Service Learning Project

In the fall semester of 2022 I completed a Service Learning Project at NC State University as part of the class ED 204 – Introduction to Teaching in Today’s Schools. After observing a seventh grade physical education and health class at Centennial Magnet Middle School CCMMS) for several weeks, I worked in a small group with two other preservice teachers to develop a lesson plan and teach a class. During the semester I learned about the environment at CCMMS, the school’s challenges and the things they do well. I learned so much from this experience and appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the pack at CCMMS. What follows is an overview of my Service Learning Project and its various components.

Investigation and Initial Proposal Phase

What will students learn or take away from our workshop?

Students will learn positive stress management strategies (Essential Standard 7.MEH.2) focused on a variety of fun and creative ways to use breathing exercises to feel calm and relaxed, reduce feelings of anxiety, and fall asleep at bedtime.

Students will take away one new breathing exercise routine tailored to their own personal style of expression and creativity and choose a mindfulness mentor in the form of a celebrity, leader, or influential person in their lives to inspire them to use mindfulness tools and motivate them (Essential Standard 8.MEH.1).

Session 1 – The Lesson 

1. 1. Why use breathing exercises?
   2. How to do breathing exercises to relieve anxiety, relax, get to sleep easier.
   3. What are the benefits of breathing exercises?
   4. Getting creative and fun with breathing exercises.
   5. 10 mindfulness mentors: famous people who use these types of techniques.

Session 2 – The Activities 

We will put what we learned into practice. Students will work in small groups based on their interest and incorporate the breathing techniques into either song, dance/expressive movement, or drawing and writing. We will have guidelines and direction to get them started. We can use digital technology in this part of the exercise (apps that involve music making).

Who is your workshop for?

Our workshop is for seventh grade students in health and physical education class.

When will your workshop take place?

It will take place during one 50-minute class period.

Workshop Lesson Plan Phase

Demonstration Phase

View the workshop in action with photos on my Twitter thread here https://twitter.com/LiteraryJessica/status/1598785205845643264

Reflection Phase

What went well?

Our group was energetic and engaged in presenting the workshop and working with the small groups. The students responded well to the presentation, participating in the discussion, and answering questions by the presenters. Our group supported each other during each person’s presentation segment by encouraging the students to stay focused and positively reinforcing their engagement. We enjoyed the opportunity to teach a class in real life and exercise our public speaking skills. During the small group activities, the students surprised us by being willing to engage with creative activities and choosing the group that appealed to their interest. It was good to see at least six students in every group (art, movement, music). Many of the students seemed to enjoy the artistic activities and some students went outside of their comfort zone to participate. When we quizzed them on the information presented, they were able to answer and retain information we taught them.

What challenges did you face?

The large class size presented challenges for classroom management and engaging all students without distraction. We were in the gym and students had plenty of space to spread out, so they were attracted to certain groups and some groups did not want to pay attention. They were also distracted by browsing the internet or playing games on their laptops. These challenges gave us the opportunity to practice techniques like attention getters—we taught them how to do the Wolf Pack chant and used it for call and response. Another challenge was during small group time. Some students were reluctant to participate because the creative, playful activities were outside of their comfort zone. We were persistent, fun, and supportive and our effort paid off. The students engaged in the activity and presented their creations to the class.

Feedback from Mentor Teacher

He said would have been better for us to cycle the student groups through every activity and give them a chance to try them all, instead of having them each just do one activity. Otherwise, he said we did a great job.

Top Five Lessons Learned

1. Anything can happen in the classroom. It’s important to be flexible and agile, adapting the plan as needed with a positive attitude. For example: during our workshop I was prepared for technical difficulties and had backup plans ready. We did have trouble connecting to the internet and accessing websites we planned to use, but we quickly pivoted by implementing alternative methods. Also, the students were more resistant to engaging in the group work than I had anticipated. I started to feel a sense of panic as they began goofing off but reminded myself to keep trying to find a way to bring them back. As I noticed what activities each student gravitated towards, I quickly assigned them an official role and a task they needed to complete for the group. Also, I was persistent in questioning them until I landed on an interest that tied into the group project. Once I found that interest they became fully engaged and completed the exercise.

2. Managing a classroom of 30 students is challenging and I can see how I will need to be prepared with key strategies to ensure engagement, promote positive behavior, and maintain a safe, orderly environment. During my workshop it was a balancing act to engage with students, respond to students who were actively engaged, and watch out for students who were exhibiting aggressive and distracting behaviors. It was interesting to watch in real time as students quickly descended into chaos and I had to think fast to keep everyone on track. I felt a strong sense of responsibility and knew behavior issues were occurring because I was failing to engage them. I made a decision not to give up and wouldn’t take no for an answer in my quest to find out what type of music/artists they liked so we could use that as a template for completing the lesson plan and composing a song together. I looked for ways each group member could contribute and compliment the group based on members that were already contributing positively.

