Reflection
Thought without practice is empty, practice without thought is blind.
- Kwame Nkrumah
Service learning assumes that cognitive, affective, and moral growth are inseparable in reasoning; that a student’s ability to analyze situations and material is critical to his or her ability to make responsible decisions outside the classroom. These skills and experiences are critical to participatory citizenship. In both civic and intellectual life one must consistently reflect on one’s position, reconcile one’s preconceptions with the lived experiences of others, and uphold an ethic of personal accountability and social responsibility.
- John Saltmarsh and Kerri Heffernan, Integrating Service with Academic Study, Campus Compact, 2000
Resources for creating structured reflective activities.
» Using Structured Reflection to Enhance Learning from Service – Campus Compact
» National Service-Learning Clearinghouse – Learn and Serve America
» Facilitating Reflection: A Manual for Leaders and Educators