Service LearningService Learning

Today we will explore:Today we will explore: the definition of service learning (thethe definition of service learning (the

whatwhat), ), why should we use it as a teaching why should we use it as a teaching

strategy, (the strategy, (the so whatso what?), and?), and how we can implement it in our how we can implement it in our

classrooms and schools (the classrooms and schools (the now now what?what?))

Service learning is a particularly Service learning is a particularly fertile way of involving young fertile way of involving young people in community service, people in community service, because it ties helping others to because it ties helping others to what they are learning in the what they are learning in the classroom. In the process, it classroom. In the process, it provides a compelling answer to provides a compelling answer to the perennial question: “Why do I the perennial question: “Why do I need to learn this stuff?”need to learn this stuff?”

General General Colin Powell Colin Powell

Founding Chairman of Founding Chairman of America’s PromiseAmerica’s Promise

The achievement problem we face in The achievement problem we face in this country is not due to a drop in the this country is not due to a drop in the intelligence or basic intellectual intelligence or basic intellectual capacity of our children, but to a capacity of our children, but to a widespread decline in children’s widespread decline in children’s interest in education and their interest in education and their motivation to achieve in the motivation to achieve in the classroom; it is a problem of attitude classroom; it is a problem of attitude and effort, not ability.and effort, not ability.

Laurence Steinberg, Professor of Laurence Steinberg, Professor of Psychology, Temple UniversityPsychology, Temple University

The Circle of CourageThe Circle of Courage““The circle is a sacred symbol of The circle is a sacred symbol of life...individual parts within the circle life...individual parts within the circle connect with every other; and what connect with every other; and what happens to one, or what one part happens to one, or what one part does, affects all within the circle."does, affects all within the circle."

Virginia Driving Hawk SneveVirginia Driving Hawk Sneve

The Appeal of Service LearningThe Appeal of Service LearningService learning accomplishes the following:Service learning accomplishes the following: It reverses student disengagement from It reverses student disengagement from

schooling by giving students responsibilityschooling by giving students responsibility It reinforces and extends the standards-based It reinforces and extends the standards-based

reform movement by providing a real-life reform movement by providing a real-life context for learningcontext for learning

It promotes the public purposes of education It promotes the public purposes of education by preparing students for citizenshipby preparing students for citizenship

It builds on the growing willingness of It builds on the growing willingness of students to become involved in service to students to become involved in service to their communitiestheir communities

It contributes to young people’s personal and It contributes to young people’s personal and career development by increasing their sense career development by increasing their sense of responsibility and workplace skillsof responsibility and workplace skills

The Impact of The Impact of Service LearningService Learning

Studies show that when service learning is Studies show that when service learning is explicitly connected to curriculum, young explicitly connected to curriculum, young people make gains on achievement tests, people make gains on achievement tests, complete their homework more often, and complete their homework more often, and increase their grade point averages.increase their grade point averages.

Service learning is associated with both Service learning is associated with both increased attendance and reduced increased attendance and reduced dropout rates.dropout rates.

Students who engage in service learning Students who engage in service learning show less alienation and exhibit fewer show less alienation and exhibit fewer behavior problems than their peers.behavior problems than their peers.

For StudentsFor Students

Students who engage in service learning Students who engage in service learning activities increase their knowledge of activities increase their knowledge of community needs, become committed to community needs, become committed to an ethic of service, and develop a more an ethic of service, and develop a more sophisticated understanding of politics sophisticated understanding of politics and morality.and morality.

Students involved in service learning learn Students involved in service learning learn about career and communication skills, about career and communication skills, increase awareness of career possibilities, increase awareness of career possibilities, and develop more positive workplace and develop more positive workplace attitudes than fellow students.attitudes than fellow students.

For SchoolsFor Schools

As a result of service learning:As a result of service learning:

Teachers and students tend to become Teachers and students tend to become more cohesive as a group. more cohesive as a group.

Students report feeling more connected to Students report feeling more connected to their school.their school.

Teachers report having more and deeper Teachers report having more and deeper conversations about teaching and conversations about teaching and learning, and how learning best occurs. learning, and how learning best occurs.

