As Todd and Claire listen to the life stories of 79-year-old Peggy Berry, they do so with the hopes of improving their communication skills and gaining greater insight into the processes of aging. The two senior psychology majors are participants in LSU's service-learning memoir writing course, in which students record and write life stories of senior citizens. Both will earn six credit hours by taking English 3001, in which they learn writing and grammar skills, and Psychology 4072, in which they study the psychology of aging. The service-learning element allows them to form a "learning community" that combines their study in both courses and applies it in a real-world setting. "Our students are learning to write for a real audience with real purpose," explains Edith Babin, instructor of English 3001. "They are learning to deal with people of varied ethnicity, age, and backgrounds, while at the same time perfecting their writing skills."
Todd and Claire meet with Berry several times during the semester as she candidly shares some of her most memorable life experiences with them. "I enjoy reminiscing with Claire and Todd," says Berry. "It's wonderful to have such young and bright visitors."
During one of their sessions, Berry shares a heartfelt story of one of her early experiences as a teacher, in which she speaks fondly of a young boy named Anthony. Many of the other teachers had written Anthony off as a problem child, but Berry tells of the countless hours she spent simply showing Anthony personal attention. "Teachers have the ability to make a drastic impact on children's lives," says Berry.
As Berry continues to tell her story, both Todd and Claire listen intently, jotting down notes and recording the conversation. Todd's task is to then write Berry's story as if she were writing it herself. Todd writes:
"It's important for teachers to learn a child's background before labeling them with behavioral problems. I still think about Anthony to this day and wonder where he is and what he's doing. I can only pray that I made a positive impact on Anthony's life, and deep down I genuinely believe that he grew up to be that well-mannered, successful man who took advantage of the great potential God gave him."
When their English class meets, Todd and Claire share their writing with their classmates, who offer suggestions and make grammatical revisions. "It's a fun way to learn how to write, and write well," says Claire. When they meet with their psychology class, Todd and Claire discuss ethical considerations in doing research and explore fundamental issues related to growing older in today's society. "We talk about it in class, but it really seems to click when we get to see it firsthand during our visits with Ms. Berry," states Todd.
While students benefit tremendously from this type of learning experience, some may say that the community benefits even more. The friendships these students build with their older clients provide life lessons for the students and endless smiles for the clients. "As in all service-learning courses, our aim is to make the course beneficial for both the students and their clients," states instructor Babin.
By the end of the semester, Todd and Claire will have completed six of Berry's memoirs, along with her biographical sketch. They will compile these into a book that will also include photographs depicting cherished memories of Berry's life. The tape recordings from their sessions with Berry will be put on file at LSU's T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History. "This is something I always wanted to do for my kids but never found the time," explains Berry. "I know the final book will be a great treasure for us."
Source : http://www.lsu.edu/highlights/051/memoirs.html
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
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