Service Learning Strategies

Service-learning refers to a teaching and learning strategy that incorporates community service. In service learning, students have the opportunity to reflect on their individual service learning experiences while working with community members to strengthen the community. I will be completing my service learning hours, with the CSUMB Educational Talent Search program, at Seaside High school located in the city of Seaside, California. My role as a service learner is to support and inspire high school students in their academic success. My responsibilities at the service learning site are to assist and advise 9 and 10th-grade students with their academic learning plans. During the academic advising sessions, I am required to provide freshman

- I was provided with a helpful and supportive environment in the college and career center.

Moreover, using qualitative data, I plan to create a log that records student behaviors and interactions. During the advising session, I will focus on observing the student’s body language, tone and clarity of voice, and the interactions between the student and the advisor. Some of the interactions that I hope to observe and see during the advising sessions is a good quality of discussion between the student advisee and the advisor. I want to be able to analyze if the student engages in conversation and asks questions to the advisor or instead listen to the suggestions and information provided. These observations will help me identify if the student and the academic advisor have a close relationship.

The Educational Talent Search (ETS) program is an early outreach and support program federally funded under the TRIO branch of the U.S Department of Education for 53 years. The TRIO programs are student support programs that provide services to students that come from low-income backgrounds or are identified as first-generation students. In 1964 TRIO established the first support program known as Upward Bound. After the establishment of Upward Bound, in 1965 the Educational Talent Search program was the second student outreach program

It is found that Seaside High has an 89% of minority student enrollment. 61% of students who attend Seaside High are identified as Hispanic. In addition, 11% of students who attend Seaside High school are identified as Asian and are the second largest group of minority students enrolled. I will be volunteering at the college and career center at Seaside High school. The first day that I began to volunteer at the Seaside High School career center I felt very comfortable and welcomed. Inside the career center, space is used by many academic and student support programs that help and support Seaside High school students throughout their academic career. Each program has their individual desk, computer, and program flyer information. In the walls, one is able to observe college flags of the different universities located in the state of California. During student lunch hours the career center is always loud. It is a space designed for students to hang out and spend time with their friends enhancing their lively personalities. During lunch, the career center smells like delicious food as many students use the microwave located in the career center to heat their