Service-Learning
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Courses” _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|100px|0px”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”46px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.6″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]Focus: Who Should Submit: Submission deadline: Submission Procedure: or https://higher-ed.org/AEQ/rufen1.htm |
PROMO K-12 Service-Learning List k12-sl@lists.etr.org Higher Education Service-Learning List he-sl@lists.etr.org Service-Learning List sl@csf.colorado.edu ADVCOM@LISTSERV.AED.ORG Transmitting an Ethic of Service-Learning ADVCOM@LISTSERV2.AED.ORG Transmitting an Ethic of Service-Learning BDD@LISTSERV.AED.ORG Transmitting an Ethic of Service-Learning CANADIAN-SERVICE-LEARNING@LISTSERV.UOGUELPH.CA professional staff & faculty sharing information CBCOM@LISTSERV2.AED.ORG Transmitting an Ethic of Service-Learning CBO-SL@LISTSERV.POINTSOFLIGHT.ORG Community-Based Organization Service-Learning COMCOM@LISTSERV.AED.ORG Transmitting an Ethic of Service-Learning FBCOM@LISTSERV2.AED.ORG Transmitting an Ethic of Service-Learning KNOWCOM@LISTSERV2.AED.ORG Transmitting an Ethic of Service-Learning MCBCOM@LISTSERV.AED.ORG Transmitting an Ethic of Service-Learning NSLCK-12@TC.UMN.EDU K-12 Service-Learning Nationwide NSLPEXCOM@LISTSERV2.AED.ORG Transmitting an Ethic of Service-Learning RESCOM@LISTSERV.AED.ORG Transmitting an Ethic of Service-Learning SERLEARN@LISTSERV.CMICH.EDU service-learning SERVICE-LEARNING@LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU Those interested in Service-Learning at Texas A&M.; SERVICELEARNING@KSU.EDU Service-Learning SERVICELEARNING@LISTSERV.KSU.EDU Service-Learning SIL@LISTSERV2.AED.ORG Service-Learning Initiative STEERING@LISTSERV2.AED.ORG Service-Learning Initiative Steering WV_SERVICE-LEARNING@WVNVM.WVNET.EDU WV Service-Learning Discussion listserv@listserv.syr.edu K-12 Administrators http://www.teachers.net/mailrings Teachers listserv@asu.edu American Educational Research Association List Education Policy Analysis Symposium edpolicy-request@asu.edu Education Policy Analysis Forum edpolyan-request@asu.edu Educational Research List erl-l-request@asu.edu |
he epigram above goes a long way in providing an answer to this
oft-repeated question. Of course, we must make a distinction between
Aristotle instructing passionate disciples on the definition of happiness
and a humble foreign language teacher attempting to familiarize a horde
of boisterous adolescents to the intricacies of the English interrogative
sentence. Whether adolescents back in the 4th century BC were radically
different in demeanor to today's is for the anthropologists and historians
to decide; in any case, Aristotle taught at his own establishment, the
Lyceum, which was populated with erudite and eager scholars, many of whom
had traveled great distances to study there. Few would deny that a teacher
must teach according to his pupils. Professor Stephen Hawking would explain
the concept of black holes to his Ph.D. student rather differently than
he would to an inquiring GCSE student. Nevertheless, there are a number
of universal features that bind all first-rate teachers. The astute but
weary teacher would point to the first clause of the epigram and dismiss it
as quixotic. The even more astute good teacher would then explain where
the fallacy lay: the desire to learn is not a precondition to successful
teaching, but a consequence. The majority of students do not initially
enter the classroom with a genuine desire to, say, describe a picture
in English. The teacher must instill it in them. This is the most
important task he faces and this is largely achieved by his own enthusiasm.
The teacher must be the most enthusiastic person in the room. Enthusiasm
is eerily contagious.
Waiting for my first lecture on "Advanced Word Morphology" last year, I
feared the worst. The lecturer, a plump and immaculately dressed man,
stormed into the room and, from that moment on, never lost our attention.
To think that someone could be so excited about the irregular plurals
in English was a little odd at first, but it nevertheless made us listen
to find out what could induce such animated grimaces and gesticulations.
In the following week, the attendance doubled. The good teacher then, has
a veritable passion for what he teaches or, less romantic but equally
effective, can pretend to be. To assume that a human being can be
veritably fascinated by the prospect of describing a picture in English
would transcend the boundaries of good sense. Once the teacher's enthusiasm
has infused into the pores of his pupils, the more cerebral aspects of his
character come into play. He must possess a sound knowledge of
whatever he teaches and be ready to answer in a clear and persuasive manner
the arguments and opinions that Milton says will inevitably follow. The
teacher-pupil interaction must be symbiotic, not merely a master-slave
relationship with the teacher acting as an all-knowing, infallible tyrant.
Patience is an important asset in a profession where abilities invariably
differ from pupil to pupil and remaining enthusiastic is by no means an
easy task. Related to patience is the ability to lucidly explain and
ungrudgingly reiterate aforementioned points. No amount of enthusiasm
will prevent some people from struggling with a concept or notion and thus
the need for patience, tolerance, and clarity.
