Blogs
In her book titled The Complete Guide to Service Learning, Cathryn Burger Kaye asserts that "Reflection is a pause button that gives students the time to explore the impact of what they are learning and its effect on their thoughts and future actions." In PSL, students have opportunities to participate in both structured and spontaneous reflection. The most common methods of reflection include classroom discussion, art, portfolios, journals, and blogs. The purpose of these reflections is to help students construct meaning from their service by challenging their assumptions and making connections between their real-world experiences and the issues discussed in class.
Blog Prompt
Blog #4
Assigned/Due: Monday, November 16th
Consider your experiences while a student at Perry Local Schools. After reflecting on the programs, policies, and philosophies that characterize our district, tell a story that illustrates how one component affected you. As always, use narrative techniques (rich and vivid description, appropriate dialogue, emerging themes) to engage and inspire your readers.
Blog Peer Evaluation and Review Directions
updated_blog_rubric_2015.docx |
What is a blog?
A blog is a journal that you write within a Google document . Like a journal, you can reflect on personal experiences, feelings, and factual situations. Unlike a journal, your work will ultimately be published for others to read and comment on, both on our Perry Service Learning webpage and other public forums.
Why blog?
Blogs are useful in many ways. It provides a safe place for reflection, allowing you to think out loud about your PSL experiences. Your blog provides a forum to celebrate your successes and vent when things go wrong. Moreover, it provides you an opportunity to share your stories with others.
What should my blog should say?
More often than not, you will be assigned specific writing prompts that you are expected address. Other times, your will be able to openly blog on volunteer experiences and/or issues that come up in our Perry Service Learning course. There are several critical elements that can be included in blog writing:
Observations: a descriptive narrative about a particular situation that happened while volunteering. This can include both positive and negative experiences (i.e. a description of an interview with an older person, a meeting with teenagers, a children’s play activity)
Questions: Questions can come in the form personal explorations (i.e. Why do I get nervous before I go to my service site?) or they may be questions about facts (i.e. Why does the shelter serve dinner at 6 when most of the guests are waiting in the parking lot by 5?) Your questions may also pertain to big ideas (i.e. Is private school education more effective than public school education?). We encourage you to not only ask questions, but also seek answers in your blog.
Speculation: A blog is a great place to speculate about issues or concerns. You can pontificate about issues, events, or patterns of behavior that puzzle you and add your personal insights into why things are the way they are (i.e. Why is “Suzie” constantly fighting? Why does “Mildred” refuse to play bingo with the other residents? Why do homeless persons continue their self-destructive behavior?
Self-Awareness: Devote some of your blogs to your own feelings and sensitivities. Explain what you like most about your volunteer time and think about why it makes you happy. Likewise, examine what you like least about your service experience and why that makes you sad.
What should my blog not say?
Don’t just answer the question “What?” but also address “So what?” and “Now what?” questions. Also keep in mind that unlike a traditional journal or diary, your blog is an open book. Therefore it is imperative that you be considerate of the people you discuss in your blog and respect their confidentiality. You may still share stories about encounters with clients, co-workers, and classmates but be sure not to disclose their identity. Use alternative first names for them and never use last names.
A blog is a journal that you write within a Google document . Like a journal, you can reflect on personal experiences, feelings, and factual situations. Unlike a journal, your work will ultimately be published for others to read and comment on, both on our Perry Service Learning webpage and other public forums.
Why blog?
Blogs are useful in many ways. It provides a safe place for reflection, allowing you to think out loud about your PSL experiences. Your blog provides a forum to celebrate your successes and vent when things go wrong. Moreover, it provides you an opportunity to share your stories with others.
What should my blog should say?
