Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Colleague Using Service Learning

Sheri Cully, who teaches morning ESL classes at Fallbrook's Saint John's Episcopal Church, makes sure that she incorporates service learning in her instruction. Her students have been participating in a month-long drive to help the victims of hurricane Harvey in Rockport, Texas, a town similar in size to Fallbrook that was nearly completely devastated by the high winds and subsequent flooding. Sheri's students have been passing out flyers at local businesses on weekends and collecting donations of canned food, tools, books, and toys. Once the deadline for collections (Nov. 2) has passed, they will help in sorting and boxing everything to send to Rockport. Fallbrook has responded generously. It has been a very positive experience for the students and their families who have also been participating. It has given her students the opportunity to connect with their community and is a demonstration of human compassion and responsible citizenship.

Sheri has several other examples of students who take volunteerism quite seriously. One teaches crotchet classes at the Fallbrook library. The blankets and toys she and her students make are donated to first responders, who in turn give them to child victims of accidents or domestic violence. Another student has begun to volunteer by teaching exercise classes twice a week, and two others with counseling backgrounds have offered to be a secretary of a women's support group after listening to the San Diego Deputy District Attorney give a presentation on domestic violence awareness to her class earlier this month.

Another way Sheri's students connect with their neighbors is via Coffee & Conversation, a bi-monthly event they host where they invite the community in to speak with them on any number of topics. These often coincide with recent units of study. Sheri's only rule is that groups talk about the chosen topic for at least ten minutes before moving on to anything else that interests them. The discussions are both lively and fun and give her students a chance to speak English with native speakers and feel less inhibited doing so. And still another way is through their annual Cultural Exhibit Days: Day of the Dead and Holidays in Latin America, which are open to the public. They had wonderful turn-outs for both events last year. The community seems to be energized by them. A member of the local chamber who attended last year even asked Sheri if her class would be interested in holding a Day of the Dead parade down Main Street! Saint John's featured the events in their diocesan magazine with great photos of Sheri's students.

Sheri recently spoke with Bethany Nash of the Telescope. She is interested in covering her students' involvement in the Help Texas drive, and quite possibly other activities her students are involved in for the November 13th publication. They want to include video as well. She said it would make a great story.

Sheri believes that part of our job as educators is to help our students be active, contributing members of the communities where they live. Even though volunteering isn't for everyone, she has personally seen how it has opened doors to both employment and, more importantly, greater self-fulfillment for her students in Fallbrook.

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