3I Praveen (26)

This Service Learning has been an enjoyable and heart warming experience for me :) Initially when we were told that we would be kind of tutoring primary school children, I felt uncomfortable and that it was simply a waste of time. However after going there personally to really get involved in the activity and interacting with the kids, my mindset had changed. The kids from what I have been told were mostly from financially unstable families or families with problems. And thus they were pretty unsettled and wild! However I was able to accept their playfulness and mischievous jokes and even took part when they insulted some of my classmates whom I myself can't stand :)))

Though some of other less tolerant friends either reacted in a rather inappropriate manner to their little taunts and pranks, I instead, found them quite fun and was reminded of my younger days as a kid. (They called me Bra Gaga!) There, each of us was assigned a group of kids to tutor. I managed to handle the kids without using any form of harshness or violence but with encouragement and lots of funny jokes as that I felt was the only way we could kind of connect with them. After the studyin session, we went on to play soccer with some of the kids. Like in my class there was a clear social division between the kids there. So I tried to help those who were left out by encouraging them to play or to talk openly without being shy. Though we spent a short time there, the kids really appreciated our presence and interest in their life. They actually looked up to us as brothers I think! When were about to leave, the disappointment on their faces was obvious and that moment I felt that we had brought about a significant change in their lives and felt touched...

I definitely would like to work more with kids in the communities in the near future. If I can make an unhappy kid smile and appreciate himself for who is, why not? From this Service Learning Experience, I think there is a lot of stuff for me to learn. For example I am now more understanding of certain behaviours displayed by kids. I am better able to appreciate myself and at the same time be aware that Singapore isn't really that happy and problem-less like many of us assume. I think this has also somewhat helped me understand how it would be like and how I should handle my own kids in the future! I am hoping to go there again as I promised them that I would be back. But thanks to a rude, vile and horrible creature that wish may never come true...

We should be tolerant of these kids in our community despite their background and wild behaviour as we don't understand their feelings fully. So just love them for who they are cos they were

BORN THIS WAY BABY and no freakin person can change tat!

Yip Hao Zheng (33) 3I

First and foremost, I think that our service learning (SL) has helped me appreciate the less fortunate more and helped me attain a greater tolerance level for teaching and tutoring children. After this wonderful experience with my friends and I helping care for children much younger than we, I do feel the urge to do more because the SL has opened my eyes to the marvels of community service. Without a doubt, I will continue to help out in community projects and possibly for greater and larger causes. Because this is not my first encounter with helping out with children, I do not think I did learn much practical skills in handling children but it encourages me to do more, seeing the benefits of the help and the smiles of the children whom we have forged bonds with.

3I Koh Hong Wei (13)

I think this service learning has changed my mindset about helping the less fortunate. I feel that it is not as meaningless as I first thought it would be. Teaching kids how to solve their problems sums that i have not seen for a few years feels slightly nostalgic yet fruitful at the same time. The feeling of not just sharing my knowledge, but putting the very same knowledge to good use is simply said, good.

I learnt that patience is key. There was not really a point in blowing my top because of the kids being slightly over active. It is frustrating at some points to have my words fall on deaf ears, but they are kids after all and there was not much I could do about it besides tell them gently yet firmly to concentrate on the task at hand.

I do see myself doing more voluntary work in the future. It is a meaningful way to spend my free time and I am more than willing to share what I have and know to those less fortunate

3I Daniel Hoong (5)

The service learning has definitely taught me tolerance. The children were rather rude and disrespectful although they were not to be blamed as they were still young and probably not aware of the impact of their actions. I learnt that helping out might not be as easy as i previously thought. I do see myself helping out in the future as I would want to help others even though it might be challenging and rather frustrating

3I Yogaraj (34)

This service learning experience has certainly been memorable as I have had enjoyed my time spent with the children.Teaching the children how to solve their Maths problems,helping them finish up their English homework or even pitching in to add decorative touches to their kites was heartwarming as the children were enjoying themselves very much.

However,not everything was smooth sailing as sometimes the children tend to throw temper tantrums and not listen to me.I tried my best to deal with the situation and just be patient as they were just innocent children trying to have a little fun thus there was no real need for me to shout or scream at them to make them listen to me.Doing that would also be irresponsible of me as these children were trusted to be put under my care and I should not hurt them in anyway.

In a few years down the road,I might find myself helping people in this sort of manner as I think that everybody needs help in one way or another therefore they have the right to receive help and I should also be able to provide the best help I can give.

3I Kiong Tian Sze (12)

This service learning has taught me many things. One of them is helping others can bring joy to yourself. It brought a smile to my face as I saw how the students were appreciative of my help in their studies as they were keen to learn new things.

The worst thing that happened was when the children felt hyperactive and started to play around and could not sit still. they were easily distracted by their surroundings. The key to solving that problem was patience as after a while of patiently waiting and persuading, they finally gave in and continued doing their work diligently.

I do see myself doing community service similar to this one in the near and far future where I can put my knowledge to good use by helping others that are less fortunate. I feel this is a good use of my knowledge as less privileged students get to learn new things and widen their knowledge. After all, what is the point of being knowledgeable if you do not share it with others?

3I Evan Say (6)

To me, performing service learning has not changed my mindset. I myself have participated in such activities before and all I can say is that, even if you perform to your fullest, it is the other party's responsibility and decision to make use of the benefits we have provided them. We aid them in such a way that we make their life less miserable than it already is, but it still falls to the one getting the help to appreciate it. Of course, the provider would perform this charge without a desire for reward, or else, he is merely acting as selfish as a typical, generic worker.

After being exposed to the true nature of the world, there would be no best or worst thing. However, in this situation, the worst thing would be unruly, uncooperative, annoying, cacophonic children debilitating your efforts to aid them and their classmates can be a liability, but still, it would only be good to attempt to reform them sternly but gently. Treat them too harsh and they'll just remain rebellious, recalcitrant gadflies. The best thing I could derive is the fact that more people have acquired knowledge, the most useful resource in the world, to better help them to set their course straight in life.

Still, I do see myself participating in similar activities in future albeit with a low frequency. It is of utmost importance to return what you have taken from society; what society has provided for you, to aid people less fortunate than oneself. Dissemination of information and knowledge is the goal for any involvement of mine in community service, as there is no discrimination against who should learn; everyone deserves a chance to gain knowledge. Yet, know this that however the actions must be performed solely based on non-material motivations and be undertaken willingly.

In conclusion, since life just likes to play around with our lives to create social and economical imbalances, it is only of goodwill or similar motivations that one would aid those less fortunate to even the differences. It is sincerity that counts and you also generate loads of good karma. Free lunches have a heavy price, so we have to give what we take someday, but there will always be suffering in this world.