3. I learned about the importance of pacing and varying activities during the lesson. We had three stations for group work: coloring for artistic meditation, movement paired with mindful breathing, and composing music with mantras for meditation. I knew the music station would be a challenge for the students and wanted plenty of time for them to work on that project, but that meant the movement group had too much time to complete their project. In the future I would think about how I could add supports to constrain harder projects in group work so students can complete them in the allotted amount of time. Looking at group workstations from a big picture point of view and offering students the opportunity to go through multiple stations would be better for pacing and keeping students engaged.

4. Praise and encouragement make a big impact on students. For my entire semester at CCMMS and during our workshop, I have constantly sought to encourage the students and point out their positive contributions and talents. Sometimes students brushed me off or were in a bad mood, but I always kept it positive and supportive. During the workshop it could be like pulling teeth to get the students to participate, but I kept my enthusiasm up and celebrated each student. I learned firsthand the challenges of being a cheerleader teacher mean that it’s up to you to keep things positive no matter what. As I was playful and vulnerable in the process of creating, other students came forward to join in. In celebrating the good work of one student another student would come forward, eager to show me what they had done. In the end I was surprised (and relieved) that we made it to our goal and the students created their projects, sharing them with the group despite feeling self-conscious.

5. Student centered learning is essential. When I created my workshop, I had not yet gotten to know the students I would be teaching. Once I entered the classroom to teach, I could see that my expectations for their capacity to jump in and get creative with me were a little too ambitious. Knowing my students better would have helped me to create a more effective student-centered lesson plan. Also, I think 7th grade presents unique challenges in working with students of that developmental age. I learned that students are transitioning from childhood into teenagers and as a teacher, I will need to support them in developing their self-esteem, regulating their behavior, and becoming their own person. My lessons need to be flexible and supportive in helping them to engage on their own terms and contribute to the class. I can also see how important it is to build rapport with students over time, as opposed to walking into the classroom and teaching without them really knowing me.

How can you transfer this experience into your future classroom?

You never know what you will do until you’re really in a situation. Having the opportunity to teach a lesson in a middle school classroom was a valuable real-world experience that will affect everything I do in school and my future classroom going forward. I will continue to build my toolbox with strategies to promote a positive and safe classroom environment where students are engaged. I can see the importance of being prepared and how it’s more effective to focus on preventing behavioral issues. I will take this experience into my future classroom by being well organized and prepared, creating a safe environment with clear expectations, and focus on student centered learning to guide my practice as a teacher.

How did your service learning project change your assumptions of the causes and solutions needed to address larger societal needs?

It was impactful to gain firsthand experience with adolescents in the school environment, to hear about their viewpoints about school, the life challenges they face, and their frustrations with adults. I saw many different students, some who seemed checked out, some who were angry, some were quiet but engaged, and some who were outgoing and eager to participate. I noticed how students appreciated praise and showed affection. Doing the service learning project impressed upon me the humanity and individuality of each student. The experience strengthened my belief that my job as a teacher is to help students develop as human beings and become self-actualized adults who contribute to the community and create a better world. I believe in the importance of community building in the classroom to help students develop life skills and supportive community in their own lives. My experience reminded me of how important it is to support students and their families, to care about each other, and to focus on student assets. It also impressed upon me the need to be antiracist in my daily actions and never give up on a student.

How did your service learning project develop your problem solving and critical thinking skills?

My service learning project felt like a high stakes situation that forced me to think critically and problem solve on the spot. When the technology didn’t work I my classmates and I had to quickly come up with another plan for teaching the information. Because I had backup plans, I was able to be more relaxed and agile in the classroom. I used the project as an opportunity to practice techniques I had learned in class, including methods of getting their attention, encouraging participation, reacting to student contributions, and dealing with distracting behaviors. In my role as teacher, I had a unique sense of the energy in the classroom, which I reacted to quickly when I saw students getting agitated, bored, and aggressive. I quickly realized that efforts to involve them were far more effective than threats of discipline. It forced me to tap into my inner strength and keep trying to engage them. When they didn’t initially respond to my lesson with enthusiasm I had to think on my feet and find a way to engage them.

What did you discover about yourself throughout this project?

I discovered a couple of things. First, my naturally positive and encouraging style is going to be a great asset in the classroom. I loved being around the students and cheering them on. I am confident that the teaching profession is the right path for me. I also got a good dose of reality. I learned I need to be careful not to be too idealistic and ambitious about lesson plans. I need to be aware that others are at different states of readiness and may not be able to meet me where I am. I think focusing on student centered teaching will help me keep my feet on the ground and meet students where they are to help them grow. It will also help me to focus on student preferences, interests, perspectives, and skill levels. I look forward to more opportunities to practice and refine my teaching skills.