Community Service Observation

Describe what did you do at your service site:

At my service site, I was given the vague instruction by one of the teachers to “simply interact with the kids and get out of my comfort zone.” A class was conducting an “outdoors” lessons where students were learn basic math skills like adding and multiplying numbers in the form a game which involved the use of two dice and a chart. At first, I found myself without any purpose, since the students were already given instructions on what to do. However as a observed, I realized it was essential for me to build community with them by taking engagement in their activities and even offering assistance if necessary. I found myself frequently switching between groups of students (as it was a partner

For instance, many of my friends and I thought this volunteering activity will be a waste of time and boring yet when we actually showed genuine participation in the tasks we were assigned, we felt better connected to our childhood and other schools in our community. While the new friendships I had developed in the short amount of time are likely to not be revitalized in the future, it was worthwhile for the time being. I felt more connected to something I thought was completely alien at first - French Immersion schools. I always questioned what actually happens in these types of schools and how their education differninates from mines and from my service, I realized that it is merely education in an alternate form. They are still teachers are still teachers and the students are still students. My service has made me appreciate the differences in education, acknowledge the diversity in my community, and view it as a an opportunity to be more connected with others. Not only did I learn these things, but so did many of the students at the elemartrary. They realized what high school students are like and judging by many of their bewildered faces, how we are just as them.