For our service learning project, we've been working with a non profit organization called Communities in Schools. The experience thus far has proved beneficial and enlightening.
The Communities in Schools organization is geared toward drop out prevention. We've been volunteering with them at Muller Road Middle School in Richland County. This school is brand new, and has a beautiful campus, however that's not nearly the end of it. Muller Road Middle School is paperless. Each student has his/her own iPad. They even have a school website called Edmundo, very similar to Facebook, that their assignments are posted on by their teachers when they are added to the class's group. Throughout the day, the students are allowed to used their iPads to complete assignments and do research. On top of all that, the school is also solar-powered. I know that last part has nothing to do with education, but I thought it was interesting!
When I asked some of the students we were tutoring if they liked being paperless, they said no. NO!? I was shocked! Despite their dislike for the way the school operates, we were informed that in years to come, perhaps even as soon as next year, other schools in the Richland district will also become paperless. I for one, and all for the idea. Even if the students aren't particularly fond of it, they have so much technology as their disposal, there's no reason they shouldn't be able to improve their education.
TaQuan, a seventh grader who was a part of the group we tutored said he's brought his grade up 30 points in one of his classes with the help of communities in schools, and his iPad of course!
I'm really enjoying working with this organization, and I'll probably continue to do so even after I'm no longer taking Socy340.
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