The qualities described so far are universal and form a circle that
excludes all bad teachers but, naturally, also contains all the good
ones. Within that circle, diversity abounds. One will find a good teacher
whose humor and wit break the barriers between tedium and interest and retain
the pupils' attention throughout the lesson. Another teacher might break
the same barrier by his sheer acting talent - by his pauses, gestures,
thought-provoking sentences, and bright pink sweater. Another might
use computers, word-games, and stickers to render the learning more
compelling and engender enthusiasm. Teaching is a creative profession and,
just like there are many ways to perform a Chopin ballad, there are many
ways to teach people English or any other subject. Laboriously plowing
through a textbook will not make use of both the teacher's or pupil's
creative ability and the desire to learn will consequently vanish from both
parties. The good teacher, by definition creative, will attempt to extract
the artistic elements of his pupils by his idiosyncratic variations on the
repetitive nature of textbook learning.
The first step towards reaching the elite group of good teachers - the
galactic group to which Socrates, Cortot, and Bollettieri belong - is
the inculcation of the "desire to learn." Once this is achieved,
knowledge, argumentative adroitness, clarity, patience, and creativity
are called upon. Only then will the teacher have secured a place in the
divisive circle and be proclaimed "a good teacher."
hile baby-sitting my younger cousin Kelsey, I noticed that
she was frantically searching through a stack of books.
When I questioned what she was looking for she responded
frankly, "An education." I had to laugh at such a childish
remark. Many individuals believe that education is simply obtained
by reading books, listening to lectures or sitting in classrooms.
However, education is not received by being an active listener, or
an excellent reader. College does not guarantee a higher education;
rather, it provides the atmosphere and tools that are required to
develop into an educated, and scholarly individual. Education
therefore is achieved by progressing through the different stages
of knowledge, and acquiring the skills required to be an active
observer and participant in the real world.
Education is too often emphasized by the regurgitation of facts,
which diminishes the use of critical thinking. There are too many
dualistic students in society today who think topologically. That
is, they believe that there are only two different answers to every
question, the right one, and the wrong one. This type of thinking
not only limits the quality of education that the student receives,
but it also exploits the teacher's indolence and insufficient ability
to bestow a higher education upon their students. Although I was
ranked number four in my graduating class of 371 students, I do not
feel like I have received a higher education than the student who
was ranked number 371. Why? Simply because high school is equivalent
of a board game, one repeats what the teacher said, one's thinking is
emulative of the teachers, and one turns in the "busy work" on time.
Hence, high school has educated an individual on how to be resistant
to critical thinking.
On the other hand, college professors attempt to make students think
critically about issues, which concern their lives, and the lives of
others. A good college education is not bestowed to the students by
their professors; rather, the students furnish their own quality of
education. A student can choose to remain resistant to critical
thinking, or the student can maneuver into the next stage of education,
which is thinking with multiple perspectives. In this multiple stage,
the student begins to regard issues with diverse perspectives and to
consider multiple answers to questions (Mitchell, 2000). In contrast
with high school, college encourages students to argue with the
decisions and claims of the professors. Professors desire to encounter
contradictory views about specific topics, because professors realize
that the world is not dualistic. Although the student is at first
aggravated, frustrated and overwhelmed by the rejection of dualistic
thinking, the student slowly learns to adapt to the recommendation of
critical thinking.
Despite being warned that college would be a major reality check, I
assumed that I would be able to succeed in college like I did in high
school. I figured that I would be able to maintain good grades in
college without a struggle. However, after experiencing my first year
at the University of Southern California, I have realized that receiving
a higher education is a serious and difficult task. An education is not
something that a person can find in a book, or order in a catalogue.
In order to receive a higher education it is necessary that one apply
what he/she has learned in their classes to the real world. This
application of knowledge will facilitate in comprehension of the
real world, and the social problems that ensconce the world. I have
come to the conclusion that students must motivate themselves to learn
and to mature.
Moreover, college does not guarantee a higher education because it is
the student's responsibility to develop into a critical thinker.
Professors provide the tools to think critically, but it is the student
who teaches him/herself how to use these tools. After the student
explores the tools that the teacher presents, he/she begins to identify
him/herself as a scholar, or as an immature student. The scholars begin
to develop relative thinking perspectives, and examine how things work
in society. These students do not condemn the critical challenges that
the professors present to them. Instead, these students find it enjoyable
to discover how each part of the system fits together in order to make the
whole. Thus, college does not only offer the opportunity to attain a
higher education, but college provides students with the opportunity to
discover who they are, what they represent, and what their goals are.
Similarly, college provides the opportunity for an individual to become
committed to a certain subject, and achieve a higher education. College
cannot force students to take an active involvement in their educations.
