Service-Learning Project

NEEDS ASSESSMENT: TED Talk by Ernesto Sirolli: Want to Help Someone? Shut Up and Listen!

Discussion Questions:

*Why is it important to listen to those you want to help?

It is very important to listen to those you want to help because you never know what people will need until you take the time to listen to what they so desire and need in their hearts to do. It's also very necessary to take time and ask questions concerning other people as well as children. We will never know what is on their minds until we decide to really shut up and listen.

*What are the dangers of not listening to your target audience?

I believe the dangers of not listening to my target audience is when you have infrastructure and also not be friends with those who want to tell you what's needed as well as required. The average person who desires not to listen in general, will not have the passion to grow physically in life, neither have the maturity for any situation or problem of which would come their way.

*How can a leader nurture a culture of listening?

A leader can nurture a culture of listening just simply by going to meetings, but never a community meeting. The reason for this is because entrepreneurs don't never show up to attend them! Ever!! Neither do they tell you how will they spend their money. A leader can also nurture a culture of listening by taking the time to listen to others, confidentiality, privacy and be fantastic with people.

*How can I implement this in the service of infants and toddlers in my community?

I can easily implement this in the service of infants and toddlers within my community by allowing myself to keep my mouth closed and start listening to the children as they're talking to me about anything they so desire to tell me, whether it's good or bad.

PLAN DEVELOPMENT: Peace Corps' Resource: Planning a Service Project

Discussion Questions:

*How would you summarize this planning process?

I would summarize this planning process by saying that this takes not only a lot of work, but also lots of effort being put into it as well. The planning process is done by sectioning off what needs to be learned one session at a time starting with how both service and learning go together hand in hand. Next, learning how to prepare and analyze what will be done prior to planning and mobilizing so others will have an idea concerning how to make volunteering and service-learning really happen for both their neighborhoods and the communities in which they live. Then, planning and mobilizing how this will be put into practice by allowing participants to work with different youth groups and deal with ways to level the community resources within their cultural contexts. Lastly, will be reflecting, celebrating, and moving forward by allowing participants to reflect on what they had done within the training period of time.

*Was there anything surprising in this resource?

I don't believe there was anything surprising in this resource because this really took my mind back to when I was in high school in a drug-free club where we had to do the same exact project, but it was a hands-on activity.

*Discuss the most valuable strategy you learned from this resource.

The most valuable strategy I learned from this resource is this: there is no I in team. Because when everything is said and done, we still have to learn not only how to communicate with one another in getting the job done, but more importantly respecting one another as a team.

*How can I implement this in the service of infants and toddlers in my community?

I can implement this in the service of infants and toddlers in my community by taking the time to teach the kids how to work well together by giving each other respect and helping them to listen to one another without screaming and hollering at the other. Ask questions if they are not sure about something or some things because that is what helps the team flow very nicely.

ACTION IMPLEMENTATION: Making the Connection: The Service-Learning Revolution

Discussion Questions:

*What are the personal benefits of promoting service-learning?

I strongly believe that the personal benefits of promoting service-learning is to allow students to apply what they learned outside the classroom. It also shows them the value based on what they learned in the class by demonstrating through hands-on projects and other things.

*How do organizations, schools and other groups benefit by promoting service-learning?

Organizations, schools and other groups will benefit by promoting service-learning seeing things through context. Also, students will benefit from this by demonstrating what they learned both inside and outside the classroom.

*What are some of the methods for learning discussed in the video? How are they different?

Some of the methods for learning discussed in the video were relationship building, knowing how to help young people grow, get them to care, and problem solving issues. They are different through students who had experience doing service-learning projects for a number of years compared to those who have not at all done this type of thing.

*How can I implement this in the service of infants and toddlers in my community?

I can implement this in the service of infants and toddlers in my community by taking the time to talk with teachers who have lots of experience under their belts just to see what they normally will do when dealing with service-learning projects. I can also go on the Internet to find out what's out there for the children to do so that they can have some experience for themselves.

REFLECTION: How Service-Learning Affects Students

Discussion Questions:

*Discuss the importance of reflecting on service-learning activities?

The importance of reflecting on service-learning activities is when it has a very strong effect on a student who makes up in his or her mind to go for that particular major career in a field of service. Also, the second most important thing is whether or not the professor will allow class discussion when dealing with service-learning experiences.

