JAPN 320s: Service Learning
Course description:
This course gives students opportunity to deepen their knowledge of Japanese language and culture through their community service and to develop communication skills through discussions, reflection essays and presentations. Taught in Japanese.
Narrative:
This class was one of those classes that people talked about as being extremely time consuming and a waste of time, because what we were doing was not being appreciated enough. This mindset was how I initially entered the class, but now I feel very foolish for thinking that way. Just like with any other class that you start out in, there is a routine you must learn and get used to, and that was the hardest thing for me to overcome while in Service Learning. Once I had gotten over that barrier, the class became much more eye-opening and enjoyable. No one likes reading journal article, but the one that we read and discussed every week had to do with issues in language education and the definition of "service". Reading these articles have made me grow when it comes to wanting to teach a second language. I was forced out of my comfort zone while in this class and while I didn't always enjoy it, I did acknowledge that the articles we were reading and discussing were important and relevant to the class. Some things went over my head but when I did find a topic that was interesting it just opened up my scope of knowledge in language learning. Our final essay (Sample 1) and presentation (Sample 2) really made me think about how this class has change me in a positive light. Some of these things that I learned through the critical thinking article discussions will help me in my future goal of teaching English as a second language.
The other half of the service learning class was actually helping out in the community with ours skill as Japanese Language and Culture majors. My group taught Japanese language and culture to elementary school students in the Community Partnership for Youth (CPY) program at Ord Terrace Elementary School. My group ended up teaching the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders in the program. At first I was uncomfortable teaching an entire class but I had to step up and be the leader, because the other two people in my group were Japanese students and they were even more uncomfortable talking to the students. This gradually change and Mayu and Mistue became comfortable enough that I let them be the leaders for the entire time some weeks. I also became more confident in myself and my teaching methods. The lesson plans that we had to create every week really helped in filling the time in teaching our classes such as the animals lesson plan (Sample 3) I had to create one week. I think that one think that gave me continued enjoyment was how appreciative the students seemed. Every week they welcomed us with opened arms and always asked us what today's class was going to be. For the most part they were well behaved and always willing to do all of the activities. The last class we did with our student had to do with table manners such as saying itadakimasu and gochisousamadeshita before and after a meal. After that the students were able to make their own onigiri and they seemed to enjoy it very much. At the end of that class they gave all of us than you cards and they almost made me cry. I didn't think I would get so attached to my students but I was very much mistaken about that. I also think that my group worked very well together in making the lesson plans and helping each other completing our site reflections each week. I would correct Mayu and Mitsue's english site reflections and they would correct my Japanese site reflections (Sample 4).
Going into service learning I had low opinions, but coming out of service learning I now have more appreciation for teaching and also more appreciation for teaching a foreign language.
Sample Work:
This course gives students opportunity to deepen their knowledge of Japanese language and culture through their community service and to develop communication skills through discussions, reflection essays and presentations. Taught in Japanese.
Narrative:
This class was one of those classes that people talked about as being extremely time consuming and a waste of time, because what we were doing was not being appreciated enough. This mindset was how I initially entered the class, but now I feel very foolish for thinking that way. Just like with any other class that you start out in, there is a routine you must learn and get used to, and that was the hardest thing for me to overcome while in Service Learning. Once I had gotten over that barrier, the class became much more eye-opening and enjoyable. No one likes reading journal article, but the one that we read and discussed every week had to do with issues in language education and the definition of "service". Reading these articles have made me grow when it comes to wanting to teach a second language. I was forced out of my comfort zone while in this class and while I didn't always enjoy it, I did acknowledge that the articles we were reading and discussing were important and relevant to the class. Some things went over my head but when I did find a topic that was interesting it just opened up my scope of knowledge in language learning. Our final essay (Sample 1) and presentation (Sample 2) really made me think about how this class has change me in a positive light. Some of these things that I learned through the critical thinking article discussions will help me in my future goal of teaching English as a second language.
The other half of the service learning class was actually helping out in the community with ours skill as Japanese Language and Culture majors. My group taught Japanese language and culture to elementary school students in the Community Partnership for Youth (CPY) program at Ord Terrace Elementary School. My group ended up teaching the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders in the program. At first I was uncomfortable teaching an entire class but I had to step up and be the leader, because the other two people in my group were Japanese students and they were even more uncomfortable talking to the students. This gradually change and Mayu and Mistue became comfortable enough that I let them be the leaders for the entire time some weeks. I also became more confident in myself and my teaching methods. The lesson plans that we had to create every week really helped in filling the time in teaching our classes such as the animals lesson plan (Sample 3) I had to create one week. I think that one think that gave me continued enjoyment was how appreciative the students seemed. Every week they welcomed us with opened arms and always asked us what today's class was going to be. For the most part they were well behaved and always willing to do all of the activities. The last class we did with our student had to do with table manners such as saying itadakimasu and gochisousamadeshita before and after a meal. After that the students were able to make their own onigiri and they seemed to enjoy it very much. At the end of that class they gave all of us than you cards and they almost made me cry. I didn't think I would get so attached to my students but I was very much mistaken about that. I also think that my group worked very well together in making the lesson plans and helping each other completing our site reflections each week. I would correct Mayu and Mitsue's english site reflections and they would correct my Japanese site reflections (Sample 4).
Going into service learning I had low opinions, but coming out of service learning I now have more appreciation for teaching and also more appreciation for teaching a foreign language.
Sample Work:
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