A writer-editor-teacher’s quote of the week 191

By combining classroom work with community projects, students are able to see the applications of their knowledge. Students learn through this method because they are involved personally with the outcome; they do not have to feel like passive bystanders. This approach brings a sense of purpose back to education. Presently, classrooms are filled with students asking questions such as “Why do I need to learn this?” and “When am I ever going to use that?” Participating in service learning experiences in the “real world” helps students to begin to find some answers to these challenging questions. As students realize that knowledge gained through regular course work and classroom learning can be applied outside the classroom, students’ educational experiences are enhanced.

— from the chapter “Service Learning: Education with a Purpose” in Anne Watters’ and Marjorie Ford’s Writing for Change: A Community Reader

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