, but rather, you are in the same level as the person you are working with. This attitude creates an environment where you do not only teach to the students, but also creates opportunities for the students to teach you.
I was assigned to assist the California Partnership for Youth (CPY) program at Ord Terrace Elementary School in Seaside, California with a group of Japanese majors and Japanese international students. My group worked with 1st and 2nd grade students where we taught them about Japanese Language and Culture through planned lessons. Through both the service learning class at the university and teaching at the elementary school, I was given the chance to hone my classroom management techniques. For instance, in order to obtain the attention of my students without them being distracted by the materials they were going to work with, I made them place their materials underneath their seats until I finished explaining. One of my favorite lessons plans involved us teaching about cosplay during Halloween. After doing a short presentation, we then gave them masks of famous characters from Japan (Mario, Hello Kitty, etc.) and allowed them to color it however they wanted.
Mother and Father Appreciation Lesson | |
File Size: | 194 kb |
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Service Learning Final Paper | |
File Size: | 320 kb |
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Final Presentation | |
File Size: | 1699 kb |
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