More often than not, you will be assigned specific writing prompts that you are expected address. Other times, your will be able to openly blog on volunteer experiences and/or issues that come up in our Perry Service Learning course. There are several critical elements that can be included in blog writing:
Observations: a descriptive narrative about a particular situation that happened while volunteering. This can include both positive and negative experiences (i.e. a description of an interview with an older person, a meeting with teenagers, a children’s play activity)
Questions: Questions can come in the form personal explorations (i.e. Why do I get nervous before I go to my service site?) or they may be questions about facts (i.e. Why does the shelter serve dinner at 6 when most of the guests are waiting in the parking lot by 5?) Your questions may also pertain to big ideas (i.e. Is private school education more effective than public school education?). We encourage you to not only ask questions, but also seek answers in your blog.
Speculation: A blog is a great place to speculate about issues or concerns. You can pontificate about issues, events, or patterns of behavior that puzzle you and add your personal insights into why things are the way they are (i.e. Why is “Suzie” constantly fighting? Why does “Mildred” refuse to play bingo with the other residents? Why do homeless persons continue their self-destructive behavior?
Self-Awareness: Devote some of your blogs to your own feelings and sensitivities. Explain what you like most about your volunteer time and think about why it makes you happy. Likewise, examine what you like least about your service experience and why that makes you sad.
What should my blog not say?
Don’t just answer the question “What?” but also address “So what?” and “Now what?” questions. Also keep in mind that unlike a traditional journal or diary, your blog is an open book. Therefore it is imperative that you be considerate of the people you discuss in your blog and respect their confidentiality. You may still share stories about encounters with clients, co-workers, and classmates but be sure not to disclose their identity. Use alternative first names for them and never use last names.
updated_blog_rubric_2015.docx |
Previous Blog Assignments
Blog #3
Assigned: Monday, October 19th
Due: Wednesday, October 21st at the start of class
Consider the following perspectives:
Compare and contrast the the two quotations, and connect at least one to our classroom conversations on charity and justice, and/or our current philanthropy work. You may also choose to include relevant service experiences to help illustrate your connection. As always, use narrative techniques (rich and vivid description, appropriate dialogue, emerging themes) to engage and inspire your readers.
Blog #2
Assigned: Monday, September 21st
Revisions Due: Tuesday, September 29th at 8am
Write a narrative about your earliest experience with poverty and homelessness. This may be an encounter you had when visiting an urban area, a time you volunteered at a homeless shelter, an experience from your own life, or even our class trip to the Salvation Army. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, themes, etc. to illustrate your narrative. Explain how this experience has shaped your understanding of poverty and/or homelessness, and connect it to our classroom studies.
Blog #1
Assigned: Monday, August 17th/Tuesday August 18th
Due: Monday, August 24th at 8am
Tell the story of someone who has left your world a better place, or a tell a story about how you have left the world a better place. As you craft your response, keep in mind the elements of an engaging story (compelling characters, plot/conflict, style, and tone) so that your readers can really understand and connect with the experience you are writing about.
Blog #3
Assigned: Monday, October 19th
Due: Wednesday, October 21st at the start of class
Consider the following perspectives:
- "Organized charity is doing good for good-for-nothing people."
- "Charity is a helping hand stretched out to save some from the inferno of their present life."
Compare and contrast the the two quotations, and connect at least one to our classroom conversations on charity and justice, and/or our current philanthropy work. You may also choose to include relevant service experiences to help illustrate your connection. As always, use narrative techniques (rich and vivid description, appropriate dialogue, emerging themes) to engage and inspire your readers.
Blog #2
Assigned: Monday, September 21st
Revisions Due: Tuesday, September 29th at 8am
Write a narrative about your earliest experience with poverty and homelessness. This may be an encounter you had when visiting an urban area, a time you volunteered at a homeless shelter, an experience from your own life, or even our class trip to the Salvation Army. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, themes, etc. to illustrate your narrative. Explain how this experience has shaped your understanding of poverty and/or homelessness, and connect it to our classroom studies.
Blog #1
Assigned: Monday, August 17th/Tuesday August 18th
Due: Monday, August 24th at 8am
Tell the story of someone who has left your world a better place, or a tell a story about how you have left the world a better place. As you craft your response, keep in mind the elements of an engaging story (compelling characters, plot/conflict, style, and tone) so that your readers can really understand and connect with the experience you are writing about.