1) Action Plan 2) Aiming for the Target: Goal Setting – SMART GOALS 3) Disability Research 4) Journal Entries (Four) 5) Reflective Essay
ACTION PLAN Eve Caudill - Service Learning 2012
TARGET PROBLEM:
To enhance the skills and creativity of young people in need.
TARGET GROUP:
First graders at African Hope (Sudanese Refugee School)
PROJECT TITLE:
African Hope Sudanese Refugee School
GOALS:
Smart goal 1-
Bring creativity into the school environment as a way to express themselves as individuals.
Smart goal 2-
To establish a relationship as a role model for the kids (many do not have one a home).
Smart goal 3-
To have make a positive impact on their view on learning and create an environment where learning is joyful and fun.
OBSTACLES:
Language barriers
Limited space to use
Lack of resources
Conflicting schedules
TASKS:
Preparing a lesson for each week (dance class, outdoor games, singing, puzzles, etc.)
Organizing resources for that week (music player, whiteboard access, tennis balls)
Meeting with the organizers to discuss the lesson plans and curriculum that we should be influencing
Aiming for the Target: Goal Setting Eve Caudill – Service Learning 2012
Specific
Kenzie, Sarah, and my goal is to reach out to the first graders at African Hope Sudanese Refugee School and influence a creative mindset and love for learning in their school environment, and be a role model to the children.
Measurable
Our goal will have been achieved when we can say that our relationship with both the children and the organizers of African hope is firm and stable. We will have made an impact that can be noticed in the way the children interact with both each other and us.
Achievable
The goal we have set is one that I am passionate about and am willing to put forth the effort needed to achieve it. I do believe that it will be a challenge since we are not trained educators or the experience with children, however, I think that the greater challenge will be to establish firm lasting relationships.
Realistic
I believe that our group has the capability to exemplify the authority needed to influence the kids. All three of us, being CAC students, have very extensive and busy schedules so I can see this becoming an obstacle. However we are all very committed to reaching our goal and will make this sacrifice in order to do so. African Hop also is a school with little resources and I can foresee the need for us to work hard to do what we have planned with such sources.
Timely
This goal is not one that can be put to a timeline, for we are trying to establish lasting relationships, which is something no one can predict the time it will take. However, for this course we would love to see even the slightest impact on the children by the end of the school year, of them being able interact with us and view us as role models. I have a optimistic mindset that we can achieve this and earn their trust and respect!!!
Disability Research – Asperger Syndrome Eve Caudill Service Learning 2012
What is it? Often known as a high functioning form of autism, Asperger syndrome is characterized with someone who has difficulty interacting socially, has repetition of behaviors, delayed motor skills, and often clumsy. What sets this syndrome apart from autism is that children can often talk around the age of two when speech usually develops.
What is the cause? The exact cause of Asperger Syndrome is unknown, however, it is likely to be linked with an abnormality in the brain and genetic factors, which have been found to run in families. (No specific gene has been identified) This condition is found to appear more in boys that girl, which is the same for autism. Though it is said that those with Asperger Syndrome have great difficulty in social situations, they often excel in other fields. (Math, memory, science, etc.)
Symptoms: Many who have this condition become obsessed or over-focused on one area of interest, topic, or object, ignoring all other things. The desire to learn everything about this thing becomes the main priority. It can be noticed as one might only discuss facts about one topic, with no point or conclusion. (Usually not recognizing when their audience has lost interest.) Many with Asperger withdraw from the world in a sense, just as those with autism, more commonly isolating themselves. Other symptoms may include:
Little or no emotion present in social situations (do not make eye contact)
Body language and awareness of others is off (volume of speech is too loud/too soft)
Do not understand sarcasm or humor taking things very literally.
Cure/Treatment: There is no cure for people with Asperger Syndrome; however, doctors believe that the sooner treatment is started the better. Many programs are offered to those with the condition to teach skills and tasks through simple structured activities. Tests are often taken in order to identify the signs of the syndrome more closely and what might be the cause. Medication may be used to treat areas of aggression or depression that can be caused by Asperger.
Coming into my second year of service learning, I had a very closed mind as to what I wanted to do. Very quickly after the year began, I realized my mindset was unrealistic. I had convinced myself that my project would be helping out/tutoring as the Sudanese refugee school, African Hope. Though I had originally thought this would be easy to accomplish, it turned out to be a challenge. My service group and I were of the same page, we worked hard together to try and organize this project by contacting the school coordinator. As most CAC students, all three of us (Sarah, Kenzie, and I) were and still are very involved in sports and academics, which turned in to the conflict that affected our ability to plan time out for service. Though with continuous effort to try and make our schedules work, there just became to many complications and differences in schedules to make anything happen. In attempt to met the hour requirement of first quarter, I attended numerous service projects offered at school (cancer hospital, clothes donation packing, Halloween carnival). The first quarter I was able to reach the hours necessary and faced the second quarter with the challenge of securing a service project.