For CommunitiesFor Communities

Service learning strengthens the connection Service learning strengthens the connection between communities and their schools.between communities and their schools.

Studies show that community members who Studies show that community members who participate as partners in service learning tend to participate as partners in service learning tend to change their perception of young people, viewing change their perception of young people, viewing them as important resources and contributors.them as important resources and contributors.

Communities also gain by being the direct Communities also gain by being the direct recipients of the service.recipients of the service.

For the FutureFor the Future

Framework for 21st Century LearningFramework for 21st Century Learning

Every generation of Americans wants our schools to prepare Every generation of Americans wants our schools to prepare students for success in work and life. Today, business and students for success in work and life. Today, business and education leaders agree that some content is missing from stateeducation leaders agree that some content is missing from state

and local standards and requirements for most students. This and local standards and requirements for most students. This

new content represents essential knowledge for the 21st century. new content represents essential knowledge for the 21st century.

21st Century Content21st Century Content

Several significant, emerging content Several significant, emerging content areas are critical to success in areas are critical to success in communities and workplaces. These communities and workplaces. These content areas typically are not content areas typically are not emphasized in schools today: emphasized in schools today:

Global awareness Global awareness Financial, economic, business and Financial, economic, business and

entrepreneurial literacy entrepreneurial literacy Civic literacy Civic literacy Health and wellness awareness Health and wellness awareness

Learning and Thinking Learning and Thinking SkillsSkills

As much as students need to learn As much as students need to learn academic content, they also need to know academic content, they also need to know how to keep learning - and make effective how to keep learning - and make effective and innovative use of what they know - and innovative use of what they know - throughout their lives. Learning and throughout their lives. Learning and Thinking Skills are comprised of:Thinking Skills are comprised of:

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Skills

Communication Skills Communication Skills Creativity and Innovation Skills Creativity and Innovation Skills Collaboration Skills Collaboration Skills Information and Media Literacy Skills Information and Media Literacy Skills Contextual Learning Skills Contextual Learning Skills

Life SkillsLife SkillsGood teachers have always incorporated Good teachers have always incorporated life skills into their pedagogy. The life skills into their pedagogy. The challenge today is to incorporate these challenge today is to incorporate these essential skills into schools deliberately, essential skills into schools deliberately, strategically and broadly. Life skills strategically and broadly. Life skills include: include:

Leadership Leadership Ethics Ethics Accountability Accountability Adaptability Adaptability Personal Productivity Personal Productivity Personal Responsibility Personal Responsibility People Skills People Skills Self Direction Self Direction Social ResponsibilitySocial Responsibility

What doesWhat doesservice-learning service-learning

look like?look like?

Three Types of Three Types of Service-Learning ProjectsService-Learning Projects

DirectDirect IndirectIndirect AdvocacyAdvocacyWorking directly with the people, places, or things served. Example:The Joy of Reading Program where students read to younger children.

Serving people, places or things through fundraising, recruitment, or other donations, however, you do provide direct service.Example:The Cowboy Café Tsunami Fundraiser

Researching and then reporting through writing, oral presentations, videos, posters, music or drama information to help address a need.Example:The Freedom to Belong puppet show and video

Critical Elements of Service Critical Elements of Service LearningLearning

Community Need/VoiceCommunity Need/Voice Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives Youth Voice & PlanningYouth Voice & Planning Training & OrientationTraining & Orientation ActionAction ReflectionReflection EvaluationEvaluation Celebration & RecognitionCelebration & Recognition

Necessary Steps in Project Necessary Steps in Project PlanningPlanning

PreparationPreparation Defining Creating Community Planning/Researching

ActionAction Decide on a project Plan the project Implement the plan

Celebration/ReflectionCelebration/Reflection Acknowledge Evaluate Next Steps

Service Learning “Big” PictureService Learning “Big” Picture

What will be theWhat will be the:: Service and learning goalsService and learning goals Direct and indirect advocacyDirect and indirect advocacy Community servedCommunity served Steps and strategiesSteps and strategies

