Reflecting on service learning – a student perspective
Barqouni graduated from the DP last summer at Asamiah International School in Amman, Jordan. He kindly shared with us some reflections a recent service-learning project. We hope that his reflections show the power of effective reflection and that the benefits of service learning are multi-faceted. The first stage of developing a service-learning project is ‘investigation’ which encourages students to use their skills, talents or interests. As you can see, Barquoni did that to great effect!
Initially, one of our close relatives called my father informing him that his first cousin has cancer and that we must go to the Cancer hospital center to see him. The concept seemed abstract to me because I wouldn’t have imagined the level of weakness one can tolerate.
I noticed that my father was talking about (financial support) as the Royal court could offer help for people who cannot afford the treatment. At this point, at the hospital, I was listening closely to everybody’s struggles, stories, and experiences with cancer, treatment, (financial support) terms and conditions as well as the burden of continuous payments.
My CAS service project evolved and now my objective is about raising funds and helping the patients during their treatment through music.
I play the Qanoun “Arabic harp”, an oriental string instrument. I never stopped my practice since I was 10 years old, so I started practicing more and worked harder in order to perform to my new audience as I planned for a fund rising concert. I was extremely lucky as my father’s company sponsored my project, I needed a place with a stage, a designer to work on the add design and a print press to print the tickets. The project took tremendous efforts and time, but the outcome was incredible as I successfully raised 5000 JD from selling tickets, also I was able to bond with the cancer patients on weekly basis and play live music to them at the hospital.
