Community Service

Images flood my mind as I journey into memories of Juarez, emotions well up in my throat. Instead of sitting at my desk working feverishly on my marking, I am back in the heart of Juarez, Mexico. Sweat dripping off me as I fill hundreds of bags of beans in the sweltering heat for food boxes which will be delivered to the locals. Volunteering my time and efforts to make a difference in someone's life; I never knew that difference was going to be in my life.

Volunteering and Community Service are my passion. I believe they create and instill a sense of compassion and empathy for others, values I embody in my life and teaching. My passion for volunteering is a the heart of my job at John Paul II. Community Service is worked into the Christian Ethic classes, a component which has the potential to be a meaningful, a real life experience for our students.

I am the facilitator for my student's on their educational journey, I do not know their “destination” however, it is my job to help my students use the Community Service component foster compassion and empathy for others. It is not for me to decide where a student will perform their service work, that lays in the hands of my students, what does lay in my hands is the process I chose to facilitate the program, to meet their needs and make their Community Service journey come alive.

I am not going to fight with students. A resounding statement that was delivered to me by my colleagues. A turning point; disappointment and frustration were at the forefront of my feelings. My passion was not shared by some of my colleagues. When did education become about arguing and struggling with students to achieve the desired outcome? This question still plagues my thoughts.

John Paul II H...

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...wanted to reach the staff and students to instill the passion and values I have for volunteering I need to demonstrate my passion. As I reflected on the meeting ideas swirled in my head compelling me to investigate. Investigating the question would eliminate the struggling and arguing with students concerning Community Service. It would also rebuild trust and collegiality among the Christian Ethic teachers. Being a unified team illustrates to the students the importance of Community Service at John Paul and on a global level. Enforcing and supporting the values and principles laid out for our students in our school's vision. Reflecting led me to the question: How is the Christian Ethics Community Service process of curriculum implemented and developed, various principles and values underlying Community Service, and relation to the provincial curriculum?