*How does service-learning affect students?

Service-learning affects students in all positive effects on the following eleven measures: academic performance (GPA, writing skills and critical thinking), values (commitment to activism as well as promoting racial understanding), self-efficacy, leadership (leadership activities, self-rated leadership ability and intrapersonal skills), choice of service career and plans to participate in service after college. Most of all, it adds significantly to most of the benefits associated with community service.

*Discuss examples of ways to reflect on service-learning experiences.

Examples of ways in order to reflect on service-learning experiences are an increased sense of personal efficacy, an increased awareness in the world, an increased awareness of one's personal values and increased engagement in the classroom experience. Also the heightened sense of civic responsibility as well as personal effectiveness by participating in service-learning classes.

*How can I implement this in the service of infants and toddlers in my community?

I can implement this in the service of infants and toddlers within my community by seeing what and how much potential they have to achieve what they want to do when they grow up and go to college. I can also ask them what they want to be in life and help them work towards their goal.

EVALUATION: Comparing the Effects of Community Service and Service-Learning

*Define community service and service-learning. Discuss the difference.

Community service is when you incorporate service into academic studies whereas to service-learning deals with cooperation by democratic citizenship and moral responsibility. The difference between the two are the following: community service is where you go out into the real world and experience doing the service on your own time. Service-learning is when higher education gets in connection to an even more wider, but yet broader community by allowing students to give back in concerns to the relief of society's urgent needs.

*How does the type of service experience influence the overall benefit to the participant?

The type of service experience influence the overall benefit to the participant by doing a study as to how many students participated in either community service or service-learning. Students within the 29.9% did more participation in community service in comparison to those who frequently did volunteer work at 28.5%.

*Discuss the settings that are most appropriate for each type of service.

The settings that are most appropriate for each type of service are high schools, tutoring other students in high school, express a commitment at some point or another to participate in community action programs and attending religious services. Also, there are medical and non-medical careers in which are also are really good career outcomes appropriate for services within the two.

*How can I implement this in the service of infants and toddlers in my community?

I can implement this in the service of infants and toddlers within my community by doing more of what I'm doing at church, which is to teach the children the Bible, learning their ABC's as well as teach them scriptures from the Word of God. Most of all, I can implement as well with the infants and toddlers by continuing to get down on their level by playing with them and their toys on the floor.

A Real World example within the infant/toddler population: BREASTFEEDING

Michelle Pfennighaus, author of Finding Your Balance, tells about her life experiences concerning breastfeeding her child. Back in 2014, she was looking at her 3 year-old's baby book for every month based on what went on with her breastfeeding. From a month to 3 months, she went from filling out very thoroughly to finding out that feeding the baby wasn't easy at all. What she recalls about the experience is that she breastfed her son up to 21 months old. The weaning wasn't difficult. Michelle mentions about her youngest son being a difficult child, but admits to feeding him had been the fairest of pains. The mother of two said when breastfeeding, she does it in public without having to show nipples or use a cover just in case anyone from a little girl on up desires to both know and see how it's done.

Some mothers who are new to this would ask "How will I know if my baby has enough milk or not?" The author said the mothers are making plenty of it, because milk will always respond to stress. Her mind takes her back to having her first child being fussy while believing that she had no milk because it was gone completely. When a lactation consultant who cared to take the time to listen and understand, she came to the conclusion that not only he's receiving lots of milk, but the mother of two was completely relieved a million times and better off than the average mother.

So what's her best advice to any new mother who wants to know if your baby is getting more than enough milk? Here's her answer: Wet diapers and his or her weight. Because here's these things you have to keep in mind: although both of them are completely off right now, there's still plenty of milk to give. However, the baby's latching and transference to milk will need work from time to time. Continue to think really good thoughts and nursing. The milk will come eventually.

Here are some little remedies concerning breastmilk in which none of us knew about were good for!

*Pinkeye

*Minor scratches or burns

*Dry skin

*Early day sore nipples

*Really good for when baby is accepting solids (Mix it in with the solid foods in order to make your own baby food or smoothies!)

So when dealing with the word breastfeeding, you have to know for yourself when to say that's enough and more importantly, use your own judgment.

Source: 7 real-life lessons every breastfeeding mom needs to hear. Find Your Balance with Michelle Pfennighaus

http://findyourbalancehealth.com/2014/07/7-breastfeeding-lessons/