Throughout this week's readings, we learned about two separate projects that both had a powerful impact on the communities mentioned. At the same time, we are really focusing on our individual service learning projects and the impact that it could potentially have on the communities we hope to teach in, all through the power of art making and organization.
One of the passages that stuck with me during these readings was how "..in using arts-based service learning to help children tap into their imaginations and share their feelings, students are able to create art that can impact their community, providing hope and alternative ways of being." These students are actively learning through arts-based service learning how to care for one another and to reflect on the impact they have on others-- just like the example in the Art for El Salvador project that we talked about in class--- AND Mrs. Goss' 8th graders who lead as role models. Children are innate in their feelings about one another and are unashamed to let those feelings be known, voicing their impact through their educational setting.
I think the biggest takeaway from these readings is to never underestimate children or teenagers. The reading about the kindergarteners made me really think about the emotional maturity these kids can have - yes, little kids are all about play, but they can understand heavy weighing topics like issues across the globe. We shouldn't shy away from big issues, in fact, this article shows that these tender years are some of the most IMPORTANT times to bring it up! The reading about the eight graders made me feel similar (With the fact that teens love to joke and mess around too, but they can flip that switch and show real responsibility - you just have to believe in them and trust them) while also taking me back to my pre-teen and early teen years when I was also assigned to do projects and readings with the younger students. I adored it and always put on my best behavior, as did all my classmates (I don't remember a single kid acting out of line). I think a big SEL thing we can do for students in our ABSL projects is to not be afraid to drift into heavy topics and educate students on serious matters - Serious things are not reserved for adults. We should also encourage students to pick their brains with deep and open questions about how they can help contribute to the community.
ReplyDelete- Jane
Some key takeaways from these articles were teaching children about the inequities present in the world since they are witnessing them anyways, using art to bring awareness to and support these inequities, recognizing our privileges, and showing kids how to be role models to others and that they are all impactful in different ways. I think several, if not all of these, can be implemented into my own service learning project. These themes all include SEL, as you had mentioned, and promote empathy, care, and responsibility. Educating students on the things happening in our world and allowing them the opportunity to express their thoughts and possible solutions through their art. Otherwise, one could start a big project with one class and continue it with others by just creating work. I do, however, think it would be more impactful to make sure the students are involved throughout the process of ABSL project to create deeper connections and meanings for each of them by being directly involved. Taking field trips or having guest speakers that share what their organization does is another way to have students learn more about their community and different ways that people can help (as mentioned earlier, everyone has different strengths and different ways to use them to help others). SEL can be incorporated into any ABSL lesson. I would come up with the lesson first, then find ties to SEL, similar to coming up with objectives in a lesson and then adding in the standards afterwards.
ReplyDelete-Jorgan
Although there were a lot of impactful aspects from both of these projects, I think the two that stood out most to me were the leadership skills of the eighth graders and the ability to discuss “hard” topics with young students. Collaboration between older and younger students is definitely something I would like to include in my future classrooms. It is one of my favorite things to watch older students stand tall and take pride in their skills, knowledge, and leadership qualities. During my time in K-12 school, I can remember both being the younger student looking up to my peers and also being the upper-level role model, both of which roles were highly impactful. Secondly, I resonated with the parts that spoke about young students' abilities to engage in “hard topics”. This is something that I witnessed during my level ones with Audrey Klunenberg. In her second grade class, they were creating Protest Posters and asked to brainstorm some topics they were passionate about and could create a protest poster of. Audrey’s examples had been protesting cooked carrots in the lunchroom and her more “difficult/deep” topic had been protesting anti-homeless architecture. The students, to my surprise, didn’t call out protesting broccoli at dinner or no candy before bed… they raised their hands and shared about gun violence in their community, the impact COVID had had on their families, and issues with the prison system. I was taken aback by their vulnerability, composure, and critical thinking skills. It was heartbreaking to hear the topics they had chosen but it brought me to a realization about their capabilities and desires to explore these topics. These were issues that they were facing in their lives and who was I to say the topics were “too difficult and deep” for them to explore? I think art is the perfect classroom to begin exploring topics and issues labeled “too difficult,” as art can become a way to navigate these subjects. Helping us to dive deeper by analyzing topics through a unique lens. Lastly, SEL is at the forefront of any good lesson I believe by creating a service learning project, integrated into local communities and issues your community is facing, you are checking multiple SEL boxes already.
