Douglas Adams (1950 – 2001), an
English writer, humorist and dramatist reasoned that“to give real
service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured
with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.”
Service-learning must therefore have in common these two attributes.
The National and Community Service Act of 1990 showed that what
persons learned in and beyond the classroom must foster the
development for caring for others. These characteristics will be
noticeable in individuals with caring spirits:
Persons will learn and develop through
active participation by organized service experiences that meet
community needs.
Service projects will integrate
participants' academic curricula by providing structured time for
thinking, talking and writing concerning what they are doing and
seeing during service activities.
Activists will have opportunities to
use their newly acquired skills and knowledge in real life situations
in their communities.
There will be enhancement of what was
taught in a classroom situations, through learning beyond the
classroom, and the community in helping to foster the development of
the sense of caring for others.
These are vital contributions by which
persons willing help their communities.
Life as Experiences
Henry Ford (1863 – 1947), an American
industrialist and the founder of Ford Motor Company noted that “life
is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even
though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built
to develop character and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves
which we endure, help us in our marching onward.” It's by joining
forces with our communities and building viable structures we'll be
helping pave the way to achieve new realities. According to Andrew
Furco in Service-Learning: A Balance Approach to Experiential
Education, such learning wasn't the following:
Volunteerism … where the primary
interest was on the service being provided and the intended
beneficiary was clearly the recipients.
Community Service … where the
primary focus was on the service being provided as well as the
benefits that such activities brought on the recipients.
Participants will receive benefits by learning more about how their
services will make a difference.
Internships … generally engaged
individuals in activities primarily for the purpose of providing
hands-on experiences while enhancing their learning or understanding
of issues to particular areas of studies.
Field Education … which provided
co-curricular service opportunities that will be related, but not
fully integrated with their formal goals. Persons generally perform
such services as part of a program designed to enhance their
understanding of field studies. These orientations provide emphasis
on the services provided.
Every service helps and these are also
necessary for building our communities and their contributors.
Quality Service
George Washington (1732 – 1799), the
first President of the United States and the Commander-in-Chief of
the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War advised us
to “associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own
reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company.”
The meeting of similar minded people bent on service to their
communities will result in greater understanding of our communities.
But there may be problems that may threaten to impede such progress.
Important though is adequate funding by
Federal, State and private corporations for community projects.
Another issue is documenting the progress made during these
undertakings. Nowadays, there are miniature digital video cameras
with cassettes that are capable of producing high quality pictures
and programs of such projects. Then there has to be the necessary
delivery systems that have to be in place for participants to bring
their work to the attention of the public. Much of this can be done
through participating TV and cable channels, the Internet, local
press and publications by the participation of different dioceses.
It's imperative that all parties - secular and non secular alike,
become linkages in symbiotic ways. If strong bonds for communal
advancement don't presently exist, over time they will grow and
develop. With progress these entities of service-learning will lead
to greater social, cultural, spiritual and communal growth.
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