Service Learning Reflection

I completed my service learning at The Arbors of Bedford, a nursing home for older adults suffering with memory loss due to dementia. Their mission is to care for the whole person in a manner that promotes freedom, choice and the opportunity to live a meaningful life (n.a., 2017). The Arbors of Bedford promotes a therapeutic environment by creating an open and welcome environment and by giving the residents as much choice in their lives as possible. For example, they can choose whether to sit by the window in a seat by themselves, or in a living room chair with a group of people. There is usually a television or music playing in one section, while another section is quiet which allows the residents to choose the setting that is best for them. They host a variety of activities that focus on different therapy areas. The activities offered include listening to spiritual hymns, tai chi, craft designs, piano performances, and invention trivia. These components together, along with a caring and competent staff, allow The Arbors of Bedford to fulfill their mission statement.

For my Community Service Learning placement, I am volunteering for PAAL, which is a program for children and youth with physical and intellectual impairments. Their vision is to offer individuals who otherwise may not get the chance, an opportunity to participate in a wide variety of physical activities.

Each school, because of government mandate, has to provide services for exceptional students. The textbook Human Diversity in Education defines exceptional students as “those eligible for special educational services” (Cushner, McClelland & Safford, 2011). There are several categories for exceptional student but they all fall under the Ability/Disability continuum. Some of the categories for exceptional students are the: intellectually gifted, specific learning disability, emotionally handicapped, hearing impaired, visually impaired, mentally handicapped, and physically handicapped. In this paper the specific type of students that will be discussed, fall under the disabled side of the continuum. As one can see from the list above there

Finding an organization for service learning is not hard. There are more than a handful in the Wichita area, the hard part is deciding which one to get involved with. I decided to do my service learning in my hometown of Belle Plaine at the annual Tulip Time Festival.

Coming in this semester this was one of only two classes I decided to take. I had never take any classes with ODU and want to “get my feet wet”. I can honestly say that if all my classes run as smoothly as this class has I will have no problem completing my Human Service degree.

This paper will detail Service Learning through a student’s eyes. It should serve as a reflection of her short time at the Early Childhood Learning Center on Fayetteville State University’s campus. Though the hours spent volunteering were part of requirements for an Introductions to Human Services course, they still made a huge impact on the author. These hours have changed the author’s perspective on working with children, serving as a confirmation on her future. Assuring her that whatever career path they choose should revolve heavily around children.

“Service Learning is a form of practical experience that enhances learning in all areas of a nursing program, and the experience of service learning reinforces the moral and civic values inherent in serving others (Ferris State University School of Nursing, 2015, p. 1). Consequently, to enhance my learning I completed my service learning at the Interprofessional Wellness Clinic, which focuses on diabetes education at Ferris State University. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to reflect in detail about my service learning experiences and how this service learning helped me achieve the nursing BSN program outcomes.

This semester my class, Adult Development and Later Life, had to do a mandatory 10 hours service learning activity. We either had to choose between Brown’s or Bulloch Parks and Recreation. For my service learning activities, I chose Bulloch Parks and Recreation. I did 4 of my hours for line dancing and 6 hours for scramble. I also did an extra hour for the girl scouts.

According to Kathleen Flecky and Lynn Gitlow, service-learning is defined as, “learning that occurs in experiences, reflection, and civic engagement” (Flecky & Gitlow, 2011). In recent years more universities are implementing service learning into their curriculum. A key concept of service learning is civic responsibility. Civic responsibility can simply be defined as your responsibilities as a citizen. As will be shown later in this paper, service learning can have many benefits not only to a student, but also to the community members

When I was in my first semester of college as a dual credit student, I was assigned to do a service learning project. For this project, I had to volunteer somewhere for a few hours and then analyze what I saw and experienced. I decided to volunteer at a nursing home and spend some time with the elderly residents there. The experience that I had impacted my outlook on nursing homes and those with mental illnesses. While there, I saw many residents that were physically impaired but I was not prepared to witness so many people with failing minds. I feel like this project really opened my eyes and my heart for those that had once been able to live full lives and were now unable to care for themselves. A few years later, my own grandmother’s

I chose to participate in service learning and I am excited to be volunteering with the Washington Trails Association (WTA) this quarter. A few years ago, I took an English class that also included a service-learning component. I spent time tutoring math and science to middle school students in Seattle, and I feel that by doing so I gained a perspective that I would not have otherwise obtained by doing individual research or by sitting in a lecture hall. I decided to participate in service learning this quarter with the hope that I would have a similar experience; to gain knew knowledge, or a new outlook that can only be experienced in a hands-on learning environment.

As I began this service-learning portfolio Project I felt as though I was going to have a very difficult time organizing and recording all the information to produce my last project. I never thought that breaking it down into large, weekly portions would allow me to better understand the project as a whole. As I completed my first service-learning worksheet, I felt as though I did a very good job until I received my grade. Unfortunately, I misunderstood the directions and did not add information relevant to the specific topic. As i completed the following two worksheets, I chose the specified subject and lesson that I wanted to create my entire portfolio on and felt much more successful after receiving those grades. Creating this portfolio

Service-learning is an educational involvement that balances the academic development and a personal experience with the opportunity to serve the community. During this second semester I have the opportunity to experience again what a service learning is. I did my service learning at the Gladys Porter Zoo here in Brownsville, which give me a significant experience by having learned how important the zoos are, specially the Gladys Porter Zoo. Brownsville have this great opportunity of having a Zoo, which plays an important role in education, recreation and conservation of animals. In fact, during this 8 hours that I offer my service, by having dealt with animals, the Gladys Porter Zoo show me how they make the life of the animals go easier than

For my service learning project I completed hours at Holiday Brook Farm. Within this paper I will relate my internship to my bioregion. An overview of the business itself is included along with why it is important to my bioregion. An inquiry of what was done at the farm for my project. This includes my expectations, if those expectations were met, how it’s related to class, etc. An abbreviated review of literature that includes background information, history, etc. related to my project. A log of hours along with field notes and Kate's signature is included. A section of my possible resume is included describing tasks that I was responsible for throughout the service learning. Finally, a wrap up of the project, if it was beneficial, what I enjoyed or did not enjoy, and how it’s related to my bioregion to conclude.

The impact of culture towards healthcare behaviors and actions towards health assessment findings is a constant challenge healthcare professionals work on understanding from a medical point of view, as well as a self-point of view as an individual practicing medicine. Culture, a pattern of learned ideas, customs, and behaviors that are shared by a specific group of people or civilization, have a vast influence on healthcare. It can sway sensitivities of health, beliefs about root causes of diseases, how to handle illnesses or death, ways to manage health betterment, how patients resort to seek help, and the types of actions patients prefer. As healthcare professionals, we are aware of the importance of keeping up with knowing the levels of our blood pressure numbers, Body Mass Index numbers, A1C Test numbers, and cholesterol numbers, amongst many others. To share and provide education of our understanding of the impact of culture on health, and examine the significance of age and developmental stages, our group set out to educate individuals on the importance of knowing your numbers.