Service Learning – Journal 2 Eve Caudill 2012
After completing the first quarter without a service project, I entered the second quarter with feelings of uneasiness and frustration. A week or so into the quarter, however, Sarah Blome and I stumbled upon an opportunity that could lead into a service project. Through Sarah’s youth group we were able to contact another Sudanese refugee school that was willing to allow us to come in and paint one of their classrooms. I was thrilled to help out and try and make an effort to possibly create a new project through this school, however, I did not feel entirely sure it would be the right fit for our group. I learnt that it not only is about my schedule and whether I am happy about the project, but it is very much about the people we re trying to help. It was evident that the women who ran the school was not quite willing to let us help out on a regular basis or as often as we would have needed to make it our project. This sent my group and I back to the drawing board. After a few weeks Sarah, Kenzie, and I decided to reconnect with African Hope, with the hope to work something out once and for all. This time we were successful!!! We scheduled a visit to the school, as it would be Sarah’s first time there, and enjoyed a day of visiting with the children and discussing possible ways we could give our service and time.
Service Learning – Journal 3 Eve Caudill 2012
FINALLY, we have our project!!! Though it took longer than my group and I would have liked, we finally made African Hope our official Service Learning project. During our visit to the school, we spent time in different classrooms of grades from first to fifth. As we got a feel for the school’s vibe and style of learning, our group decided that we would like to make the two first grade classes our target group at African Hope. After discussing this with the school coordinator, Jonathan, we mapped out the details of when and for how long. Once deciding upon coming every Saturday from 9am to 12noon, we left with refreshed hope that we could create a great service project. That next week we spent an hour of time planning what activities we would like to do. When we returned that Saturday to the school, we had prepared an hours lesson of singing and dancing, and were ready to put it to the test. For an hour we spent time with one of the first grade classes enjoying the kid’s energy and enthusiasm. When the bell rang for break, we were overwhelmed by the craziness around us and had little time to discuss what we could improve on for the repeat lesson on the second first grade class. Though most of the time in between classes we spent playing outside with the kids, we faced the next lesson with more confidence and understanding of what did and didn’t work. Coming out of the lessons and heading into the hour of one on one time with a few kids, it was nice to relax and share some individual time with the children at African Hope.
Service Learning – Journal 4 Eve Caudill 2012
After our first real day at African Hope, my service project group and I have come a very long way. Having learnt from what did and did not work, each week our lesson plans got stronger along with our confidence level. Each week my group and I spent an hour planning lessons of dance/music, sports, short stories, and other creative plans to share with the kids during our three hour shifts on Saturdays. As each week passed we could see the impact we had on the children as they remembered the songs we taught, our names, and the games we played. Though it was a lot of fun, it wasn’t always easy. Often my group and I struggled with controlling the classes of twenty plus first graders and shared some stressful times. This past weekend was our last trip of the year, and as the school was beginning to prepare for the end of the year, it was touching to see how far many of the children had come as the prepared to move into second grade. I thoroughly enjoyed the times we spent at African Hope, growing closer with the school’s community, my service project group, and myself. Though it took some getting used too, waking up early on our Saturday mornings, entertaining a classroom full of kids, and learning patience, I will miss the heartwarming times we spent as a community. I hope that next year brings bigger and better opportunities for my group and I to serve as it is always in need.
Reflection Essay Eve Caudill 2012
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead. This quote is an impeccable depiction of my experience in the Service Learning Program. Though I am perfectly aware that my group and I did not change the world, I firmly believe that we achieved our goal in positively impacting the children at our service project. Through both self reflection and reflection on my service project, I am aware of my individual progress and that of my peers. Working with two first grade classes in areas of creative development and spiritual guidance has taught me new skills for working with children and decision-making. After spending numerous Saturdays at the Sudanese Refugee School, African Hope, I am able to reflect upon the bigger picture of community service and how even a small group can make an impact.
