 The site visits sharpen skills.

 Skills such as reading to a child are transferable to many careers.  Literature is a valuable tool to a child’s development.

Review career issues Demonstrate positive interaction with children Demonstrate work place skills, including reading to children Evaluate the quality of a preschool program Practice skills learned in the classroom Demonstrate effective reading skills using children’s literature Create new questions Provide a service to local children

Your service to the children was DIRECT SERVICE An example of Indirect Service would be to hold a fund raiser to buy books for the preschool An example of Advocacy Service would be to write a letter to the editor of the Kelp to encourage all high-schoolers to read to their siblings.

Many children are at risk of succeeding in life due to lack of positive role models, poor interest and skills in reading, and lack of quality conversation due to the number of hours parents are away. You provided a positive role model, inspired them to read, and helped them feel capable through engaging conversation.

In Child Development we have learned about the importance of building self esteem in children, the power of reading to children, how to work with children, and what to look for in a quality preschool. These experience have helped you experience these in a real way.

You reflected in writing on your interaction record and participated in an open class discussion / debriefing following each trip.

You may have made suggestions as we planned each trip. You may have been brave enough to start the groups off once you were at the center. You may have may suggestions in the debriefing to help us have a better experience next time.

You researched issues of children at high risk. You researched at least ten examples of children’s literature. You were trained as to how to make a book come alive to a child. You were trained to know how to act “on the job.” You spent approximately 10 hours of training to be able to go out to the centers.

 Salvation Army Preschool  Prince Street Elementary School  (Life Crisis Shelter for women in abusive relationships)

 How did these trips affect your life? ◦ Career decisions? ◦ Your self esteem? ◦ …?  How do you know you made a difference to at least one child?  Why should we keep doing these trips?  What can we do to make the trips more powerful for you or for the children?