Student Teachers' Reflections on Service and Learning in Navajo Reservation Communities: Contextualizing the Classroom Experience.

This report reviews service learning activities performed by student teachers in the American Indian Reservation Project in their placement communities across the Navajo Nation. Parameters for this required, academic assignment included the selection of activities independent of their schools' academic or extracurricular programs; completion of activities with supporting Navajo community members; and adherence to the "three R's:" realistic tasks serving the community, a strong reflective component, and reciprocal exchange between equals. Many varying service-learning projects were performed. The student teachers' insightful written reports described important outcomes in terms of new knowledge acquired, a deeper appreciation for the circumstances of others' lives, and greater acceptance in their placement communities. Knowledge of the community and its people, including their backgrounds, beliefs, traditions, and values, contributes to the creation of a classroom context in which teachers can more effectively serve their elementary and secondary pupils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]