This paper was not the usual type of Educational Learning that we have become accustomed to in this class, but still just as important in its message and content. In the opening message the question is asked, "In the service of what?" this is an issue that does merit the attention of teachers, policy makers, and academics, who take seriously the idea that learning and service reinforce each other and should come together in America's schools, as suggested by the authors of this article.
To begin with, I like how first we defined the three type of service learning;
A] Community Service - when you do something it makes you feel good.
B] Service Learning - applying academic learning to the real world
C] Advocacy - The highest level of Community Service.
I personally have engaged in Community Service in several areas;
A] On every Earth Day, I work with other volunteers and clean up parks,
river banks, and anywhere else we need to clean up trash and discarded tires.
C] I work with different Veteran's groups, both with time and money on a
regular basis. I attend and financially support all of their efforts with one of my
brothers, Senator Dan Issa, both Wounded Warriors, Operation Stand Down.
We do this, in part, to give back to the organizations that helped my nephew
who came back in 2004 from Iraq, where he served with the 115th Military
Police, and had one of the worst cases of PTSD that they had ever seen.
B] Now in class and from our Inspiring Minds tutoring, we are learning about
the third type of Service Learning, in that we apply the lessons in class and
from our readings and discussions on applying this academic knowledge into
the real day by day world. Since we are volunteering our time, it not only makes
us all feel good about ourselves, but pays us back in real life experiences with
the students that we are tutoring and interacting with. I agree that this is the top
level of the three types Service. I have enjoyed and learned more than I taught.
The Moral, Political, and Intellectual Domain
Just as the difference between change and charity may provide an important conceptual
distinction for those analyzing service learning curricula, it is helpful to distinguish the moral, political, and intellectual goals that motivate those who support service learning. Those goals below;
MORAL POLITICAL INTELLECTUAL
CHARITY GIVING CIVIC DUTY ADDITIVE EXPERIENCE
CHANGE CARING SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TRANSFORMATIVE
EXPERIENCE
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The above Moral shown differentiates between the two types of relationships. Giving, which is charity is simply the donation of money. I personally give to Crossroads, St. Jude's for Children, Disables American Veteran's, MS, and several others due to distance from their headquarters and events.
The second type shown is caring; in where the relationships that you form are closer, as you are not just writing a check, but giving a more important commodity; your time and your heart. I have done various Walks for Cancer, Bike Rides, and helped man the Exhibits for 5K Runs for Events. This is the most important thing that you can do. With me it is all about the Veteran's. I have seen it in my own Family and it affected me deeply. Now I both donate money for these causes and if locally held I will also attend and help out in the various booths. This has impacted me deeply until the day I die.
Under Political, I actually quit going to Bryant College in 1974, in order to help run the campaign of
my political science professor, Vincent "Buddy" Cianci. This was not based on any real "caring" but in a selfish motivation to see someone get elected whom I believed in and knew would transform the beaten down city landscape into a Renaissance City. We succeeded and I got a job as Special Assistant to the Mayor. But my motives were both civic and selfish, and not charity or caring. It is very interesting that the same person is running for mayor again, but for my own selfish reasons, this time I chose to sit this one out.
I think it is crucial that you defined the differences between charity and change because so often people are accustomed to using them interchangeably when really they are so very different.
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