Susan A. Abravanel, YSA Pete Ready, ODE Learning Through Service: Teaching and Engaging for Student Success 2009 Superintendents Summer Institute

Improving communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles.

Engaging young people in substantive roles solving authentic problems leads to: Student Achievement Workforce Readiness Stronger Communities

Engaging

The Dropout Problem Percentage reporting that their schools graduation rates were 90% or higher... Teachers 48% Principals 55%

The Dropout Problem Average on-time national graduation rate was between 68 and 75 % at the time of the survey

Activity As a pair, develop a written, verbal, artistic, or other picture of a disengaged student. How you can tell that the young person is disengaged, using at least some of the senses? (what does the person look like? what does the person sound like? how does the person feel?) How you can tell that the young person is disengaged, using at least some of the senses? (what does the person look like? what does the person sound like? how does the person feel?) What are the key cues to notice? What are the key cues to notice?

Student Engagement Over 1/3rd of students do not take school seriously and get through the day by fooling around with classmates; Over 1/3rd of students do not take school seriously and get through the day by fooling around with classmates; 1/2 said their classes were boring; 1/2 said their classes were boring; 2/3rds say they cheated on a school test; 2/3rds say they cheated on a school test; 90% copied homework from someone else; 90% copied homework from someone else; 80% say it is not important to get good grades in school; 80% say it is not important to get good grades in school; 20% say they do not try hard in school because they are worried what their friends may think; 20% say they do not try hard in school because they are worried what their friends may think; 20% say disengagement is a result of confusion or difficulty of subject matter, particularly in math and science. 20% say disengagement is a result of confusion or difficulty of subject matter, particularly in math and science.

Engagement Research Researchers (Brewster & Fager, 2000:7) recommend: Ensure course materials relate to students lives and highlight ways learning can be applied in real-life situations (Lumsden, 1994; Skinner and Belmont, 1991); Ensure course materials relate to students lives and highlight ways learning can be applied in real-life situations (Lumsden, 1994; Skinner and Belmont, 1991); Help students feel that schoolwork is significant, valuable, and worthy of their efforts (Policy Studies Associates, 1995); Help students feel that schoolwork is significant, valuable, and worthy of their efforts (Policy Studies Associates, 1995); Allow students to have some degree of control over learning (Brooks, et. al., 1998); Allow students to have some degree of control over learning (Brooks, et. al., 1998);

Engagement Research Assign challenging but achievable tasks for all students. Tasks that seem impossible and those that are rote and repetitive discourage learners (Dev, 1997; Policy Studies Associates, 1995); Assign challenging but achievable tasks for all students. Tasks that seem impossible and those that are rote and repetitive discourage learners (Dev, 1997; Policy Studies Associates, 1995); Stimulate students curiosity about the topic being studied (Strong, Silver, and Robinson, 1995); Stimulate students curiosity about the topic being studied (Strong, Silver, and Robinson, 1995);

Engagement Research Design projects that allow students to share new knowledge with others. Projects are more engaging when students share what they are learning in reciprocal relationships, as in collaborative projects where each students knowledge is needed by others in the group to complete an assignment (Strong, Silver, and Robinson, 1995); Design projects that allow students to share new knowledge with others. Projects are more engaging when students share what they are learning in reciprocal relationships, as in collaborative projects where each students knowledge is needed by others in the group to complete an assignment (Strong, Silver, and Robinson, 1995); Develop caring and trust between teachers and students (Nodding, 2000: 36). Develop caring and trust between teachers and students (Nodding, 2000: 36).

The Dropout Problem Teachers and principals know students who were capable of graduating but failed to complete high school. 77 percent of teachers and 71 percent of principals strongly favored alternative learning environments to reduce the dropout rate.

Service-Learning... a teaching and learning strategy integrating meaningful community service with academic study and reflective practice to enrich learning, build civic engagement, and strengthen communities.

Service-learning is not: An episodic volunteer program An add-on to an existing curriculum Completing minimum service hours to satisfy a class or graduation requirement Service assigned as a form of punishment One-sided: benefiting only students or only the community

Service-Learning is... Real service Real learning

K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice

17 Meaningful Service Service-learning actively engages participants in meaningful and personally relevant service activities.

School is kind of boring… warm-up, lectures, PowerPoint's and videos. It is not very often that we get a class like this where we learn and do real science…we can help the community if our teachers show us how.

