PIF #3

 Summarize the activities of your social action project since Post #2.

Since the last posts, students have finished their first identity text and are anxiously awaiting more
blank books. Additionally, some students started ask if they could take some books home for their siblings.
As it turns out, many students do not have an abundant access to text at home. As such, we decided, given
that we have a lot of books that we don’t need, we will have a Open House Free-Book Fair and invite
families to take home books to add to their home library. Students have made posters and have begun
sorting and organizing the books. A few students said that they wanted to have their books available for the
families to read. I had the students complete an end of year survey to which 80% of the students said that
they are now most proficient at writing above other subjects.

 Connect your experiences with the project to the big ideas associated with social studies education (use
the readings and specific examples from your students and the project). You may relate your experiences to
one another as partners in the project.

The purpose of social studies education is to empower the students to be change agents. My
students became empowered writers who felt that they had a voice to share. Students who made careless
mistakes or gave no effort suddenly were carrying around texts, working endlessly on a book to share with
others. They shared, asked questions, gave critiques and praise. The students were able to connect the
process of writing as a way for them to communicate. Lastly, students decided that all children needed
more access to books so they are currently working on set-up the Open House Free-Book Fair. Seeing
children make active decisions that affect the lives of others makes sure that students can live on to create
better times as authors such as Delaine Eastin claims “Children are the living message we send to a time we
will not see”. (Westheimer, 2007) I also feel that my students making so much progress are a testament to
Linda Christensen’s statement that “Many of the students who come from remedial or regular classes are
bright. But the abilities they bring to class often go unrecognized because they aren’t skills traditional
education has prized.” (Christensen, 2000)

 Define citizenship and explain how it connects to the goals and standards associated with Social Studies.

Citizenship is the active involvement in one’s life and the desire to act in a way the benefits the
lives of others. The HSS Standards in California specifically address that students learn about people who
make a difference and how students themselves can make a difference through service learning projects.
(Ch.5, 2.1 California Framework for History-Social Science, 2016)

 How can you use service-learning to integrate the curriculum beyond social studies, while still meeting
the state content standards?

Serving learning can incorporate many cross-curricular subjects such as writing (writing
standards) a letter to an administrator, reading texts to a younger child or illiterate adult (Reading),
Recycling can/donations and keeping a ledger (Math) are just some examples of how service learning can
be incorporated across several state standards.

 What specific curriculum connections that emerged through our class project? How did they emerge?

Like magic, just when the kids were starting to make their own books and a few of them were
making comics, we had our lesson/discussion on graphic novels. This gave me an entirely different
perspective and I began using different language with my students. Using their language in regards to the
comic text really engaged them in the writing process and fine focused some strategies I had taught about
incorporating images as a essential part of the writing process.

 How did your participation in this project, the readings for the course, and the activities in class
contribute to your understanding of citizenship and social studies education?
 This course taught me how to offer a just education. With every discussion we had, I learned
something new I could implement. I also really appreciated the several of the activities such as a Google
slides poem, graphic novel review, the focus on identity texts, the use of art analysis in the classroom and
our History Mystery project. All of these projects gave me the social studies education I yearned for as a
child and gave me the tools to create a more socially just classroom. I now understand citizenship as active
engagement and see social studies as the analysis of our environments.

 How might you incorporate citizenship education into your classroom after this course? Will you
continue to use service-learning projects in your classroom to meet the goals and standards associated with
social studies education? Provide a detailed explanation of why or why not. If you do not plan to use
service-learning projects in the future, either identify potential experiential alternatives for teaching
students about their roles and responsibilities as citizens OR tell what changes would need to occur for you
to be motivated to use these types of projects in the future.

I will absolutely be incorporating service-learning projects with my students in the future with an
emphasis on social studies education. One of the initial ways I will provide a foundation for citizenship is
to develop rules for engagement with the students focusing on Speaking and Listening standards. As author
Gerald Graff writes, teaching the “debate itself” as modeled by educators is essential for students to acquire
citizenship skills (Westheimer, 2007). Even if they have a voice, no one will listen if they don’t know how
to engage and interact.