However, college explores diverse subjects and allows students the
opportunity to develop an intimate relationship with what they are
learning. For example, a student who is aroused by the contrasting views
about the cause of alcoholism may become completely devoted to the topic
and begin to involve himself or herself completely within the subject.
The student may begin to research the subject, read books and develop
their own ideas about the subject, without being told to do so. An
individual with an active commitment to the growth and development of
his/her knowledge has achieved the highest of educations. This individual
is prepared to change the world, and offer diverse views about life.
In essence, a higher education is achieved when an individual willingly
maneuvers through the different stages of knowledge. In order for students
to receive a higher education it is necessary that they learn to think
critically and not topologically. Although some may consider high school
as providing an adequate education, high school negatively encourages
dualistic thinking. However, college is an institution that successfully
encourages students to think critically and influences them to develop
multiple perspectives on life. I have found my first year of college to
be a valuable experience. Not only have I been challenged to think
critically, but I have begun to develop alternative perspectives on life.
I look forward to receiving a higher education by using the tools provided
by my professors.
rish dancing can be subdivided into Step Dancing, Ceili Dancing
and Set Dancing. The structural root of Irish dance is found in
step dancing with solo performance, intricate and energetic footwork
and precise movements. The historical roots for Irish dancing lie in
the Ceili dance. This article discusses these forms of dance briefly
and provides detail about the movements, music and footwork for Set
dancing. The "Sets" are a form of social dancing usually for four
couples arranged in the form of square "sets". Examples of the
activities within the classes of Newcastle Irish Dance are used to
illustrate various points.
Step dancing
A number of historic influences served to suppress Irish dancing and
other aspects of the Irish culture from the 14th century. Penal Laws
enacted in the late 17th century sent Irish culture underground.
These laws included the banning of education of Catholic children
and led to the creation of hidden (hedge) schools. Irish dance
continued during this period of intense repression - albeit in secret.
Dance Masters appeared in the mid-18th century (Haurin & Richens
1996). The dance teachers traveled from town to town spending
some time in each teaching dance in kitchens, farm outbuildings, at
cross roads, hedge schools, etc. Each dance master had a repertoire
of dance steps and created new steps over time (Haurin & Richens
1996). Sometimes the dance masters competed at feisianna, the
winner being the one who knew the most steps. In Irish dancing a
"step" is eight measures or bars of music. These men were the
creators of set and ceili dances and created schools of dancing - the
precursors of those we see today.
In 1893 the Gaelic League (Conradh na Gaeilge) was formed to help
the revival of Irish culture. In 1929 the Irish Dancing Commission
(An Coimisiun le Rinci' Gaeliacha) was formed to establish rules for
teaching, judging and competitions for step and ceili dancing (Haurin
& Richens 1996; Murphy 1995:31-33).
This standardization means that the form of Irish dancing known as
Step Dancing uses Set Step Dances (usually just called "Set
Dances") where the dance contains specific foot movements and
sequences to specific set musical pieces. Poise, posture, hand, back,
leg and foot position and use of stage are all considered in addition
to the expectation that the steps will be in accordance with the
requirements for the specific set dance. Individual interpretation is in
terms of the skills of performing the set steps. Instead of the
conventional 8-bar structure used mainly in social dancing, the set
dance tunes have a one or two part structure with 8 or 12 bars in the
first part and 12, 14, 16 or more bars in the second part (Rince Ceol
Amhrán 1997).
Ceili Dancing
Ceili dances come from the informal tradition of dances evolving
through time as is seen in most cultures (Rince Ceol Amhrán 1997).
Ceili dances take a number of forms as round dances, line dances,
progressive line dances. Many modern ceili dances have known
authors courtesy of the efforts of the Irish Dancing Commission.
A "Ceili" has a number of meanings depending on which Celtic
grouping is being considered. In the context of Irish dancing a ceili
is a gathering with music, song and dancing and participation by all
those attending.
Set Dancing
The Sets or Country Set Dancing is social dancing usually in the form
of square "sets" comprised four couples one on each side of the
square. Irish set dances evolved from a combination of the footwork
and movements of the step and ceili dances and the French
Quadrilles or court dances of the 18th and 19th century. These
dances were brought to Ireland and taught by the early dance
masters. They were adapted to traditional Irish music and modified
and elaborated to show off the dancers' prowess.
Each dance is comprised of several figures (usually 5 or 6, but
ranging from 2 to 9) set to traditional Irish tunes such as reels, jigs,
polkas or hornpipes. The footwork ranges from simple stepping to
fast battering steps, but generally the foot is relatively flat avoiding
the leaps and travelling of the other forms of dancing. In set dancing
you dance with your partner, yet in each figure each couple also
dances with one or more of the other couples in the set. The sets are
the only form of Irish dancing that retain the strong regional identity
with differences in the types of tunes used and differences in the
type of footwork.
While Step dancing requires considerable fitness and agility almost
anyone can participate in set dancing. A certain amount of stamina is
required but simplifying the footwork and shortening the distance
traveled when progressing can make a large difference to the
amount of energy expended. 