Service Learning
Every believer has received gifts of grace, so use them to serve one another as faithful stewards of the many-coloured tapestry of God’s grace. (1 Peter 4:10)
Service is a central part of what we do at Living Faith and forms part of our school culture. It is one of our contemporary competencies that are explicitly taught in each year level from Prep through to Year 6.
Service learning is carried out in many ways through direct or indirect service, advocacy and research. We do this by engaging in learning opportunities based on empathy and in the service of others or the environment.
At Living Faith our overarching mission and vision are ‘Inspiring minds, Illuminating hearts, Igniting service…founded on the love of Christ’. We hope that the students who graduate from Living Faith do so with a heart of service for others, the environment and the wider community.
What is Service Learning?
Service learning involves learning and growing through the service of others and the world. It is about developing compassion and empathy and recognising the ways our gifts can be used to serve others. Students build an understanding of why we serve and grow in respect for who or what we serve. It is about reaching out with heart, head and hands.
Service learning is not done as a stand-alone activity. It is embedded throughout the curriculum and is a cultural part of our school community. Each project starts with a real-world issue to be solved and moves through a cycle of ongoing reflection and action.
Service-learning involves:
- A real problem that needs to be solved
- Authentic links to the curriculum
- Benefits for both community partners and the students involved
- Active and ongoing reflection
What are a few examples of Service Learning at Living Faith?
Students engage in service learning projects that challenge them to grow as caring, responsible citizens who can recognise and respond to the needs of others and the needs of our planet.
Service learning looks different across the year levels. Here are just a few examples of service learning in action.
- In Prep, students listen to and reflect on the worries that Kindergarten students have when starting a new school. They then design ways they can support and help alleviate some of their worries in their final term of Kindergarten. This year they have also organised a blanket drive to support Blankets for Brisbane donating blankets to the homeless this winter.
- In Year 1, students learn about stewardship of the Earth and investigate the impact of declining bee populations. Students then design solutions to support bee populations in the local community.
- In Year 2, students learn about how people serve in the community. They listen to the stories of community members, write biographies and design a monument to recognise a special person in their lives.
- In Year 3, students learn about the rainforest and stewardship of the Earth. They develop an advocacy program to raise awareness for deforestation and sell products to raise money in support of Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve.
- In Year 4, students learn about sustainability and environmental waste. They research and audit school waste and then prototype a plan to help reduce plastic waste in our community. Students then implement their prototypes and reflect on their success.
- In Year 5, students learn about service organisations that address issues of social justice. Students design and create a product to sell at HUB Market and then donate the profits towards a service organisation that they have researched.
- In Year 6, students deepen their understanding of human rights, particularly the challenges faced by the world’s refugees. Students engage with Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS) and devise a plan or pack to support new refugee families within our community. Our Year 6 Service Team also engages with many service projects throughout the year. For example, during Book Week students organise a book swap to raise awareness and funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
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