Service Learning Journal 2

I have now been doing the service learning for a few weeks and the whole experience is still going smoothely. I think that the boys and girls club here provides an extremely valuable resource. The kids all get something to do and they all seem to have a great time while they are there, it helps them with their homework and academics and gives them an outlet to express their creative sides as well. While all this is going on the parents know that their children are safe while they are at work or attenteding to other obligations. This sort of a resource can be invaluable to a hard working single mother or even a family with two full time working parents. I am extremely happy to be a part of that service, working with the kids on their homework and their arts and crafts has been very rewarding for me and has even taught me a couple of things about patience and being a good role model. I have been doing a lot of arts and crafts with the children and they have to tell me one thing they admire about their mom or dad so I can write in on their picture in paint. They all have really great things to say about their parents and its inspiring to see that, and even though my art skills are sub par they all seemed to be impressed with my painting skills! That’s all for now but another exciting week starts Monday.

Service learning journal

My first experience with Escuela Vieau was a great time. I was a summer camp counselor for a long time and was also tutoring children of the same age group on Sundays up until it ended recently so it was very nice to be back in this sort of an environment again. When I tutored before I helped many kids but I did not feel certain I was reinforcing their learning as much as giving them information to recapitulate. When I arrived at the school they immediately through me into tutoring, I only tutored one child but I really felt I made a good impact. His name was Carlos and he was supposed to be on his way to boy scouts but was being held until he finished his essay about how to make Milwaukee a better place. He was clearly anxious to leave but after sitting with him and helping him for a while he seemed to be having fun with it and became interested again. As he worked I saw him applying the things I showed him as well as being able to correct errors he had made after I had shown him why they were wrong. I felt as if I had taken a large part in helping him do better in that class and it was a great feeling I hadn’t felt in a while. All in all it was a really fun time and I am excited to go back next Monday and do it again, hopefully I can branch out into arts and crafts this time!