Just had another meeting with my GESL group. GESL, or Group Endeavours in Service Learning is a service-learning community outreach programme that all trainee teachers at NIE have to undergo. One of the main purposes of GESL is to create awareness of the need to be socially responsible and giving back to the community, yet what happened during our group meeting really made me wonder whether some of my fellow group-mates actually get the point that the crux of this compulsory module is for us to be socially responsible and to give back to the community, to contribute.
I was really livid when I saw that many of my group-mates were more engrossed at looking at the clock and wanting to get everything done with as quickest a time as possible without realising that the decision to choose the right project is a very important one. People were voting out of convenience on the organisation that we should approach and help rather than thinking carefully which organisations were more in need of our help. If we are to embark on such an outreach programme, we have to do something that we are passionate in, don't just choose the choice that is deemed as easiest or just so the majority thinks so. Think for yourself, be more discerning, do things with passion, that way, passion can sustain us when the chips are down and when things are successful, it will be more meaningful as well.
I was one of two who was very vocal and objecting at the decisions made, but I didn't care. I was more concerned with the fact that people were taking GESL too lightly, complaining that they have a lot of other work to do. Who doesn't? Everybody is occupied and busy! But if you don't put your heart in a module where heart is key, then what the heck is the point?
I'm glad ACS has taught me to stand my ground and speak up, be vocal when needs be. Glad to see how people eventually reacted positively to my stance that we should not rush and make any decisions which we might regret later on and started to really think carefully of the type of project which we should embark on.
To God be the Glory! The Best Is Yet To Be!
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2 comments:
hmm
the situation you have just described happened at the meeting i was at yesterday too (the one i had mentioned in today's class, about the distinction between 'climbing ladders' and 'being in a position of influence'.
so such attitudes are held by people who really should know better.
don't compromise your values.
Yup, I don't settle, as per what Steve Jobs said in the commencement speech.
Speaking up for whatever I feel strongly in has been a trait of mine since ACS days....Love the school
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