Promoting Social Justice

With all the problems and disparities in today’s society, promoting social justice is more important than ever. As community leaders try to fill the world with love, peace, and solidarity, education will be an important stepping stone in facilitating this process. As part of my service learning experience, I worked to promote the learning and development of young students at the Felician College Child Care Center located on Felician University’s Lodi Campus. The Felician College Child Care Center, founded in 1987, consists of Felician Sisters and lay teachers who uphold many of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Their philosophy is that each child ought to be treated as a unique individual because each one of us is a distinct …show more content…
Just as “God reveals himself…as one who is relational” the students “made in God’s image share[d] this communal, social nature” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1998). For the most part, I found the climate of the classroom to be very accepting and friendly. During playtime, the students would typically get along and play in groups that would vary depending on the day and activity. Although there were instances where a student did not want to share their toys, they almost always listened with either myself or a teacher told them to play nicely. During arts and crafts time when the students were divided into two separate groups, the students would share their artwork with one another and the class would applaud them for their performance. When a student’s parent came to pick them up at the end of the day, their peers would say good-bye to them and give them hugs before leaving. Ultimately, I found the child care center to foster an environment that was supportive and exemplary of what our world should strive to …show more content…
My experiences with the students at the child care center reminded me when Dennis et al. (2015) says “the only thing that remains and is priceless in our eyes is the patience and friendship this or that comrade shows you. Such an act by someone who, like yourself, is immersed in suffering and anxiety, is a ray of light that falls miraculously into the wretched darkness that envelops us. It re-creates you, makes you a human being once again” (p. 142). When interacting with these students, I was amazed by how quickly they accepted me into their class. After just my second visit to the child care center, I was welcomed back by the students and invited to participate in whatever activities they were engaged in. Also during my subsequent visits, several of the students would say good-bye to me when I had to leave and would ask when I would be back. I quickly felt as if I became part of the community and accepted for who I was. Additionally, with all the responsibilities I am obliged to, I felt as if my time with these students allowed me to slow down, forget about what’s stressing me out, and enjoy the small things in life. In fact, I had such a great experience working with these students that I continued to volunteer for the child care center beyond the completion of my service. While I am no longer volunteering there due to other obligations that