EDUC 2300 Introduction to Education

Service Learning
Journal Entries

NAME Michael Hood

March 6, 2017
 VISION FOR MY FUTURE

Here is what I want to accomplish this year:

Education: I want to get my associates degree and transfer to a four-year university next fall. I
want to make sure my GPA is above a 3.0 or higher. I hope to accomplish this while maintaining
a job. I like the classes that I am taking to get my degree, it makes me keep thinking about the
career I want in my future.

Career: I am helping coach right now and I want to one day coach my own team while teaching
at that school. I love exercise and want to teach physical education. That way I can teach kids
how important physical activity is important to their lives. I want to hope one day teach them
enough where they can go out and do things that involve physical activity instead of sitting
inside and using technology.

Family and Friends: Family and my friends have always supported me throughout my life.
Once I went to college my mother has pushed me to do my best so I would like my future career.
My father has always said to go to college so I can make money later in my life. Without them
pushing me to do my best I do not know where I would be at today.

Involvement and Service to My Community: I have always tried my best to give back to my
community. I have donated money and given time to help the community grow. I have been
coaching at my old school helping kids with basketball. It brings me joy to know I am helping
kids to further their future in that sport. I like the experience this brought me in helping kids in
the classroom as well.

Personal Growth: I feel like have gained confidence through this experience. This made me
realize that I still have things I need to work on along with further education before I can teach
my own classes.
 Service Learning Project

Name: Michael Hood

Course Title: Education 2300
Date: March 6, 2017
Agency Name: Edgemont Elementary School

Agencys Mission Statement/ Grades Served/ Community Needs: Edgemonts mission

statement is college and careers readiness begins in Kindergarten, every student matters, every
moment counts. It is saying that the school does their best in trying to get kids to the next level.
The school wants the student to know that they matter, and that they know if they did their best
they can succeed. The school gives the community an opportunity for the children to succeed in
school while making many fantastic memories.

Prologue: What do you expect to get from your service learning experience (i.e., how will this
experience help YOU develop)? How will it impact your learning and link to class materials? How
do you think the students and staff will perceive you? What goals do you have for the semesters
Service Learning experience? What fears do you have (if any) about service learning?

This is my second service learning I have one while in school. I will still be a little
nervous in how I would do in helping the kids succeed, but hopefully over time I
will be able to overcome the fear of doing a good job talking to the kids. I hope
this service learning gives me different ideas when it comes to having my own
class one day. I think doing this will help prepare me for the next level in
education. My goal for this service learning is to have all the kids respect by the
final day, and I hope to gain respect from the teacher I am put under.
 ABCs of Reflection

Affect In this section of your journal entry, you will identify

your feelings about the work you did and explain why you feel as
you do. Word choice should be specific: annoyed, aggravated,
shocked, disappointed, pleased, etc.

Behavior In this section of your journal entry, you should

discuss your actions during the service learning experience and
evaluate your behavior. State what you would do differently or
the same if you are ever confronted with a similar situation in the
future.

Cognition or Content In this section of your journal entry,

share your thoughts about the service learning you did in relation
to concepts being discussed in class. You may include a statement
of what you learned or note any observations that support or
contradict concepts taught in your education classes.

All three parts of your journal entry will be assessed for

completeness, organization, articulation and for correctness.
 Journal Entry

First Agency Visit: (Overview of Events)

On the first visit, I got to meet the principle and the teacher I was working going to work
with. He was very respectful, and was happy to mentor me. He told me the lessons for the week
so I would be prepared when I came into the classes.

ABCs of Reflections

Affect: On the first day I was little nervous in the new environment. The kids were
shocked to see me in the classroom. They were not used to having more than one teacher in
there. Overall, the first visit was the hardest because the students had to get used to me and who
I was.

Behavior: I felt that my actions the first day was good. I did not step on the teachers
toes. I did little task for the teacher, and help the students with minor things since it was my first
day.

Cognition/Content: Going into my second service learning I did not know what to
expect. The teacher and students had open arms towards me. After the first day, the teacher was
glad to have me and respected me. The students were even excited that I was coming back for
more days with them.

Second and Third Agency Visit: (Overview of Events)

On the second and third day of my visit to the school, I felt a little more prepared and
what was going on. The teacher let me work with the kids as if I been their forever. He trusted
me in what I was doing. I was grateful to jump right in with the students and help them learn.

ABCs of Reflections

Affect: I was still nervous working with the students. Some students had to be taught
different and talked to different than others. Once I got to see how the teacher ran things and
taught I could do the same. Some of the kids were so happy I was coming back. The students
made me feel appreciated and that made me not want to leave the students.

Behavior: Since this was my second service learning experience I felt little more
comfortable in jumping in with the teachers when it came to explaining the lessons. I was happy
that I got to show the students how to do certain things. I thought I would be nervous, but
instead I felt good about showing them what to do.

