Empowering Communities, Addressing Teacher Burn-out, and Building Student's Real-world Skills all Through Critical Service-Learning

Empowering Communities Through Critical Service-Learning

The post-pandemic era has highlighted profound disparities and disruptions in our education systems, exposing a collective sense of despair and burnout among students and teachers alike. As we endeavor to recover and rebuild, Critical Service-Learning (CSL) emerges as a transformative approach, offering a pathway to empowerment and strengthening community resilience through educational practices.

Banking Model of Education

Not only does critical thinking about charity and service help to enhance the service itself, but it also forms a fundamental skill for liberation and empowerment. Freire (1970/1993) introduced the term "banking model of education" to describe the conventional perception and implementation of education. In this model, students are perceived as empty vessels to be filled with knowledge by the teacher. Through this process, students are rendered incapable of analytical or critical thought and instead, become trapped in duplication, repetition, recall, and memorization.

In contrast, Freire believes that teaching should occur through dialogue, power redistribution, and a cycle of action and reflection. This approach equips students with the tools necessary to achieve self-actualization and work towards their own empowerment. Critical service-learning aligns perfectly with this ideology.

Sense of Community

Social connection and interaction fulfill a fundamental human need. Sarason (1974/1988), a pioneering author on Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC), proposed that individuals connected within community networks, where they feel a sense of belonging and have meaningful roles and relationships, are less likely to experience isolation, loneliness, and alienation. This connection has been linked to promoting psychological well-being and a higher quality of life. Further research has demonstrated that a sense of community correlates with a robust sense of identity and psychological well-being (Sonn et al., 1999). The emphasis of critical service-learning on fostering authentic relationships and providing significant roles for participants and stakeholders by meeting real community needs, serves as a catalyst for enhancing the sense of community within the school and the broader community.

Critical Service-Learning

Similar to education, service is not neutral and may be employed either to oppress or to liberate (Freire, 1970/1993). What distinguishes critical service-learning from traditional service-learning is the examination of the root causes of the need for service. This involves ongoing self-reflection, the construction of authentic relationships with those affected by this need, the incorporation of their voices, and the intentional action to redistribute traditional power systems. More succinctly, according to Mitchell (2008), the seminal author on critical service-learning, CSL contains the themes: building authentic relationships, redistribution of power, and social justice orientation.

The Essence of Critical Service-Learning

Critical Service-Learning transcends fulfilling mere academic requirements; it's about fostering genuine connections and addressing power imbalances. This approach integrates community service with instructional goals, emphasizing reflection and active participation to address social injustices. CSL pushes students and teachers to question the status quo and engage in meaningful social change, going beyond traditional service-learning paradigms.

Rethinking Traditional Community Service

Consider the classic school food drive during Thanksgiving—a tradition I participated in as a child and later observed as a teacher. This activity typically involves classes competing to collect the most food, culminating in a celebratory photo with the gathered items, which are then donated to a food bank. The food bank is subsequently tasked with managing the sudden influx of donations. While this activity is often celebrated as a character-building exercise and an act of helping the "poor," it prompts critical reflection. Who are the "poor"?

In my experience working in Title I schools, where over 90% of students are economically disadvantaged, I’ve observed that the very students we aim to help are often the ones being asked to contribute. We inadvertently pressure food-insecure students to participate under the guise of competition. How might this impact their sense of self-worth?

Furthermore, the food is then delivered to a food bank that must handle storage and distribution, often dealing with items they didn’t need or request. This scenario raises several important questions: Did anyone check what the food bank actually needed? Why are there so many hungry and food-insecure individuals in one of the wealthiest countries in the world? Do these food drives truly benefit our communities, or do they place an additional burden on our food banks? More importantly, do they actually help reduce food insecurity? If not, what will? How can we engage in efforts that break cycles of dependency and truly address the root causes of hunger?

Critical Service-Learning in Action

What if schools could use these opportunities to truly meet real community needs while building critical thinking skills, redistributing power, fostering a social justice orientation, and creating authentic relationships? Imagine a model where teachers, who are often not representative of their students' demographics, could deeply engage with and better understand the communities they serve. What transformative potential could arise from using critical service learning to address these issues?

Building Authentic Relationships

One of the foundational tenets of CSL is the development of authentic relationships. These relationships bridge gaps between individuals and the broader community, facilitating mutual respect and fostering a shared commitment to social improvement. These genuine connections transform educational experiences into deeply impactful interactions.

