Are you in school today?
We are in inservice and our kids are on holiday.
Over the past twelve years, I've been on the lookout for resources that'll help me turn service projects into service-learning opportunities. At school, our knit-for-service club is one of those opportunities. Third graders learn to knit, then give away their handiwork. We weave in geography by mapping where our donations go, math by counting rows and stitches, and sometimes writing with our letters to elected officials to work with us and help reduce the infant mortality rate.
At home, we encouraged our elementary-aged children to help plan meals and then clip coupons for the trip to the grocery store. They would look at recipes and figure out what we need, then help with the shopping and calculate the savings. It was such a big help to the family while it sharpened their math skills.
But what other ways can we teach our littlest leaders to serve?
Enter the ebook Teach Me To Serve by Kristen Summers,
From the home, through the neighborhood, and out into the community, even the youngest of children can serve others. This book will guide you through 99 ways in which this can happen.
I love how thorough Kristen is in her exploration of this topic. Her work includes anecdotal stories, questions, ideas, and activities. Bible verses complement her suggestions so that you can feed your child's spiritual side while he or she serves. In the Going Global section, there are recommendations for supporting organizations like Operation Shoe Box (to support our troops) and World Vision (a child sponsorship program). At school, we've also supported Heifer International. Students love The Heifer Project because they're able to purchase animals
for people in need.
Check out this book; it offers so many wonderful ways to take a child from me to we and help them grow by serving. Just imagine a world in which children grow up with a servant-heart mindset.
What resources do you use to teach service?
An email from the author: Barbara, thanks so much for sharing about my ebook! You have such a beautiful heart for teaching character and values. I'm loving perusing your site!
ReplyDelete~ Kristen Summers
A comment from Facebook: I'm going to share this book with my daughters. It may even end up being part of their Christmas gifts. Thanks for sharing. ~Deanna
Another reflection from FB: cool book. Service learning is very big at our school. We will be starting UNICEF, a food pantry drive, and then an Angel Tree where classrooms and staff buy holiday gifts for less fortunate. Also we collect pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House--last year we collected over a million. ~Jo
I'd love to find ways to incorporate service in my classroom.
ReplyDelete❀ Tammy
Forever in First