At Madison Elementary I had the pleasure to help in a third grade classroom.  One of the areas I assisted with was Accelerated Reading.  This program required students to read a book and take a quiz over its content.  *Mrs. Hawks, my service learning teacher, explained to me how she never has enough time to focus on helping the students with reading as much as she wants, and was extremely delighted that I was available to assist her with improving their skills.  I was surprised that five of these children were reading on a first grade level, but I knew the importance of having high expectations for every student.  This helps to close the achievement gap which exists in our society among some low-income and minority students.  I had the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with each of these children throughout the weeks.  I would take the child into the reading pod where we would slowly read a story together, discussing the plot and pictures in detail.  It was especially a challenge when I had a girl who spoke Spanish, but it made me realize the importance of receiving an ESL endorsement.  I strongly realized my influence when this tiny girl tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, “Will you read with me?”  I immediately answered, “Yes,” and we continued reading more books, with her even missing recess time because she did not want to stop.  I suddenly understood how much she enjoyed our reading sessions together, and by the end of that week, she was reading on a second grade level.  It felt great knowing I had made a difference in at least one child’s life by taking the time to serve.

I enjoyed my time at Madison Elementary, but after having a guest speaker come to class and explain the excitement that exists at the junior high level, I was eager to begin my service learning in an eighth grade math class.  A great moment occurred during the day that my mentor teacher, *Mrs. Norton, was absent.  There were various substitutes throughout the school day, but quite a few were not familiar with the math topics that needed to be taught to the students.  Seeing the students struggle with understanding the material definitely made me realize the importance of The No Child Left Behind Act, which requires having qualified teachers placed into the classroom.  After seeing this occur, I jumped right in and started explaining bases and exponents to the class.  The substitute expressed his gratitude to me, and I was excited to see the children comprehending the material that I just taught to them.  I know that by being in the classroom, the students gained a better grasp of the math concepts because I was there to encourage and assist them.

In both classrooms I visited, I immediately noticed the strong classroom management the teachers had created.  Mrs. Hawks had a highly structured classroom, which made the children’s learning experiences even more enjoyable.  She expected the students to raise their hands to ask any question, and I noticed that this instilled strong values in them.  When I was in the class, all the children looked to me as a teacher, and treated me with that same respect.  I was surprised by the patience and manners of the children.  On one occasion, when I picked up a pencil a little boy dropped by his desk, he told me “thank-you.”  I started to walk away, but he said, “Excuse me, but your forgot to say you're welcome.”  I was stunned that I forgot such a simple phrase.  This eight-year-old boy taught me a lesson, when I thought I was supposed to be there teaching him.  I will never forget the moment that my experience at Madison turned from serving to learning.  In Mrs. Norton’s classroom, I learned that her main concern were the students going off-track when she gave them time to work independently on homework.  I solved this problem by walking around the classroom, helping them stay on task because they were receiving stronger adult supervision.  This strategy showed the students that I was readily available to help them with their assignments, yet I noticed some never would admit they were struggling.  By circling around the room, I could tell if they needed clarification, and I would answer their questions and help with any math problems they did not understand.  It was a relief knowing that I had taken math courses which prepared me for that moment.  I was glad to know I could make a difference because I had received a strong education.

In the process of receiving a solid education, I have learned more about the field of education, so I was excited to have the privilege to converse with both of my service learning teachers.  Mrs. Hawks showed me the process she used to grade papers.  Making an answer key can often take time, so she pulls out worksheets from two students who usually receive good grades, and then compares their answers.  If there are conflicting solutions, she then figures out the correct answer.  I thought this was an excellent way to save valuable time which could be used on something more important, like tutoring or preparing lessons.  People worry that because of standardized testing there is never enough time to teach everything required, but Mrs. Hawks taught me various time-saving strategies.  Mrs. Norton, at Highland Junior High, showed me her lesson plans for the month.  This taught me how she completes the required documents for her lessons, so the administration can review them for content.  It was thrilling to see the activities she came up with to add variations to the math topics, especially as she tried reaching out to all the learning styles, showing me her dedication to include everyone.  I discussed collaboration with her as well.  She told me how she works with all the other teachers in the math department because they give the same tests, teach the same lessons each day, and tutor each other’s students in the mornings.  The group project I did in class gave me an idea of what it will be like to work with other people toward a common goal, despite our various differences.  I enjoyed talking to my mentor teachers because they have had real experience in the classroom, which I have started to understand more by being in their class for service learning.

I had a fantastic experience with service learning because it confirmed my desire of becoming an educator.  I not only learned about myself as a teacher, but I also learned more about students and their classroom.  School is different from when I attended, and I realize that the field of education is changing constantly.  However, something that never changes is how service can benefit someone else.  By helping in the classroom, I made an impact on various individuals, like the ones mentioned above, and probably ones never realized.  I know the importance of completing service, not just in the classroom, but everywhere, and the lyrics from the song Hearts and Hands Together, written by Sam and Gary Francis, perfectly describes my concept of teaching:

“Young lives with much potential, in them we must believe. 

Tomorrow will be brighter if we help them achieve. 

We’re changing lives through service...that’s why we volunteer

...Let’s make this world a better place for children everywhere.”