Identifying essential strategies to maximize service-learning experiences in Mexico for undergraduate and graduate candidates: Faculty perspectives

Abstract

With the current need for educators to enter and stay in the profession under the leadership of effective principals, it is essential to provide opportunities for preservice teacher and principal candidates to engage with diverse student populations. Candidates who participate in cultural immersion experiences can benefit personally and professionally, often gaining insight into the uniqueness of students who have backgrounds that are different from their own. Cultural experiences tied to service-learning may provide a more robust preparation as these candidates move toward their professional roles in K-12 public schools as future educators and principals. Furthermore, increasing candidates’ cultural competence will provide a solid foundation as they instruct students from diverse backgrounds. During a recent service-learning trip, one that built on a previous pilot trip and extended opportunities through the inclusion of principal candidates, undergraduate and graduate candidates experienced what it is like to work with emergent bilingual students in grades EC-9 in a remote village in central Mexico. In reflecting after travel, the authors identified several key components that were selected for inclusion to ensure all candidates gained as much out of the experience as possible, including an understanding of what it is to be an emergent foreign-language speaker. These components, along with service-learning activities, will be described for those considering service-learning tied to travel abroad.