Research exercise: Teaching and Learning to Make a Difference

The Building Communities through Social Justice Learning and Living Cohort (BCSJLLC) helps students understand the importance of social justice and its impact on communities while providing students with opportunities to grow as leaders. Its primary mission is literacy and many BSCJLLC members tutored students in the community. Members were trained by our community partner, Project READ, to tutor students in K-8 and young adults. Project READ then placed us at the Dayton Early College Academy (DECA). DECA is adjacent to the University of Dayton and is focused on preparing students for college. We tutored three students in the seventh and eighth grade. In the course of our service, we learned how much difference one or two hours a week can in helping a student to pursue a higher education. Our service included helping students with the homework that is most difficult for them (usually math), and reiterating key concepts that the students had difficulty with. Those of us that tutored were pleased to learn that many of our students\u27 grades were improved as a result of our relationships. Plunges at UD are are also a way of civic engagement. The Immigration and Refugee Plunge. sponsored by the Center for Social Concern, took place on March 24th, 2012. This experience allowed us to see and experience first-hand the problems associated with the immigration application process for those seeking to enter the United States. While on campus, we were shown documentaries about the immigration process and held discussions with immigrants who had direct experience immigrating into the US. The time we spent performing service in our community and learning about the ways we can impact legislation regarding the issues around immigration all reinforces our commitment to social justice and epitomizes and employs the Marianist ideals of lead, learn, and serve.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/stander_posters/1117/thumbnail.jp