Activity of the Month: Teaching and Learning, appreciating mutual relationships

In service-learning, participants teach others as much as they learn themselves.  This dynamic –  simultaneous teaching and learning – is part of what makes service-learning so effective.  However, it is often difficult to break out of the traditional, prescribed student and teacher roles.  This simple activity introduces participants to the idea that they can be at once both a teacher and a learner. 

As part of our Collective Leadership Works toolkit, this activity comes towards the end of the curriculum, intended as a means to keep community change groups healthy through reflection.  But the understanding that every group member has both something to share and something to learn is also a crucial part of the foundation for successful community change work; furthermore, it is a core component of service-learning.  

Whether you use this activity to prepare your group for or to reflect upon a vibrant learning experience, the teaching-learning dynamic is one that is sure to contribute to your work’s overall success – and to individual’s experiences of personal growth.

In the last week, what have you learned?  What have you taught?