Create a CommunityCreate a Community

Character-based expectations Importance of team and individual roles Decision-making and problem-solving

skills Reflection and feedback

Use teambuilding and experiential Use teambuilding and experiential learning activities to promote:learning activities to promote:

Identify and PlanIdentify and Plan

Collect information and investigate:Collect information and investigate: Community needsCommunity needs Available resourcesAvailable resources Project ideas Project ideas

Discuss problems/issuesDiscuss problems/issues Determine viable solutionsDetermine viable solutions

Come to ConsensusCome to Consensus

Evaluate and rank possible projects Evaluate and rank possible projects andand

Decide on a projectDecide on a project Draft project goalsDraft project goals

Service Service LearningLearning

Reflect on experience Reflect on experience

Gather InformationGather Information

Get to the heart of the situation by:Get to the heart of the situation by: Understanding the problem’s root cause Understanding the problem’s root cause

(the what?) Realizing why it is a problem Realizing why it is a problem

(the so what?) Deciding next stepsDeciding next steps

(the now what?)

Implement the ProjectImplement the Project

Identifying tasks and persons Identifying tasks and persons responsibleresponsible

Provide a timelineProvide a timeline Revisit and refine project goalsRevisit and refine project goals Showing completed the tasks and Showing completed the tasks and

outcomesoutcomes Reflect on their experiencesReflect on their experiences

Create and carry out an action plan Create and carry out an action plan that has students:that has students:

Completion and Wrap-upCompletion and Wrap-up

Publish, present, perform, produce, or Publish, present, perform, produce, or deliver the servicedeliver the service

Evaluate the process and productEvaluate the process and product Celebrate and recognize the experience Celebrate and recognize the experience Reflect on what was doneReflect on what was done

What went wellWhat went well What could have been betterWhat could have been better What still needs to be doneWhat still needs to be done

What is the evaluation What is the evaluation criteria for acriteria for a

service-learning project?service-learning project?

Is it a real service?Is it a real service? Is it meeting a real need? Is it sustained Is it meeting a real need? Is it sustained

over time?over time?

Is it collaborative? Does everyone agree Is it collaborative? Does everyone agree it needs to be done? Does it link it needs to be done? Does it link students to the community in a students to the community in a meaningful way?meaningful way?

Does it meet a community need and not Does it meet a community need and not just the need of the classroom?just the need of the classroom?

Is the learning explicit?Is the learning explicit?

Are the students learning why the Are the students learning why the problem exists and the conditions that problem exists and the conditions that surround the service?surround the service?

How is the learning shared? (Learning is How is the learning shared? (Learning is never complete unless it is shared).never complete unless it is shared).

Is time sufficient for reflection?Is time sufficient for reflection?

Reflection must happen frequently. Reflection must happen frequently. Students should talk to each other about Students should talk to each other about their feelings.their feelings.

Reflection is student centered whereas Reflection is student centered whereas knowledge is classroom centered. knowledge is classroom centered.

Students should discover what it means to Students should discover what it means to be an active citizen. Teachers should be be an active citizen. Teachers should be engaged to make reflection work well.engaged to make reflection work well.

Service Learning ContinuumService Learning Continuum

From teacher-lead to student-drivenFrom teacher-lead to student-driven From lecture-based to project-basedFrom lecture-based to project-based From classroom simulation to a real-From classroom simulation to a real-

world authentic experienceworld authentic experience From not connected to relevant to From not connected to relevant to

students’ livesstudents’ lives From serving no “real” purpose to From serving no “real” purpose to

making a differencemaking a difference

Tips Tips

Start smallStart small Engage the communityEngage the community

Survey community for needs and wantsSurvey community for needs and wants Find outside partnersFind outside partners Use their expertiseUse their expertise

CollaborateCollaborate Stay positiveStay positive Scaffold student learning and responsibilityScaffold student learning and responsibility Ask for help when neededAsk for help when needed Have fun!Have fun!

Contact InformationContact Information

Donna DraschDonna Drasch

EASTCONNEASTCONN

322 Main Street, Building #1322 Main Street, Building #1

Willimantic, CT 06226Willimantic, CT 06226

860-455-1516860-455-1516