What I Learned From My Service Experience

My overall experience at Davidson Middle School has changed me into a better person. It’s naturally hard for people to admit that there are things in their lives that need to be changed; or there are qualities they have that they fail to recognize. Doing my service work at DMS helped me to see both. There were parts of my personality that needed to be changed and developed further. There were skills and talents that I had that I never used before and sometimes thought were useless. From my work there I have learned not only to be more caring of the students that I was teaching, but everyone in general. It’s hard for us to see past our own noses and out of our own situations, but it’s important to recognize that there are people out there who need help and it may up to us to help them. I recall that there have been a number of times where I have berated students for being blatantly disrespectful to their peers as well as to me. Sometimes that only made the situation worse. It was not until I took the time to sit down with the student and talk things out did I discover what the real problem was. From my experiences, one of the most important lessons I learned was that anger only begets more problems. I recognize that there is a need for discipline, but it is the tone and manner of that discipline which matters most.

It took me awhile to realize it, but I took a lot from my service work, I took a lot from the students. I realized that putting your soul into your work does make an impact. I realized that it is possible for one person to make a difference, no matter how big or small it may seem. I realized that I was a real mentor to my students, my presence and help changed them significantly. Another important lesson that I took from them was that you should never give up. There were times when it was difficult for me to make a change in just one student, but I never gave up. Eventually, it paid off and I was able to make changes in many students. Before my experience I knew perseverance was, but I never knew how deeply it could run and how it could affect not just you, but people around you as well. I definitely feel as if I have changed from my service experience and I regret that I have to leave it because I am going home soon. I just hope that I am given the opportunity to do similar work this summer because I have gained new insights and experiences that I will never forget.