"In the Service of What?" by Kahne and Westheimer

Premise

-change vs. charity
-transformations
-enlightenments
-promotion of self-esteem
-authentic learning experiences
-moving forward
-examination of the determinants of a certain lifestyle to advocate prevention
- focusing primarily on charity efforts
-“apprehending others realities”
-altruism
-civic duty
-critical reflection
-acquisition of vocational skills
-understanding
-connections
-relationships
-“developing citizens”
-communal obligations

Argument

Kahne and Westheimer argue that service learning is multifaceted and that different teachers choose to implement the work in different ways, ways that achieve different results amongst both the participants and ultimately the recipients. Kahne and Westheimer argue that those who believe that learning and service should go hand in hand should always ask themselves what exactly is the service? Learning in the service of what? They believe that service can carried out for both political and moral reasons and that these two domains lead to different relationships and experiences.

Evidence
-The comparison of Mr. Johnson’s service learning for his 12th grade U.S. government course to Ms. Adams 7th grade service learning project is evidence of the differing view of service learning. While Mr. Johnson had his students focus on the actual volunteering experience, Ms. Adams had her students examine the reasons behind the poverty that they were studying. Kahne and Westheimer note, “Both provide authentic learning experiences, reflection on matters of social concern, and opportunities for interdisciplinary study linked to curricular goals.”
-The article notes how in the moral domain of service learning, the “SL activities tend towards two types of relationships.” These relationships include ones that emphasize charity along with one to emphasize the formation of caring relationships. However, in the political domain, the idea of “what it means to be a citizen” and a critical democrat is more focused on.
-Kahne and Westheimer raise such questions as “what values do service learning curricula model and seek to promote? What kind of society does service learning lead students to work toward? These questions are evidence of their main, fundamental question, “in service of what.”

Questions/ Comments
I definitely have never considered the different distinctions between service learning practices that were presented in the article. The idea of charity vs. change was very interesting to me. I always thought that charity could embody change but I never looked at the two as different and almost opposing practices. I really liked the line, “we attempt to apprehend the reality of the other” and then to “struggle [for progress] together] when we care for others. I think this line really captures the essence of human bonding. This article certainly embodies the ideas of white privilege that Peggy McIntosh discusses in her article titled, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” The idea that we can help others in need revolves around our own stability and ultimately, privilege.