African Hope is a school for Sudanese refugee children from first to twelfth grade. Sarah, Kenzie and I chose this school to be our service project, and targeted the two first grade classes as the area we wished to work on. Though none of us had much experience with younger kids, let alone teaching them for a full hour, we achieved both academic and personal development. Working at African Hope has taught me new skills, such as how to control the children and making sure they benefit from the lessons we are instructing. In the beginning it was complete chaos, as we were unaware of just how difficult it is to have the attention of twenty plus kids at one time. Not only were we faced with the obstacle of a language barrier but we had not predicted that most of the time spent together would be filled by our constant commands to pay attention. After our first visit to the school we regrouped and discussed how we would tackle the next week and what strategies worked in controlling the children. I learnt that often it is attention that each child seeks and is easily made content with the smallest of attention towards them. I began to understand that the smallest of things would make the difference, holding the hands of as many kids, saying hi to those who are more shy, and even just a smile would do the trick. As we faced the second visit, Kenzie, Sarah, and I had developed a higher level of thinking. We spent a lot of time discussion the various ways to attract the attention of the kids and games that would not only entertain them but stick to our goal of benefiting them creatively. I feel that we succeeded in the area of problem solving and decision making as we saw a great different in the way the kids acted and were controlled that week. Throughout each week I have become more and more aware of the evident change in myself, I am more relaxed around my group mates as we have developed a sense of community with both each other and the children of African Hope. In the very beginning I struggled with not always being in control of every situation and often felt uncomfortable when things were chaotic. Now as we are facing the end of the semester I am very willing to give other the chance to take the lead and notice my increasing love for the children. Not only do I think that the community has benefited but myself as a person has greatly changed as result of the service done over the past year.
As I reflect back upon our project, African Hope, I am very aware of the struggle it took to get to where we are now. At the beginning of the year our schedules conflicted greatly to the point of where we began to look of a different project. Sarah and I visited a different school and painted the classrooms, however, we did not have the commitment of that school and were left again to look for a new project. My group and I began to worry that we would not be able to find a project that would match our action plan like African Hope did. Finding hours through other service, such as the cancer hospital and baking for numerous charity events, we decided to reconnect with African Hope and pray that something would work out. And lucky for us it did! After communicating our goals and wishes for this project to the organizers at the school we worked out that we would come each week on Saturday and spend time with both first grade classes. I believe that the time we have committed to the children and the passion we have for making a change has improved the quality of the service at our project. In fact just a few weeks after we started another school group became involved with the site and is now involved on a weekly basis just as we are. Though I am more aware of just how difficult it is to make a difference in such a set community that is deeply struggling, I believe that the smiles we bring to faces of the kids and giving them something to look forward to is evidence that we have made a difference. Often many of the students at African Hope come from broken backgrounds and have little or no role models to look up too; my group and I have created just that. Though next year I feel that our focus could shift to making more of an improvement in the children’s education, I feel as though this year we have achieved in making a positive impact in their way of life.
Lastly I would like to reflect upon the bigger picture of service. As I have just mentioned above, this year had little focus on the educational development of the students. I would love for that to change and to make it a priority of next year, as we have already achieved in creating relations with the kids. Though I say this, I am very much aware of the difficulty of impacting such a community. African Hope is a school for those who have very little, the school itself too has very little. It is not a secret that the children and staff of the school are impoverished and that our small service project cannot change that. However, I firmly believe as Margaret Mead did, that our group can make an impact. Though it may take years and service groups after us, to make a true difference, I wholeheartedly pray that the community of African Hope can benefit from the service give to them. It is only now, after my work at African, that I can truly appreciate the growing need for service and programs like Service Learning to really impact ones community.
End of Year Community Service Portfolio Service Learning
Table of contents:
1) Action Plan
2) Aiming for the Target: Goal Setting – SMART GOALS
3) Disability Research
4) Journal Entries (Four)
5) Reflective Essay
ACTION PLAN
Eve Caudill - Service Learning 2012
TARGET PROBLEM:
TARGET GROUP:
PROJECT TITLE:
GOALS:
OBSTACLES:
TASKS:
Aiming for the Target: Goal Setting
Eve Caudill – Service Learning 2012
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely
Disability Research – Asperger Syndrome
Eve Caudill
Service Learning 2012
What is it?
Often known as a high functioning form of autism, Asperger syndrome is characterized with someone who has difficulty interacting socially, has repetition of behaviors, delayed motor skills, and often clumsy. What sets this syndrome apart from autism is that children can often talk around the age of two when speech usually develops.
What is the cause?
The exact cause of Asperger Syndrome is unknown, however, it is likely to be linked with an abnormality in the brain and genetic factors, which have been found to run in families. (No specific gene has been identified) This condition is found to appear more in boys that girl, which is the same for autism. Though it is said that those with Asperger Syndrome have great difficulty in social situations, they often excel in other fields. (Math, memory, science, etc.)
