Involving Kids in Service at Home and at School – A Podcast Interview with Rachel Choquette Kemper
This week I hope you’ll listen to Confident Parents, Confident Kids‘ very first podcast interview (20 minutes in length). The winter holiday season seems a perfect time to discuss giving and service. My guest, Rachel Choquette Kemper, M.Ed., in addition to being my longtime childhood friend, has been an educator for nearly twenty years. She is a Community Service Learning Director for St. Ursula Academy, in Cincinnati, Ohio. In that role, she develops community partnerships, enlists adolescents in service, facilitates their learning about social issues and sustains their involvement over time. Her husband does similar work in another area high school. Rachel is also a mom of three children ages 5, 8 and 11. Bringing a service commitment home, she has developed some excellent ways to do service with her own family.
We start teaching our children about service by doing little things together at home. It all begins with empathy…
Don’t miss her easy to replicate Sunday night tradition that prevents sibling rivalry and promotes trust and connection for the week ahead. Our family plans to get this started at our Sunday evening dinners.
She also recommends numerous resources so, after you listen, check out Rachel’s resource list. Thanks so much Rachel for being the first Confident Parents, Confident Kids podcast interviewee!
Rachel’s Resources
How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer
My Grandfather’s Blessings by Rachel Naomi Remen
Kiva – for giving with your children
Heifer International – for giving with your children
Awesome Podcast! Wouldn’t it be great if the catholic schools in Columbus (even some of them) would have a Director of Community Service Learning! And Cincy has 2 of them! WOW! Love the idea of reconnecting and discussing experience after the fact. This seems to be an important part of community service that rarely happens. Thanks to Jenn and Rachel for sharing.
Susie, Yes! You are so right. That reflection afterward is what makes it service learning. There are lots of schools that use it as part of the core curriculum. There is a service learning clearinghouse, https://gsn.nylc.org/clearinghouse that has lots of resources if you ever wanted to pursue with the schools. There are lots of rich learning experiences that can come from it. Thanks for your comment! Will share with Rachel.