In my class this week, we were given three articles to read and summarize by what the article was about and then I summarized about what I thought was important in the articles. The three articles were all concerning the idea of Service Learning. The articles were about the same point but were also different in how they thought it should be handled.
The First article was How to Reduce Student Dropout Rates, by the Monitor’s Editorial Board. This article was addressing Service Learning by stating that it would be helpful if they had it involved in schools to help teens stay active in school and how Service Learning can prevent dropout rates from increasing. One thing that they said that was important was that Service Learning bridges school work to the real world and it keeps them better engaged in learning. Another statement was that adding Service Learning to school programs would be a promising strategy for prevention of dropouts. My opinion on this article is that dropout rates in high school are much higher than they should be and that schools need a better method of prevention of dropouts and I think Service Learning is a effective way because it gets students involved with people and their communities and it’s just a better way to learn than sitting in the classroom. Also with high school students being under pressure of many forms, Service Learning can give students a second chance to get their education and to help others out that really need it.
Service Learning More Than Just a Fad, by Star Tribune was my second article I read. This article also addressed Service Learning in schools but it’s after the fact that it was already put into schools and students were already getting involved. This article’s main point was that Service Learning is all for the common good. Do more, Spend less was a statement that they had said about service learning simply saying do more for other people rather spend money on yourself. Service Learning is also a way where faculty can get involved with their peers and community. My statement on this article was that Service learning is a way of problem solving that involves a higher learning. It deepens your learning by engaging students in situations they normally wouldn’t be a part of. It makes a connection with the student and their community.
The last article I read was; Serve or Fail, By Dave Eggers. Egger in the article explains lives of college students and how they have time for different activities like Service Learning. One point he makes is that “College is too long”, which makes college students uniquely suited to have the time to benefit from getting involved with others. Also he states that colleges should require Service Learning for graduation. He mostly is trying to say in this article is that college students do have 4 or more years of college and they should do some good in those years other than work and sports or parties. And college students can get real world experience by getting involved with organizations and can even make a difference in some one’s life. I think by students engaging in Service learning it would have a profound effect on them and steer them in the right path. Another thing I should say is that college should give credits for service because by doing that they will get students involved and it will change twice as many people’s lives besides only one or two people trying to do it alone.
Overall, these articles are trying to point put the fact that Service Learning can be a great impact on anyone’s lives, people who volunteer or the people we are helping. Either way someone’s life is getting changed for the better. It’s better for schools, peers, and the communities we live in. I think everyone should be a part of Service Learning and make a difference in any way they can.
