Service
Learning
Service Learning
(SL) is a method of teaching and learning in which students apply academic
knowledge and skills from academic courses to client support or
capacity-building projects, to meet identified needs of a community partner and
enhance students’ academic learning and civic and professional development.
This service
moves beyond the traditional understanding of community service, charity, or
volunteerism through its integration in academic courses and focus on mutually
beneficial outcomes.
As an innovative process, in
Teaching-learning, SL was introduced in three of our schools:
·
Carmel
Junior College Sonari, Tata Nagar, Jharkhand
·
Carmel
School, Ranchi, Jharkhand
·
Fatima Convent School, Kanpur, U.P.
The Projects undertaken are:
-
Environment Conservation
-
Client Support and Capacity Building
.
Ø Carmel
Junior College (CJC), Sonari, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand
·
Environment Conservation
-
Based
on the Curricular content, the staff and students created an awareness in the
school, on each one’s civic and social responsibility to conserve environment.
Strategies were worked out by students, teachers and parents. Today the entire
school and their homes have been turned into ‘No Plastic’ zones. The Project is
in progress.
·
Client Support (CS) and Capacity Building(CB)
(CS = Students work directly with clients and/or within the functioning of
an agency. For example, students might provide literacy support to other
children.
CB= Students become
knowledge-producers, not just consumers, through the creation of a tangible
product using knowledge and skills learned in class.)
·
Seventh
Standard students of Carmel Junior College, Sonari impart Computer Literacy on
one-to-one basis to Physically Challenged (hearing impaired) students of Carmel
Bal Vihar, Sonari, twice a week for one hour.
·
Planning
and Preparation, Action, Reflection and Demonstration of Results and
Celebration have developed ‘bonding’ between the students of the two schools. Service Learning has led to attainable and
visible outcomes that are valued by those being served. Students also have learnt how to transfer knowledge and skills
from one setting to another
Ø
Carmel School Ranchi, Jharkhand
Client Support and Capacity Building
·
The staff and students of Carmel School Ranchi, have actively involved
themselves in a Project for ‘rag-pickers’
run by Marianist Brothers. Their centre is located close to
our Carmel School / Convent. Students give literacy
support to them on every Saturday for two hours.
·
A
few students of the school offer literacy
support to slow learners of the same school.
Ø
Fatima Convent School, Kanpur, U.P.
Environment Conservation
·
Fatima
School students are working to declare their school as ‘No Plastic’ zone and
have taken up other environmental issues related to their curriculum as
well. The service they render is to
create awareness on various ‘Earth Issues’.
SL will be
introduced in all our schools by 2017.
May God bless
all our endeavours.
