The first service project I got involved in on campus is literacy tutoring through America Reads. This program is special due to the creative ways they encourage tutors to teach first, second, and third graders how to read and write. Many days, I found myself playing spelling tic-tac-toe where I would make the traditional tic-tac-toe grid and choose two letters that the student was having trouble with. One of my tutees had trouble differentiating between "i" and "e," so instead of using "x" and "o," we used these letters on the grid. Each time one of us made a turn, we had to say the name of the letter and the sound it makes. By teaching the kids through a fun and simple game that they know and love, I was able to effectively help them differentiate between difficult letters.
I see now that playing Barbie for three hours/week was more than just a game. I was giving these kids a friendship that they surely appreciated. These playful experiences have fueled my drive to one day be a child's therapist and to continue with my community service with children. Even if I'm not moving mountains or making life-changing contributions, these games that I so happily play are special moments that every child needs.
To get involved with child-oriented community service, I highly suggest applying to America Reads Tutoring Corps, Jumpstart (through Americorps), taking Psych 211, Soc 389, Psych 317/319, and getting involved with the Detroit Partnership and Circle K. Put your love of games to good use!
Hi Ursula,
ReplyDeleteI think your post is extremely interesting and what you are doing by volunteering your time is fantastic. I had a very similar experience in high school, as I did some community service with the children of women inmates in a correctional facility near my home. I found that what the kids most longed for was someone to play with - a friendly competitor they could share a game with. I had the opportunity to meet and spend time with one child, Romeo, who was extremely bright and always wanted to play mind challenging games like Boggle or Scrabble with me. These games became our way of connecting, and soon enough we had a bond that existed past these games. I helped him find a summer program where he could learn more and enjoy playing with kids his own age. Like you said, you really can put your love of games to good use in helping those that may be less fortunate than we are. Great post and ideas!
- Alex Jacobs
While my experience was somewhat different, I volunteered to work with the elderly in nursing homes when I was in high school and my great grandparents lived there. I would play checkers and chess with some of the members and I would listen to them tell stories of the old days, almost all of which involved some sort of game. Whether it would be my great grandfather talking about how he used to be the greatest foul shooter in the world or one of his friends talking about how she was a card shark back in her glory days. Overall games are a great way for people who don't know each other and might not have as much in common and creates a foreground for conversation. They would always get so happy when I was there because it was a change from their everyday boring lifestyle within the walls of a nursing home. I think that community service is a very important aspect of our society for that reason alone, for the happiness it brings others when you do something so little for them.
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