Thanks to David, Meghan, Issel, Daniel, and Nigel for their provocative and cogent posts on the second blog question. I had hoped all the rest of the CSLPers would join these folks--and the ones who posted before break--but I know all of us are feeling the pinch of the semester's work.
However, I do have another question--and remember, these questions and your brief responses will give you the idea for your reflective essay that will be due at the semester's end: How has doing the CSLP work informed the analysis/argument essay on which you've spent the past two months working? Any specific examples of information/arguments/examples you've gleaned from your service work?

CSLP Blog, Spring 2006

The four students--Katie, Tage, Julie, and Lindsay--who have posted so far on the question of national curricula impressed me with the depth of their thinking on the topic. I'm sure that your work at your community partner has given you a view of the american education system that most citizens would never have the opportunity to see. I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of the CSLP group has to say on the matter.

I enjoyed reading ALL of the posts. I wish I could respond individually, but since so many came in last night, I won't have the chance. Now that we've got the blog up and running, perhaps the posts will come in during the week.
You may respond to each other's posts if you'd like. Some cross-commentary might be interesting.
However, you should be aware that anything you post on this blog can be read by anyone else at anytime. Your discrection is advised.
Here is the prompt for this week. (There will be no prompt for the week of spring break.) The due date will be Sunday night, March 12, 11:59 p.m.
Many of you contrasted the classrooms you visited with your memories of how the secondary schools you once attended operated. That brings up this question: should education be fitted to a particular student population or can a curriculum be universal for all students? Most European countries, Japan, and South Korea, for example, have national curricula. We may be the only nation among our nation-peers that doesn't have a national curricula or standards. Playing on the previous question, is our lack of a national curricula ultimately a good idea?

I know we've all been busy, and I haven't had time to ask any of you about any problems getting to your site or beginning your service. If you're having trouble of any kind, will you email me please?

CSLP Blog, Spring 2006: March 2006

Hello, CSLP Students,
This blog will be the way we record some observations about our service learning during the semester's remainder. Each week, I will post a prompt to which you should respond during the same week. The responses should be two to three hundred words. If you want to post further comments, or respond to other students' posts, that's fine. Aside from offering you a chance to reflect upon your service, the blog will give you ideas for the paper you will be writing at semester's end. Thanks to Ms. Heather McDonald for setting us up. Now we will begin:

First prompt: All of you anticipated what your community partner would be like. However, what we anticipate of the unknown seldom turns out to be accurate. What most surprised you about your community partner on your first visit? Please explain why.