Getting Started

Starting next week, I will officially begin doing my Service Learning hours for my Intro to Education class at Uintah Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Uintah is an older school and has been around for over 100 years. It is tucked away in a beautiful neighborhood with lots of trees and houses and is just a short drive away from a couple coffee shops and small stores. There's typically not a lot of traffic on that street other than at drop off and pick up times. The school is a two story brown brick building. It has an upper and lower playground and a big field outside in addition to the enclosed playground just outside of the kindergarten classrooms.

I chose Uintah because it was actually my elementary school back in the day and the teacher I had for first and second grade is still there. I am excited to be able to be back in Ms. Brown's classroom, but this time as a helper. Ms. Brown is currently teaching first grade. Classes at Uintah go from 8:20-3:00 with a 45 minute lunch at 11 and a fifteen minute recess at 1:15. I've arranged to come in for a couple hours right after the students get back from their lunch.
I did 20 hours of Service Learning in an elementary school library last semester for a different class. From my understanding, Service Learning is an opportunity to have a hands on learning experience by observing the way a class functions and participating in improving that function. At the end of my Service Learning last semester, I was asked how my service benefited the students, the teacher, and the school community over all. This was a good reminder that it is supposed to be a meaningful experience and not just busy work. Ms. Brown assured me there will be lots to do and that she will keep me very busy. I remember when I was in elementary school, there was a volunteer or student teacher in the class who helped explain a math concept that I had a hard time grasping in a way that I understood and stuck with me. I hope to have the opportunity to help Ms. Brown's students the way that aide helped me. I'm very grateful to her and very excited for the opportunity to help.