Cross-posted at Ed Leaderweb
Giving Back?
I am for increased accountability in education. I think it is guiding us in the right direction. I see the value of state “super” tests and the magnitude they hold. Is it perfect? No, not by any stretch of the imagination. The question that hits me is what are we trading off for this increased emphasis on accountability?
One of my goals as an educator is to teach our children to become productive members of society. My main goal is to increase their achievement levels in all subject areas. I also see the glaring need to guide them to appreciate the importance of giving back to society. I show the students that no matter how little they may have they can impact the world.
Many of our students do not see community service first hand. They are missing out on the rewarding experience of giving back. As educators, I think we owe it to our kids and society to expose them to the world of community service. I am not suggesting we require students to simply log 40 hours of service as a diploma requirement. This is what happened to me in school and it did nothing of benefit in the long run. We need to expose our children to exciting and engaging activities for the purpose of helping others, not fulfilling a requirement.
What can we do as educators to increase the involvement of our students? What if the students do not have the means to give? How do we find the time with the increased pressure to perform well on a test?
What can we do to increase authentic involvement?
If service learning is a requirement for graduation, the students will manage to complete the required number of hours. I was a teacher and assistant principal in a high school for 6 years and we had 100% compliance. I also suspect that many of the hours recorded were simply just recorded. To engage our students, we need to offer a variety of ways for them to become involved. The school also needs to place true importance on giving back. If we offer a variety of choices that connect with students and place value on the projects, students will gravitate towards giving back. If we simply assign projects the results will be vastly different. If a student is not passionate about saving the ______, do not force him! Let the students choose from a variety of issues.
What if they do not have the means to give back?
I think this is the most important component. I have worked at two schools and both have a high percentage of low SES children. These are the kids I want to reach. They need to know that giving back does not always mean writing a check. I am sure organizations love just getting a check, but there is so much more that needs to be done. In fact, most service learning projects are not about the money (at least not the student’s money!). When students form a group with the goal of giving back there are many, many things that need to be done. We need people to raise awareness for issues, contact government officials, visit those in need and so on. Give each person a role and let them flourish. Their own money is not necessary!
How do we find the time in our already crowded school day?
School wide service learning projects are my favorite. The majority of the work will be done before and after school, but we can use bits and pieces of the school day. We have worked with The American Cancer Society over the last 6 years at both of the schools I have worked. The Relay For Life is a great way to get our kids involved. Student clubs can create their own ways to raise awareness and money for the ACS. Individual classes can create ways to join the fight against cancer. Some simply raise money and some become public advocates for the cause. Some students want to help but are extremely shy and/or have not been exposed to giving back to the community at home. These kids can take a small role; stuffing envelopes, asking businesses for donations, helping set up for the car wash etc... Through a little hard work a lot of dedication we have donated over $120,000 to the ACS over 7 years!
One of our students at the high school had been involved with the project for a few years. She was very dedicated, much more than most people. This past year she was the chair for the entire city’s Relay For Life. Quite an accomplishment for a 17 year old!
We need to focus on creating global citizens. If we plant a seed of giving back in each child, I think we are on the right path. If we do not expose our students to the benefits of authentic community activism, they may miss out for good. I have seen first hand what a bit of inspiration and persistence can do for our students. Will it take time? Sure. Will it take planning? Sure. Is it worth it? Ask all of the people and organizations that rely on us for support. Even in the age of educational accountability, I think it is drastically important that we teach our kids the importance to give back. Will it show up on our school report card? No, but we will be making the world a better place.
Mike Waiksnis
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