Addressing Teacher Burnout through Enhanced Relationships

At a presentation from the recent 2024 APA conference, Hoffman presented her team's findings that indicate that factors contributing significantly to teacher burnout include poor relationships with students' families, time pressure, an inability to be authentic at work, and concerns about physical safety. These factors collectively exacerbate educator exhaustion, reflecting a need for a supportive work environment that values and acknowledges teacher contributions (Hoffmann et al., 2024). Conversely, aspects that contribute to educator joy include having fewer time demands, being able to express one's authentic self, and fostering positive teacher-student relationships. These findings highlight the profound impact of workplace conditions on teachers' emotional well-being and job satisfaction. By enhancing the quality of relationships within the educational community—including with students, families, and fellow staff members—schools can create a more supportive environment that potentially reduces burnout and increases teacher satisfaction and retention. Implementing Critical Service-Learning (CSL) can be a strategic approach to improving these relationships. CSL encourages genuine connections and collaborative efforts that can lead to a more supportive and fulfilling educational environment for teachers, aligning with their desire to feel valued, safe, and heard in the workplace.

Redistributing Power

CSL empowers all participants, especially students, by involving them actively in decision-making and problem-solving that impacts their learning and their community. This empowerment challenges traditional classroom dynamics and encourages students to become change agents.

Embracing a Social Justice Orientation

CSL is deeply intertwined with social justice, challenging participants to confront and address systemic inequities. This approach supports academic development and cultivates a sense of agency among students, empowering them to advocate for themselves and their communities.

Case Study: The Bees Knees Boutique

In rural North Central Washington, the "Bees Knees Boutique," managed by high school students at a local elementary school, serves as a prime example of Critical Service-Learning in action. This boutique, which recycled and upcycled donations to meet community needs, provided students with managerial and decision-making experience. During one of the boutique's open nights, a significant incident occurred when a student picked up a hoodie but quickly returned it to the rack after noticing a well-known local family’s name printed on the back, much like a jersey. This incident highlighted the stigma associated with wearing second-hand clothes that visibly identified the original owner, particularly in a small town where everyone knows each other.

Motivated by this revelation, the students requested a sewing machine and began a new initiative to upcycle donated clothes, ensuring they were unrecognizable from their original state. They taught themselves upcycling techniques using internet resources, enhancing their skills and contributing creatively to their community. This change not only addressed the stigma but also empowered the students to manage their projects more effectively.

The students took their initiative further by writing grants and meeting with organizations via Zoom to secure funding and support. They ensured that the boutique was well-stocked with essential items such as laundry detergent, toothbrushes, food, and feminine hygiene products, meeting a broad spectrum of community needs. This comprehensive approach allowed them to practice and enhance their skills in self-advocacy. One of the students, inspired by their new skills, approached a local store to inquire if they would sell clothing she had sewn, taking her first step into entrepreneurship.

Conclusion: The Impact of Critical Service-Learning

Integrating Critical Service-Learning (CSL) into our educational frameworks can profoundly transform learning environments, making them more inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the diverse needs of all community members. By incorporating CSL, we can help alleviate teacher burnout, enhance student engagement, and cultivate essential real-world skills. CSL emphasizes empowerment, critical thinking, and social justice, preparing students to be conscientious and proactive citizens, equipped to tackle real-world challenges. This approach transcends traditional teaching methods, representing a movement towards an education system that values the voice and dignity of every participant, fostering a culturally responsive and interconnected community. As we continue to navigate these challenging times, the integration of CSL into educational practices proves not just beneficial, but imperative.

References

Freire, P. (1993). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New rev. 20th-Anniversary ed. New York, Continuum. (Original work published 1970)

Hoffmann, J., Seibyl, J. P., & Doyle, A. (2024, August 9). Sources of Stress and Well-Being Among Educators and Staff in a Large Southwestern District. Presentation at the Annual Conference of the American Psychological Association, Seattle, WA.

Mitchell, T. D. (2008). Traditional vs. critical service-learning: Engaging the literature to differentiate two models. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 14(2), 50–65.

Sarason, S. B. (1988). The psychological sense of community: Prospects for a community psychology. Brookline Books. (Original work published 1974)

Sonn, C. C., Bishop, B. J., & Drew, N. M. (1999). Sense of community: Issues and considerations from a cross-cultural perspective. Community, Work & Family, 2(2), 205–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668809908413941