Kahne and Westheimer- "In Service of What?"

In this reading, Kahne and Westheimer began to distinguish the differences between charity and change. They explain that charity is based around civic duty and the "joy of helping the less fortunate". It involves giving back and volunteering. Change is reinforced around critical reflection that promotes social reconstruction. It also involves caring more for others and struggling together for change.

I believe service learning should be focused more on change. Policy makers and legislature is concerned more on the amount of hours a student volunteers, but they should shift their attention to promote critical reflection on our social environment. "Giving" emphasizes the social difference within the individuals volunteering and the "less fortunate". By calling them the "less fortunate" we cast ourselves away from them and consider ourselves as different or maybe even privileged. "Caring" however, promotes a view that both individuals are equal and should work together for social change. I believe it is important to break the barriers and stop separating ourselves from one another. When we see each other as equals, we are able to see our act of volunteerism as meaningful. Having a purpose behind service learning can help establish long term relationships and encourage students to continue to participate. Rather than feeling good for helping others, we begin to feel important and on a mission to work on something bigger than ourselves; social reconstruction. This feeling of awe is more impacting than that warm feeling we undergo when we do something good.

Volunteering at The Met has been quite the experience. For the most part, I consider the experience to be enforced by change. Watching how this non-traditional high school functions has been an eye-opening experience. I constantly see myself comparing The Met to my high school and how different things would have been for me if I was a student at The Met. I evaluate the opportunities I would have had if my school involved internships for me to participate in. I also reflect on how we can implement parts of the curriculum at The Met to other public high schools in Providence. I am interested to see how schooling will evolve in the future and I believe The Met is a great school model to implement on other school districts.This is a chart describing The Met's model and principles under which they have designed their curriculum around.

What do you believe is more important, charity or change? Do you have any examples or experiences on service learning? How has it impacted you?


This is just a short video providing some service learning experiences with undergraduate students and their own personal views on what service learning is. http://youtu.be/jcBMDm4m68c