Tuesday Pals: A Service Learning Experience

1
Tuesday Pals A Service Learning Experience

• Building the literacy skills of ESL children and
  an awareness of teaching dispositions for future
  teachers.

2
Players

• Judy Smith, ESL teacher at Emma Elementary School
• ESL children grades 3-5
• Nancy Ruppert, Education teacher at UNC-Asheville
• First Year Experience Students

3
Setting

• Emma Elementary School pull out program.

4
Project Based Learning

• Project-based learning with multimedia (PBLMM)
  is a method of teaching and learning in which
  students acquire new knowledge and skills in the
  course of designing, planning, and producing a
  multimedia product. http//pblmm.k12.ca.us/PBLGuid
  e/model.htm

5
Service Learning

• to reflect on what they learn through service,
  and to draw connections between what they learn
  in the community and what they learn in the
  classroom. http//www.unca.edu/keycenter

6
Collaboration according to Nancy and Judy

• When classroom teachers and university faculty
  members work together, children and future
  teachers benefit.
• More gets done better and it is more fun
• There is power in building relationships
• There is joy in sharing projects
• Collaboration involves a spirit of support and
  passion where everybody wins.

7
The Emma Activities

• Training the Pals
• The Time Line Activity
• Brainstorming Bubbles
• Kidspiration
• Choices about what to write about
• AlphaSmarts
• Dialogue
• Resources (thesarus, dictionary)
• Rubrics
• Interviews
• PowerPoint
• Lunch and Presentation

8
The UNCA Activities

• Read Teaching Other Peoples Children Literacy
  and learning in a bilingual classroom by Cynthia
  Ballenger.
• Researched a topic of interest
• Reflected each week.
• Examined Teaching Dispositions (UNCA)
• Approached teaching through inquiry and a
  real-life situation

9
A sample of the progress children made
10
Lessons Learned from reflections of the Tuesday
Pals

• Teachers are role models.
• The teacher must get every child they possibly
  can on a level that challenges them and brings
  their learning level as a group to an even level.
• Being a teacher is being constantly aware and
  compassionate of others.

11
Changes in Children

• It didnt take long for them to open up and start
  talking.
• This project helped me realize that helping
  people is very important.
• Throughout the semester I could see her progress
  in the areas of writing and speaking.
• I was amazed at how much growth took place.
• I learned that ESL children are just like any
  other group of children

12
To Create an Experience

• First, find a partner
• Second, have a plan or idea
• Third, take small steps
• Fourth, look for other ways to support one
  another (grants, workshops, conferences)
• Fifth, publish your work