Cognition/Content: In class one of the days me and the teacher decided to mix things up
a little and split into teams. I had a team as well as him, and after we did this the students wanted
to get more involved in the activities we were doing. Having a winner made everyone participate
and have fun. The students laughed and enjoyed the class ten times better when we did this
because each student was trying to win.

Final Agency Visit: (Overview of Events)

On the last day of my visit, the students were bummed out that my time was over. I was
grateful for the experiences I had at the school and with the different students. I hope to go to the
same school in the future if I need more service learning.

ABCs of Reflections

Affect: I got to learn more about the school hours and how each class work. I got to see
how the grades worked differently than the class I was in. I felt bad for leaving the students, and
was glad I got the best experience possible.

Behavior: I received a lot of neat and exciting information on how the school was run. I
will be able to use all the information and put it towards my next experience. I learned some
valuable things in the days I was there, and I will put them in use in the future.

Cognition/Content: I got to teach many different grades, and I felt comfortable with
every student. I grow to understand how to teach each student differently by their grade level.
There are many games that the students loved to do to keep them active in the class. When I get
to have my own class one day I hope to use all the different lessons and activities I learned and
out them to use to my own students so that they enjoy school.
 Epilogue:

Reflect on your semesters service learning experience.

This service learning has been great. The school welcomed me with open arms. I got put with a
teacher who was very respectful and fun to be around. He explained what his lesson plans were to
me so I could understand what was going on. He helped me with talking to the kids to make sure
that they would be happy. He told the kids to treat me like they treated him. The kids in the school
were nice and respectful to me, and they listened to me well when I was talking to them.

Revisit the prologue. Have your expectations been met?

Overall, my expectations were met. The teacher I was with could not do any better than he did. He
showed me different ways in helping kids. He showed me that there are many ways to get them
involved. The school was great to me. I started out nervous, but by the end of my learning I became
very positive when I was helping. I did not get nervous at all, and the kids helped me by listening to
me and respecting me.

How have you been surprised, delighted, or dismayed by the experience? Give specific
examples.

On the last day, a kid came up to me hugged. He said he would miss having me there helping. This
made me very happy. It showed me that I have made a difference in his life. It gives me joy when I
give someone else joy. When he did that, I told myself that this is what I want. I cannot wait to have
degree and be teaching my own class where I can help kids succeed.

How could this experience be improved?

I thought my experience was great. I honestly do not think this experienced could be improved.
 VISION FOR MY FUTURE

Here is what I want to accomplish in the next five years:

Education: In the next five years I hope to have my bachelors degree of science in physical
education. I want to graduate at ETSU with honors. They have a good education program that I
want to go to. I hope to keep my grades up and try my best to reach my goals within five years.

Career: I want to teach physical education at the high school level. I want to have physical
conditioning classes where I can teach kids to get in shape and help with weight lifting. I hope to
still be coaching, and even hopefully I can coach at the high school level as well, or be a head
coach at an elementary school.

Family and Friends: In the next five years I would like to become closer to my family. We are
already close, but there are always things that we need to improve on. Hopefully me and my
girlfriend will be able to live with each other, so that we can take our relationship to the next
level.

Involvement and Service to My Community: In the next five years I would like to open my
own gym. I strive for physical fitness. I want a gym that is not made for only body building, but
I want to invite everyone in the community. I want to cut the obese rate down in my community.

Personal Growth: In the next five years I hope I grow as an adult and as a person. Nobody is
perfect. I hope to be someone that when people see me, they will think I am well-mannered and
was raised right.
 REFLECTIONS
Here are the Knowledge and Skills that I have acquired as a direct result of taking part in this
Service Learning project:
I required some knowledge on how certain things work in schools. I have found out different
teaching methods when it comes to the grade and age of a student. I had to teach some things
longer to the younger classes. I had to talk certain ways to kids if they were upset or crying. I
even found out some of the evacuation drills for the school and how the grades got split up so
there was not any confusion.

Here is how this Service Learning project ties in with my

EDUC 2300 Introduction to Education class:
There were many factors that were involved when it came to teaching the kids. One main thing
that stood out to me is when a girl fell. Me and the teacher ran over to her to make sure was
okay, and the next day a boy fell. Me and the teacher did not panic to him, but we just asked if
he was okay and to shake it off. This shows how teachers perceive to teach when it comes to the
gender of the student.

My Contribution to the Community

I have devoted 22 hours to my Service Learning project. Here are four lasting experiences
that are an outcome of my Service Learning project:
1. Do your best to make the students happy, so that they want to go to school.
2. Not all students want to participate, so come up with fun and interesting games
to get them involved.
3. Always stay positive when talking to your students.
4. You must talk differently to some students. Not every student will react the
same when trying to tell them what to do.