Community Based Service Learning
In 2016, I was selected for The University of Alabama's Faculty Fellows in Service Learning Fellowship. In it, I learned about the many ways in which I could engage with the local Tuscaloosa community through my teaching. Starting in January 2017, I overhauled all my Spanish language and grammar courses to become Service Learning courses. I have sustained a growing collaboration since then with a variety of community partners such as Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Alabama Museum of Natural History, Good Samaritan Clinic, Schoolyard Roots, Turning Point and Tuscaloosa SAFE center.
Each year, my students translate documents from English into Spanish so that local non-profit organizations can better serve the Spanish-speaking population in Tuscaloosa. To date, my students have translated 173 documents throughout 1223 hours of service, and this community support keeps growing each semester.
I strongly value this commitment to community engagement both for its academic and public service implications. Likewise, my community partners equally value our involvement. Here are just a few of their testimonies regarding the work my students do in collaboration with them:
Each year, my students translate documents from English into Spanish so that local non-profit organizations can better serve the Spanish-speaking population in Tuscaloosa. To date, my students have translated 173 documents throughout 1223 hours of service, and this community support keeps growing each semester.
I strongly value this commitment to community engagement both for its academic and public service implications. Likewise, my community partners equally value our involvement. Here are just a few of their testimonies regarding the work my students do in collaboration with them:
SCHOOLYARD ROOTS
We really really appreciate all of the translations. They will be used by Spanish speaking students that may not be able to speak or write fully in English. Most of these students are in grades K-2. I am excited about this since I noticed this past semester that many Spanish speakers could not complete their English worksheets and definitely missed out on huge parts of the lesson. I'm especially excited about the recipe cards since we'll be able to plug that into parent newsletters and distribute them at farm stands. Some of the schools have Spanish teachers, and even if they do not, some homeroom teachers are interested in teaching Spanish to their students. Starting next school year we will be printing out the curriculum for each teacher. In this binder we will definitely include the Spanish translations! Thank you again for all of the translations and I look forward to hearing from you again next semester. |
GOOD SAMARITAN CLINIC
It's been great working with you and your students this semester. Their assistance has substantially expanded our ability to communicate effectively with our patients. We currently serve about 560 patients; 52 of them are Hispanic and many of them only speak Spanish. Our staff have used - and are still using - the papers your students produced to communicate with these patients. Our vision for the future calls us to expand our reach into medically underserved communities in West Alabama and we will use the documents your students produced to help us do just that. If we are able to reach just one family, and make a difference in their lives, then the work has been worthwhile. |
TURNING POINT
We are grateful for your assistance. I look forward to continuing this partnership with you in future semesters. By having translated materials available we are able to reach more people in the community. As a result we are able to provide information to more of our clients and ensure they receive the services they need. |
ALABAMA COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Our advocates across the state work tirelessly to provide emergency shelter, counseling and other services for anyone experiencing violence in an intimate partner relationship. One of ways to address this issue is through our collaboration with the State Department of Human Resources called The SAIL Project. We have 26 SAIL Specialists statewide who work in all 67 local DHR offices. Our goal is that 100% of the survivors seen at DHR will have access to services. Your students assisting us with the translation of these materials, means we can reach more underserved survivors with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) or who can’t speak English at all. We are so appreciative of this help and want your students to know that access and representation are important! And their help moves us closer to an Alabama where our mission to end violence can reach everyone. |