Symptoms:
Many who have this condition become obsessed or over-focused on one area of interest, topic, or object, ignoring all other things. The desire to learn everything about this thing becomes the main priority. It can be noticed as one might only discuss facts about one topic, with no point or conclusion. (Usually not recognizing when their audience has lost interest.) Many with Asperger withdraw from the world in a sense, just as those with autism, more commonly isolating themselves.
Other symptoms may include:
Cure/Treatment:
There is no cure for people with Asperger Syndrome; however, doctors believe that the sooner treatment is started the better. Many programs are offered to those with the condition to teach skills and tasks through simple structured activities. Tests are often taken in order to identify the signs of the syndrome more closely and what might be the cause. Medication may be used to treat areas of aggression or depression that can be caused by Asperger.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002516/
Service Learning – Journal 1
Eve Caudill 2012
Coming into my second year of service learning, I had a very closed mind as to what I wanted to do. Very quickly after the year began, I realized my mindset was unrealistic. I had convinced myself that my project would be helping out/tutoring as the Sudanese refugee school, African Hope. Though I had originally thought this would be easy to accomplish, it turned out to be a challenge. My service group and I were of the same page, we worked hard together to try and organize this project by contacting the school coordinator. As most CAC students, all three of us (Sarah, Kenzie, and I) were and still are very involved in sports and academics, which turned in to the conflict that affected our ability to plan time out for service. Though with continuous effort to try and make our schedules work, there just became to many complications and differences in schedules to make anything happen. In attempt to met the hour requirement of first quarter, I attended numerous service projects offered at school (cancer hospital, clothes donation packing, Halloween carnival). The first quarter I was able to reach the hours necessary and faced the second quarter with the challenge of securing a service project.
Service Learning – Journal 2
Eve Caudill 2012
After completing the first quarter without a service project, I entered the second quarter with feelings of uneasiness and frustration. A week or so into the quarter, however, Sarah Blome and I stumbled upon an opportunity that could lead into a service project. Through Sarah’s youth group we were able to contact another Sudanese refugee school that was willing to allow us to come in and paint one of their classrooms. I was thrilled to help out and try and make an effort to possibly create a new project through this school, however, I did not feel entirely sure it would be the right fit for our group. I learnt that it not only is about my schedule and whether I am happy about the project, but it is very much about the people we re trying to help. It was evident that the women who ran the school was not quite willing to let us help out on a regular basis or as often as we would have needed to make it our project. This sent my group and I back to the drawing board. After a few weeks Sarah, Kenzie, and I decided to reconnect with African Hope, with the hope to work something out once and for all. This time we were successful!!! We scheduled a visit to the school, as it would be Sarah’s first time there, and enjoyed a day of visiting with the children and discussing possible ways we could give our service and time.
Service Learning – Journal 3
Eve Caudill 2012
FINALLY, we have our project!!! Though it took longer than my group and I would have liked, we finally made African Hope our official Service Learning project. During our visit to the school, we spent time in different classrooms of grades from first to fifth. As we got a feel for the school’s vibe and style of learning, our group decided that we would like to make the two first grade classes our target group at African Hope. After discussing this with the school coordinator, Jonathan, we mapped out the details of when and for how long. Once deciding upon coming every Saturday from 9am to 12noon, we left with refreshed hope that we could create a great service project. That next week we spent an hour of time planning what activities we would like to do. When we returned that Saturday to the school, we had prepared an hours lesson of singing and dancing, and were ready to put it to the test. For an hour we spent time with one of the first grade classes enjoying the kid’s energy and enthusiasm. When the bell rang for break, we were overwhelmed by the craziness around us and had little time to discuss what we could improve on for the repeat lesson on the second first grade class. Though most of the time in between classes we spent playing outside with the kids, we faced the next lesson with more confidence and understanding of what did and didn’t work. Coming out of the lessons and heading into the hour of one on one time with a few kids, it was nice to relax and share some individual time with the children at African Hope.
Service Learning – Journal 4
Eve Caudill 2012
After our first real day at African Hope, my service project group and I have come a very long way. Having learnt from what did and did not work, each week our lesson plans got stronger along with our confidence level. Each week my group and I spent an hour planning lessons of dance/music, sports, short stories, and other creative plans to share with the kids during our three hour shifts on Saturdays. As each week passed we could see the impact we had on the children as they remembered the songs we taught, our names, and the games we played. Though it was a lot of fun, it wasn’t always easy. Often my group and I struggled with controlling the classes of twenty plus first graders and shared some stressful times. This past weekend was our last trip of the year, and as the school was beginning to prepare for the end of the year, it was touching to see how far many of the children had come as the prepared to move into second grade. I thoroughly enjoyed the times we spent at African Hope, growing closer with the school’s community, my service project group, and myself. Though it took some getting used too, waking up early on our Saturday mornings, entertaining a classroom full of kids, and learning patience, I will miss the heartwarming times we spent as a community. I hope that next year brings bigger and better opportunities for my group and I to serve as it is always in need.
