Service Learning - A Gift

For the past eight years or so, I've tried to involve my students in some form of student learning. When I was an L.A. teacher, we had a whole project that culminated in students doing service in the community and getting at least one other person to join them in doing that service. A wonderful project that bubbled with the excitement of students working in a multitude of self-selected ways in our community.

Now that I'm a S.S. teacher, it continues to be essential (perhaps more essential) that I continue this legacy.

Well, today, we were able to engage in our first service learning of the year at Northern Illinois Food Bank. The students really stepped up to the challenge and embraced the work we did along with the brain work that followed as we considered our places in the world and how helping others remains the right, essential thing to do.

But, the real gift continues to be the momentum of doing good and doing right.  This carries students through to the next time and the next.  While volunteering can be a gift to those in need, the emotional depth of an experience like this carries many students to a new level of understanding of themselves and the world.

So, thank you, Northern Illinois Food Bank, for opportunity.  The rest of us need to get out there and keep trying to do more and do better.