Teach Middle East Magazine Sep - Dec 2020 Issue 1 Volume 8 | Page 43

Sharing Good Practice
Citizenship and Public Service has
established a unique bridge-year
service learning program, where
students spend a year between high
school and college, undertaking
full-time community service before
beginning their four years of academic
study. Harvard University has also
released a statement encouraging
students to take a gap year by allowing
them to defer enrollment and pursue
travel or work experience for a year.
Furthermore,
organisations
such
as The Leap are being created to
provide gap year volunteer and travel
programs around the world.
All three students agree that there
are risks associated with making this
decision, such as the potential financial
burden, difficulty retaining information
from school (especially in the areas of
Math and Science), and the possibility
that the student might not want to
go back to school at all. They insist
that the benefits of a gap year are
contingent on the student having
a specific plan on how they want to
spend their time and the goals they
want to work towards. While public
opinion continues to vary on this
ever-growing trend, more students
and parents alike, are beginning to
understand not only why this is helpful
for students after high school, but the
positive impact it could have for their
futures in the long run.
Jordan particularly enjoys helping
the younger sports teams, stating
that it has given him a real sense of
achievement watching them develop
and succeed, while Madeleine feels
more confident in herself from all the
positive and comforting feedback she
has received. They have also developed
an appreciation for the staff at the
school, realising the work that goes on
behind the scenes and the amount of
preparation that is required for lessons
and extra-curricular activities.
Reflecting on their gap year thus far,
Jordan believes that the time spent
away from school makes an individual
more well-rounded, allowing them
to develop skills they would normally
struggle to acquire when going
straight into university. Madeleine
sees it as a great way to open one’s
eyes to new interests and hobbies they
may otherwise not have considered.
Companies and universities alike are
recognising the benefits that come
with the gap year trend, with some
going as far as incorporating the
concept into their institutions through
different programs. Tufts College of
Class Time
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