Verita Insights Magazine VIS magazine final | Page 18

SERVICE LEARNING
SERVICE LEARNING
AT VERITA
In my career in education across
four continents, I have been
fortunate enough to witness real
student change. The kind of
change that excites and inspires.
In each of these situations, the
common element was service.
Moreover, the new learning cycles for the IPC, and IMYC are
encompassed by action. Action has been added around the
cycle to reinforce the importance of learners acting on their
learning at different points in the unit to understand that it
is possible for learners to apply their learning in different
ways to create positive change.
Students were in situations where
they needed to look outwards, to
recognise the needs of another,
and to respond. And in these
moments they were deeply
changed.
Service-learning is defined as: "A
form of experiential education
where learning occurs through a
cycle of action and reflection as
students seek to achieve real
objectives for the community and
deeper understanding and skills
for themselves." (Edutopia).
Experience and heart-warming
stories help staff and students
embrace service-learning, but
recent research has convinced
schools that we ought to make
service learning (both within and
alongside the curriculum) a
priority.
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|   VERITA INSIGHTS
Too often service is given a pat on the back for being ‘nice’
while being positioned somewhere to the left of the ‘serious
business of education’. But both research and practice tell a
different story. The case for student involvement in service is
multi-faceted, rigorous and compelling. Service-learning is
a key way for VIS to make our vision a reality. It helps our
students grow into active, self-motivated, socially-
responsible citizens.