ReplyDeleteTatiana :)
My take aways from ABSL projects that we learned about is that kids pay attention to the world around them, and that the issues of their community do impact them deeply. Although adults may not think that children think about things to deeply, from personal experience, and listening to my littles around my life interact with each other and me, kids thing about things at deeper cognitive level then we typically think. Recent events like Covid and other world issues are things that effect the minds of children. Being the director in Drama for Spectrum, one of the groups decided that they want to do a skit of a video game where superheros save the day from a sickness that is going around. When talking to this to my mentor, it made me realize that Covid is something that is still on their minds, especially since this is the first show since the outbreak. I think a great way to do an everyday service learning project would be how it talked in one of the articles of incorporating a sort of "mentorship" of an older youth to a younger youth student. Through art and "mentorship," it could be a positive way to tie in core subjects with art. I think also including SEL to process events and situations, and creating awareness through ABSL is something that could be done on a more "daily" classroom setting. For example, through SEL, and ABSL students could create posters around the school to serve the school, but also create awareness of "heavy topics," like bullying, suicide prevention, mental health, etc. I know for an 9th grade English project we researched things that the school struggled with and created posters and media that we could send through emails to create alert other students in how to help or get help. So, that being said, even just collaborating with other core classes or classes in general can tick of ABSL topics and SEL topics within the classroom, school environment, and maybe even in their community.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest things that has happened was a recent school shooting in Perry HS. I remember talking about the shooting with my 8 year old nephew, and he burst into tears asking all sort of questions. I was unprepared on what to say or how to help him process his emotions (as it was happening all at once) but I'm thankful that his parents were with me to help him process all the information. Such topics like these would be a positive way to not only bring attention to the situation and talk about prevention, but also use SEL to process everything that's going on, while helping the students to realize that they could be a positive impact on another community as well.
Like, "hey, let's collaborate and create letters to show support to families that they may be struggling." And, maybe for older groups, "hey, let's do some research as to how someone may get to the point of wanting to do school shootings, how are some ways we can use art to inform, warn, and help others so that we can better prevent it from happening.)
This was Sarai Cortes. (sorry lol) 🤌🏼😁
DeleteBoth of these articles were insightful. The main takeaway that I got from these articles was that children are able to talk about big problems in the world. And they are excited and ready to let their voices be heard. This actually helped me a lot with my service learning project idea, I was afraid that my topic would be too much for them especially since it is happening in their community. But that’s actually what makes them want to do it even more. It made me feel more confident and excited about my project idea because it's something I’m really passionate about, and I am hopeful that when I do it my students will be too.
ReplyDeleteI think that SEL can be easily seen in many Service learning projects. Having hands on experience and actually being there can help give students real life experiences helping them develop empathy or compassion. Doing research about their project can help with SEL a lot too because they are digging down to the core problem.
Taylor
I think some big take aways from these assigned readings were the experience and education the students received. Obviously, students are getting education anyway, but to be educated on topics that are not always present in the classroom of young learners. I believe that students should definitely be learning tough topics at a young age because they are prevalent and students will see events in the world, on the news, and hear from friends. It is better that they are educated and able to express feelings through art as well as help their community through art. Adding on to this, SEL is a huge part of ABSL projects and introducing SEL to students as young as possible is something I strongly believe in. Connecting SEL directly to the ABSL projects can happen by talking about tough topics with the understanding that questions and feelings are welcome. Talking about how certain events and topics effect our emotions as well as others.
ReplyDelete-Annisten Trenkamp
The main takeaways I had from the two different projects are rooted in ideas of making an emphasis on issued in the world around students. By making them aware of things not just on a scale of community, but worldwide, students are able to expand upon the scope of their abilities and how to help people outside the community they are in.We could implement some of these ideas in a small scale through building an emphasis on SEL in the classroom. Creating smaller projects inspired my things in the real world and applying SEL can help students dip their toe in their ideas prior.I know that for my personal project, I can implement SEL through discussion on how the topic I’m focusing on affects everyone. If it’s not the focus of possible food insecurity with some students, there is the learning piece of nutrition that affects everyone. By discussing the emphasis on both in art and the classroom, it can help assist students’ awareness of the world and themselves.
ReplyDelete-Grace
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