Listening to Service-Learning Assistants (SLAs)
A liaison between faculty, students, and community partners, service-learning assistants play an integral role in the work that we do.
SLAS POSE FOR A GROUP PHOTO WITH ASSISTANT DIRECTOR KIMMIE GARNER. SLAS WORK CLOSELY WITH FACULTY TEACHING UNDERGRADUATE SERVICE-LEARNING COURSES, PERFORMING TASKS SUCH AS FACILITATING COMMUNITY PLACEMENTS; SERVING AS A LIAISON BETWEEN FACULTY, STUDENTS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS; AND LEADING CRITICAL REFLECTION ACTIVITIES.
Maya Parker: “…throughout the semester, the students settled my doubts and enlightened me to what community service is all about.”
“Honestly, I had some internal conflict about how a beginner’s photography course, coupled with brief community service, could qualify as service learning. Being aware of “the Duke bubble” and the expectations students often have about community service, I struggled to visualize how these young students were going to service Durham’s community by developing these photography projects.
However, throughout the semester, the students settled my doubts and enlightened me to what community service is all about.
Through their creativity, open-mindedness, and kindness, they have shown me that one can service a community in a myriad of equally impactful ways. They proved that approaching community service on a micro-level is just as equally valuable as tackling big issues on a macro-level (e.g. policy efforts). The way the students developed relationships with their subjects is proof of this. I believe that those relationships will last long after the course has ended and will continue to impact both them and their subjects for a long time.”
— MAYA PARKER, SLA FOR DIGITAL DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY: EDUCATION, CHILDHOOD, AND GROWTH (DOCST 209S), TAUGHT BY SUSIE POST-RUST
Keyin Lu: “I think inherent to any discussion about privilege, there will be levels of discomfort that are necessary for critical reflection.”
“Building a safe space is a difficult thing to perfect. I have thought about the spaces on campus where I feel most comfortable to voice my honest opinions and there are very few outside of just with my close friends. In an effort to create a better space for the next discussion session, I have come up with some ground rules to set the tone of the discussion. Some of them include making sure that people are comfortable with silence and take enough time to think and let ideas sink in. I also want to encourage active listening that gets people to understand other perspectives.
I think inherent to any discussion about privilege, there will be levels of discomfort that are necessary for critical reflection.
I am still working on how to strike the balance between a safe and inclusive space that also has a healthy amount of unease.”
— KEYIN LU, SLA FOR NARRATIVES OF MIGRATION (ENGLISH 397S), TAUGHT BY PROFESSOR DOMINIKA BARAN
Maram Elnagheeb: “I was inspired by the students I worked with in hearing their fresh ideas and takes on the challenges and solutions of education equity.”
“My Duke journey had bumps and roads that made me lose hope in becoming an effective change maker, as I became overwhelmed by the scope of problems I was aiming to address. While being a service-learning assistant for this class, I became reinvigorated to address the challenges of social problems, specifically education equity, which is my main passion.
I was inspired by the students I worked with in hearing their fresh ideas and takes on the challenges and solutions of education equity.
Through them, I saw hope for change in the education system and believed that I could actually make a contribution to sustainable change in the education system.”
— MARAM ELNAGHEEB, SLA FOR PURSUIT OF EQUALITY: RETHINKING SCHOOLS - LENS OF SOCIAL JUSTICE (EDUC 111 FS) TAUGHT BY PROFESSORS DAVID MALONE & JAN RIGGSBEE
Axel Herrera-Ramos: “For me, Durham and North Carolina are home and I wanted to start investing more of my time into my community.”
“If you are passionate and driven to make strong partnerships and become vulnerable in the process of learning about the community and your position in relation to them it will be a rewarding experience.
For me, Durham and NC are home and I wanted to start investing more of my time into my community.
So, find that drive because it will motivate you to engage in the service as more than just a TA job and rather something you wish to invest yourself in. Our reflections are best when we know the work that students are doing goes beyond the simple volunteering tasks, and more about understanding the history of our communities, the mission and role of the community organizations, and who they are trying to serve.”
— AXEL HERRERA-RAMOS, SLA FOR BRIDGING CULTURES: LATINO LIVES AND EXPERIENCES IN NC (SPANISH 313)
Frances Beroset: “I think listening is one of the most important parts about service-learning. You have to approach everything with the assumption that you don’t know; because you probably don’t.”
“I think listening is one of the most important parts about service-learning. You have to approach everything with the assumption that you don’t know; because you probably don’t.
When students go into the hospital, or the nursing home, or the schools—they all have some idea of what that’s going to be like, and what those people are like, and what their problems are. But they’ve only been there for one day. So, it’s really important for us all to take a second to realize ‘I may have these preconceptions based on my own life, but I’m not going to learn very much about any of this if I’m not also asking good questions and taking the time to listen to what other peoples’ real experiences are’. Being silent sometimes and letting others lead is a big part of my service-learning philosophy and my life philosophy.”
— FRANCES BEROSET, SLA FOR MEDICAL ETHICS, AGING, AND END-OF-LIFE CARE IN THE U.S. (EDUC 112FS)