Reflection is the key to service learning. It's what makes service learning different from community service. While preparing for your project, you can talk about past service experiences and about your hopes for this project. While you're doing the actual service, you and the other volunteers can share your experiences, ask questions, solve problems, and learn from each other. Most importantly, plan some reflection activities as soon after the service as possible.

Remember the three questions of reflection:

• What? Start with your senses--what you saw, heard, felt, smelled, etc. Then remember what happened, what you did, the funny and serious things that were planned and unplanned. Finally, discuss your feelings during the service and how you dealt with them.
• So what? Here, three R's can help you can help you with reflection. Reality means the big picture of what conditions are really like. Look for the connection between what you saw and the reasons for larger social issues. Then, respond by exploring what is being done to deal with the problem and its causes.
• Now what? What are you going to do with what you've seen, experienced, and learned from the service? Decide how you can continue to be involved in your community, and start planning your next project.

You can do lots of things to help you look at the project and ask, "What? So what? Now what?" Whether you like to talk, write, draw, move, or act, there is a reflection activity for you. Here are a few creative ideas you can use, or make up your own.

Click here to download some great resources for reflection, including how to define it, more ideas for reflection, two worksheets for written reflection, questions for reflection, and service quotes.

Another great resource for reflection is Facilitating Reflection: A Manual for Leaders and Educators.

- BACK -

State All Star Scribe Keri Spann (Dickson County) leads a group discussion for reflection after the "trail stomping" service learning project at 2001 Teen Adventure Weekend.