Reflection Essay
Eve Caudill 2012
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead. This quote is an impeccable depiction of my experience in the Service Learning Program. Though I am perfectly aware that my group and I did not change the world, I firmly believe that we achieved our goal in positively impacting the children at our service project. Through both self reflection and reflection on my service project, I am aware of my individual progress and that of my peers. Working with two first grade classes in areas of creative development and spiritual guidance has taught me new skills for working with children and decision-making. After spending numerous Saturdays at the Sudanese Refugee School, African Hope, I am able to reflect upon the bigger picture of community service and how even a small group can make an impact.
African Hope is a school for Sudanese refugee children from first to twelfth grade. Sarah, Kenzie and I chose this school to be our service project, and targeted the two first grade classes as the area we wished to work on. Though none of us had much experience with younger kids, let alone teaching them for a full hour, we achieved both academic and personal development. Working at African Hope has taught me new skills, such as how to control the children and making sure they benefit from the lessons we are instructing. In the beginning it was complete chaos, as we were unaware of just how difficult it is to have the attention of twenty plus kids at one time. Not only were we faced with the obstacle of a language barrier but we had not predicted that most of the time spent together would be filled by our constant commands to pay attention. After our first visit to the school we regrouped and discussed how we would tackle the next week and what strategies worked in controlling the children. I learnt that often it is attention that each child seeks and is easily made content with the smallest of attention towards them. I began to understand that the smallest of things would make the difference, holding the hands of as many kids, saying hi to those who are more shy, and even just a smile would do the trick. As we faced the second visit, Kenzie, Sarah, and I had developed a higher level of thinking. We spent a lot of time discussion the various ways to attract the attention of the kids and games that would not only entertain them but stick to our goal of benefiting them creatively. I feel that we succeeded in the area of problem solving and decision making as we saw a great different in the way the kids acted and were controlled that week. Throughout each week I have become more and more aware of the evident change in myself, I am more relaxed around my group mates as we have developed a sense of community with both each other and the children of African Hope. In the very beginning I struggled with not always being in control of every situation and often felt uncomfortable when things were chaotic. Now as we are facing the end of the semester I am very willing to give other the chance to take the lead and notice my increasing love for the children. Not only do I think that the community has benefited but myself as a person has greatly changed as result of the service done over the past year.
As I reflect back upon our project, African Hope, I am very aware of the struggle it took to get to where we are now. At the beginning of the year our schedules conflicted greatly to the point of where we began to look of a different project. Sarah and I visited a different school and painted the classrooms, however, we did not have the commitment of that school and were left again to look for a new project. My group and I began to worry that we would not be able to find a project that would match our action plan like African Hope did. Finding hours through other service, such as the cancer hospital and baking for numerous charity events, we decided to reconnect with African Hope and pray that something would work out. And lucky for us it did! After communicating our goals and wishes for this project to the organizers at the school we worked out that we would come each week on Saturday and spend time with both first grade classes. I believe that the time we have committed to the children and the passion we have for making a change has improved the quality of the service at our project. In fact just a few weeks after we started another school group became involved with the site and is now involved on a weekly basis just as we are. Though I am more aware of just how difficult it is to make a difference in such a set community that is deeply struggling, I believe that the smiles we bring to faces of the kids and giving them something to look forward to is evidence that we have made a difference. Often many of the students at African Hope come from broken backgrounds and have little or no role models to look up too; my group and I have created just that. Though next year I feel that our focus could shift to making more of an improvement in the children’s education, I feel as though this year we have achieved in making a positive impact in their way of life.
Lastly I would like to reflect upon the bigger picture of service. As I have just mentioned above, this year had little focus on the educational development of the students. I would love for that to change and to make it a priority of next year, as we have already achieved in creating relations with the kids. Though I say this, I am very much aware of the difficulty of impacting such a community. African Hope is a school for those who have very little, the school itself too has very little. It is not a secret that the children and staff of the school are impoverished and that our small service project cannot change that. However, I firmly believe as Margaret Mead did, that our group can make an impact. Though it may take years and service groups after us, to make a true difference, I wholeheartedly pray that the community of African Hope can benefit from the service give to them. It is only now, after my work at African, that I can truly appreciate the growing need for service and programs like Service Learning to really impact ones community.
End of Year Community Service Portfolio
Service Learning
Eve Caudill