I recently wrote a post encouraging educators to get students actively involved in service education. In it I provided my rationale for implementing service activities in the classroom and suggested some resources to help you get started.
Your feedback has caused me to decide to take this a step further. Now, rather than simply encouraging teachers (in general) to do this I’m now challenging you (specifically you) to start a service activity in your classroom. The holiday season is upon us, so I think it’s a perfect time to talk about service and initiate a project with your students.
Here’s THE CHALLENGE.
- Kick-off a service activity in your classroom.
- Make us, the readers of this blog (there are hundreds of visitors on a daily basis), aware of your project before you begin. I’ve dedicated a new section of the blog to this activity and added a permanent link titled The Challenge to the main menu. This allows us to to share information, provide links to personal/ class blogs, wikis, websites, etc. where we can learn about each other’s projects and share resources and ideas. You can post your information by a) leaving it in the comments in The Challenge area, b) emailing me a link to your project blog, wiki, site, etc. that I’ll add to The Challenge area, or c) emailing me your information, files, links, etc. that I’ll post in The Challenge area.
- Keep working on your project and enjoy all the wonderful things that will surely come from it.
- Share. Share. Share. Let’s provide updates by which we (including our students) can all follow each other’s progress. Again, you can do this by clicking on The Challenge link in the menu, or by emailing me links, information, files, photos, etc. that I can post on Clif’s Notes for you.
Let’s make the world a better place. I CHALLENGE YOU!!! 🙂
Resources
Here are some great resources to help you get started.
I’m going to have to give this some thought, but I’m not going to back down from a challenge.
This is an excellent idea, Cliff. I accept the challenge. I’ll let everyone know what we’re doing in the days ahead.
This is an excellent idea, Cliff. I accept the challenge. I’ll let everyone know what we’re doing in the days ahead.
I’m going to share this with my graduate students and challenge them to do this in their classrooms.
Pet shelters are always in need of assistance.
Adopt a highway and fight litter.
Duck’s Unlimited is also a find organization.
Great idea! I think some may also find good ideas at these blogs.
http://www.edsupport.cc/mguhlin/index.htm.
http://www.stevehargadon.com/
http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/
http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/
http://nhokanson.wordpress.com/
http://www.designedtoinspire.com/drupal/xinha_editor.html/drupal/?q=blog/1
http://effectivedesign.org/
http://www.speedofcreativity.org/
http://theopenclassroom.blogspot.com/
I’m goig to share this with my school right after Thanksgiving. This is an admirable idea, Clif.
Thanks for all the support. I’m looking forward to hearing all about the good that each of you will be doing. I’d also like to see many, many more teachers accept the challenge. Please feel free to distribute this widely.
I just came back to see how many are accepting the challenge. I hope the number keeps growing. I think all of us that read this blog should help Clif spread the word by telling our friends and colleagues about this.
I accpet THE CHALLENGE. I’ll be back after Thanksgiving to tell you what my students and I are doing.
I was already planning a fundraising project with my students, but I’ve decided to increase our target goal since I read this. I accept THE CHALLENGE.
We’re going to be doing a canned food drive in the classes that I teach. We’re going to donate the contributed cans of food to a local food bank for them to ditribute for the holidays.
Oh, oh, oh, this is a swell idea, Clif. I’ll need to decide what we’re going to do, but we accpet the challenge, too. I challenge all the other teachers to do this also.
I’m going to get my students and players involved with a Christmas charity. Thanks for challenging me to do this.
Count me in-I love this idea.
Great ideas, bigskyteacher. Thanks for sharing them.
Being from Memphis I’d also suggest the following that help ill children and their families. All of these have good websites and resources.
-St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
-Target House
-Ronald McDonald House
I was trying to think of things that teachers could easily complete between now and the end of the semester. Here are some suggestions.
-Penny or coin drives. Let the students learn about a few charitiable causes in the area and then choose what to do with the money.
-Clothes drives
-Adopt-an-Angel or Angel-Tree programs are available in most towns. Help provide holiday gifts for families in need.
-Toys for Tots, Salvation Army, and many local fire stations are involved in providing kids in need with holiday gifts.
-Recycling program. Donate the money.
-Kiva.org. Clif has already posted about how simple it is to become a part of this effective charity effort.
I’d feel like such a bad person if I ignored this challenge. I accept. We may not actualy be able to start anything until January, though.
What an admirable idea.
Splendid idea!!! I’m also going to accept THE CHALLENGE and I’m going to get all my class sections involved in a joint project. I think I will also get my after school club to do some service.
Teachers, let’s change the world…NOW!
Ok, I feel inclined to accept the challenge. I don’t know exactly what we’ll do but we’ll talk about it. I challenge all you other readers to accept Clif’s challenge.
cool idea. i’m not teaching yet but i gonna tell all my professors about it and maybe your idea will be shared around alot more.
I’m going to think about this over Thanksgiving with the intention of starting a service project before December begins.