My students have completed several "service learning" projects. This term is obviously loaded and political. I wont get into my feelings about it. However, I will say that children's insights about the world are more priceless than the money that their cute faces can raise. They will speak with compassion about dying animals in backyards or people a world a way. Interestingly enough, they never mention homeless people they might see as they walk down the street. Then again, there are not too many homeless people in Playa Vista. And many of us are trained to ignore "those people" anyway. However, I do love their curiosity and concern, and how you do not need to trick, beguille or beg them into action. Its easy and its organic. Makes me think how me miss valuable opportunities to embed service in daily living, as children are so adaptable to the concept of helping others, even as they are selfcentered in their developmental stage according to Piaget.
Why am I writing on this? I don't know. I feel like some of the activism that was such a part of my college life is such an after thought now. And maybe if I knew how to better integrate service into my daily life, and maybe if my students did also, it wouldn't be an afterthought.
If you're interested in being proactive, check out http://www.tapproject.org/volunteer/
help kids without water.
thats all I have to say.
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