Talking Point #5 (Kahne/ Westheimer)

the authors of this article, Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer, seem to be arguing that service learning is a good way for people who are involved, to help others and change themselves and the community around them. It also seems that they argue that there still can be way to improve service learning experience. The authors say that one way for service learning is by "civic duty" and voluntaring in communities and another way is through knowledge of issues which will in the long run create "change".

1. "Mr. Johnson explained, students would interact with those less fortunate than themselves and would experience the excitement and joy of learning while using the community as a classroom."

Mr. Johnson's way of teaching and doing service learning is through civic duty, voluntay work, and giving. The authors explain that this is one way to do service learning but this way neglects the students fro having an in depth look at why these problems are happening and how one can start making change.

2. Mr. Adams seventh grade "examined the social, economic, legal, and polictical determnants of homelessness around the world and in the local school community."

On the other hand Mr. Adams's way of teaching and doing service learning is through giving his studnets systematic and critical analysis of the causes of homelessness and strategies on how to prevent it but this way neglects the charity aspect of it.

3. "more attention has been focused on moving forward than on asking where we are headed" "controversial issues surrounding the means and ends of service learning have been pushed to the background"

We have to ask ourselves what do we went to get from service learning and what is the proper way of get the most out of service learning. I believe that we need to get both knowledge on the issue and also get experience with volunteering and civic duties dealing with the issue we are looking at in class.

I found this to be a pretty easy read and was somewhat interesting the hear about the different types of service learning. I feel that we are doing a good job in class with getting some knowleged about issues we talk about and also get good voluntary experiences with the VIPS program.