Book Buddies II
![A thank you note from a Luther Burbank student. The inside of the note read: Dear SSU buddy, I like when we made our book the one that was called going to the super market with my mom.[...] I like how you read the book with me. Sincerely Melani.](/sites/cce/files/styles/landscape_9_5_1890_x_1050/public/bookbuddies2_1.jpg?h=dc515907&itok=jPXqR64K "A thank you note from a Luther Burbank student. The inside of the note read: Dear SSU buddy, I like when we made our book the one that was called going to the super market with my mom.[...] I like how you read the book with me. Sincerely Melani.")
![A thank you note from a Luther Burbank student. The inside of the note read: Dear SSU buddy, I like when we made our book the one that was called going to the super market with my mom.[...] I like how you read the book with me. Sincerely Melani.](/sites/cce/files/styles/max_width_xxl_2x/public/bookbuddies2_1.jpg?itok=aOkMmQEF "A thank you note from a Luther Burbank student. The inside of the note read: Dear SSU buddy, I like when we made our book the one that was called going to the super market with my mom.[...] I like how you read the book with me. Sincerely Melani.")
"[Service-learning] is learning topics in completely different way. It's like having the textbook come to life. [...] It's really interesting." - Sarah Joyce, Psychology 302 Life Span Development student
Book Buddies is a service-learning project that connects a local elementary school class with a Sonoma State University service-learning class to promote literacy. 77 SSU students from Dr. Jessica Hobson's PSY 302 Life Span Development class met in the gym with tables full of hand-picked library books graciously lent from the University Library. Preparation for this event involved SSU students studying adolescent human development and a bit about the area their young student partners come from. A service-learning project requires that service-learning students understand the material they have learned in class to apply it in context of the community.
Instructor, Dr. Jessica Hobson, reminded her students that they have something to contribute to the community and to children. "These children don't only belong to their parents; they belong to us and you guys are the community. [...] The community contributed to the development of the children." Students also noted that children were quickly influenced by community involvement.
Going into this project I thought that it would be cute to read with young children and I knew it would be something that both the child and I really enjoyed. However, it wasn't until I was there that I realized how much my interaction with the child was affecting them. Prior to reading the little girl and I were talking and after each question I asked her she would reciprocate the question to me. After each of my answers she would respond, "Oh yeah that's one of my favorites too." Or "Hey, me too!" It was then clear to me that this young girl that I had just met was already looking up to me in a small way. I developed a sense of care for this young girl. - SSU Student, Allison Feller
Second and third graders from Luther Burbank Elementary School in Santa Rosa were paired up SSU students to do several activities with books. SSU students first helped their young partners read library books. The children then were given paper and writing utensils to create their own books to enjoy reading at home. After children shared the books they created with their peers, they were treated to fun and interactive stories told by storyteller Laurie Cameron. Each Luther Burbank student also left with free published books from the United Way of the Wine County.
An important part of service-learning is guided reflection. In the group reflection activity, the SSU students were asked questions about how the experience went. One of the questions posed to the class asked them to consider the differences between community service on their own and doing it as a part of a class. A sophomore majoring in Psychology and English, Damian Mush, responded that doing service as part of a class makes him think about the how it affects the community. "I think when I'm doing [community service], I'm generally doing it to get something done or help people," says Damian." I'm not generally thinking, 'How this is helping?' or, 'What are the bigger impacts?' or, 'What does this mean to me.?' But when I'm doing it in a classroom as service-learning, [...] I'm much more aware of what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and what's being affected."
Thank you to the United Way of the Wine Country for the First Book books and storyteller Laurie Cameron from the Rohnert Park Cotati Regional Library for the stories. We would also like to thank to Dr. Jessica Hobson and her PSY 302 class for a great project! Also, thank you to Luther Burbank Elementary School for bringing their great students to spend the morning at SSU and enriching our service-learning student's learning.
Check here to see more cute pictures of children and books from this year's Book Buddies.