Working For Tolerance And Social Change Through Service Learning

Service learning is an interdisciplinary pedagogical tool that is becoming increasing popular in schools. It involves students taking part in projects that are aimed at strengthening their communities and using tools to rigorously assess what they have learned from their experiences. This volume concentrates on service-learning projects with the goal of increasing tolerance. The author offers a look at social movements that have made our society more tolerant over time. He explains how students can establish and develop service-learning projects that address the persistent problem of intolerance and suggests which tools can best help them learn from their efforts.

Veterans and military families have a wealth of stories and history to offer students and certain needs that can be filled by energetic, engaged, and caring young people. This type of service learning helps students put their history and social studies education into context. This book presents service learning with many examples of how students can use it to get to know and learn from local veterans while also giving back to them and providing assistance to a segment of the population that has served our national interests and now requires our assistance and support.

Showing students the human side of immigration debates, service-learning opportunities with immigrant and migrant communities can offer an enormously rewarding experience to participants. In addition to enhancing discussions on immigration that can take place in history, social studies, language, political science, economics, or other classes, these opportunities give students a chance to directly affect the lives of those who often find themselves on the periphery of society. This volume examines the various service-learning projects available to those who wish to positively impact immigrant and migrant communities and guides readers through the process of successfully executing a service-learning project.

The service-learning movement integrates community service with meaningful instruction and learning. One of the most rewarding aspects of service learning is the good feeling participants get from giving back to their communities at large, and a key way to give back is through improving community health and safety. This book explains the core principles of service learning and how to translate these values into programs that focus on public health and safety. Both domestic and international initiatives are discussed, and simple steps are laid out to encourage readers to get involved—both in their own backyards and across borders.

Anyone who has seen the hungry or homeless on city streets or in rural areas is likely to be touched by the hardship they see. A growing number of schools are incorporating service learning into their curriculum. These programs heighten the students’ sense of community and engage them with a sense of service and civic responsibility. Readers of this book will learn about ways that service learning can help people suffering from hunger and homelessness. The detailed examples provided provide excellent starting points for an individual’s or a school’s exploration into service learning.

Because protecting environmental resources has become an issue of scientific, political, and historical import, service-learning projects that serve the planet have become an important part of a wide range of curricula. Students will find a wealth of opportunities both at home and abroad that will directly impact the Earth’s wildlife, aquatic health, and natural resources. This engaging volume surveys the various projects available to students interested in using service learning to find solutions to local and global environmental issues. Readers also learn how to tie projects to coursework and apply their skills to future pursuits.

Students who wish to participate in service learning projects will find this book full of real-life examples and first-hand information about what service learning is, what is expected of them throughout the experience, and what they should expect to get out of it. They will also see beyond the educational and resume-enhancing benefits of a service learning project to recognize the often life-changing impact it can have on all involved.

Loads of learning takes place in the classroom, but it is by no means the only place for students to gain knowledge and experience. This innovative resource introduces service learning and why it can be such a helpful tool for students, the elderly, and the larger community. Successful service learning projects are described throughout the book, which highlight how they work as well as the benefits of getting to know the often overlooked senior population within our communities. Forthright discussions of the challenges and benefits highlight why service-learning projects can be a satisfying, fun, and memorable way to learn.