19 Link to Curriculum Service-learning is intentionally used as an instructional strategy to meet learning goals and/or content standards.

Service-learning is doing something for your community but at the same time learning about something school-related like horticulture, science or math. You learn a lot more because you connect with your teacher and meet people who care about you… you never would have met them if it wasnt for service-learning.

21 Reflection Service-learning incorporates multiple challenging reflection activities that are ongoing and that prompt deep thinking and analysis about oneself and ones relationship to society.

22 Diversity Service-learning promotes understanding of diversity and mutual respect among all participants.

23 Youth Voice Service-learning provides youth with a strong voice in planning, implementing, and evaluating service-learning experiences with guidance from adults.

24 Partnership Service-learning partnerships are collaborative, mutually beneficial, and address community needs.

Service-learning is used to help the community through partnerships with other people…when you have a happier community your friends and family are happier…it will be a better place to live.

26 Progress Monitoring Service-learning engages participants in an ongoing process to assess the quality of implementation and progress toward meeting specified goals, and uses results for improvement and sustainability.

27 Duration and Intensity Service-learning has sufficient duration and intensity to address community needs and meet specified outcomes.

S-L at Lincoln K-8 S-L at Lincoln K-8 Title1, 6-8 Blend, 28% ELs, 45% at Risk Essential Question: How can we maximize survivability of Kincaids Lupine and Nelsons Checkermallow in the school greenhouse? Double Jeopardy! Fenders Blue Butterfly Kincaids Lupine

Week 1: Institute for Applied Ecology visits schools and explains problem with growing plants. Asks students for help. Week 2: Discuss research question for work sample: plant lupine and checkermallow seeds Week 3: Plant lupine/checkermallow seeds in greenhouse, discuss final product of S-L project such as presentations, Youth Summit, and peer involvement Week 4: Plan and implement question Week 5-7: Implement project Week 8: Field trip for site-prep and examination of future planting site. Week 9: 4-H Wildlife Stewards Conference, ODFW, and school wide assembly to recruit students to help plant the seedlings at the field site. Week 10: Planting at field site Years to come : Monitor, survival rates, refine previous years hypotheses and keep growing plants!

Link to the Curriculum 90% of students received a score of 4 or higher for 3 of the 4 Scientific Inquiry assessment areas. Success was driven by long-term goals, time to complete project, authentic learning objectives, student engagement, and student accountability to their community.

Connections: To the Oregon Diploma Learn & Serve Grant Learn & Serve Grant (09-12) 1.Implementation Districts 2.Sustainability Districts 3.Professional Development Tracks Priority Categories Include: The Oregon Diploma Inquiry-Based Science Essential SkillsStrategic Partnerships Credit for Proficiency Civic Engagement Career & Technical Education

S-L Connections: S-L Connections: To Other Initiatives Oregon Diploma & Essential Skills Safe/Drug-Free Schools Education Plan & Profile Comprehensive Guidance & Counseling -- Youth Development School to Work, Youth Pre- Apprenticeship Character Education Community Education – Title IV-B Afterschool Service- Learning Career & Technical Education Title Programs YSA, AmeriCorps Content Standards

ODE Service-Learning Grants: K-12 schools – Astoria, Canby, Cascade, Corvallis, David Douglas, Lane ESD, Oregon City, Pendleton, Rainier, St. Helens, SOLV, Tillamook, WESD [Robert Farrell]. Service-Learning Project Examples

S-L: Oregon Examples Relief NurseryPediatric Cancer Relief Nursery (35 HS Lit) – Child Abuse & Welfare), Pediatric Cancer (35 HS Lit), Food for Lane County Food for Lane County (15 HS Lit.) Students studied Lane Co. hunger & poverty, engaged in an extended learning project, toured Lane Co. Food Bank, worked at local Food for Lane County farm 2 hrs/wk for 7 weeks. Art in Motion Art in Motion (15 HS Adv Video Students work with Teachers: make many Lrng Art project Packets for teacher use & Older students teach younger students), Diversity Circles Diversity Circles (30 HS after 3 days of training Lead HS MS & ES) Field/stream testing & Wet Well Field/stream testing & Wet Well (Science classes, District-Wide EWEB grant) Down by the Riverside Down by the Riverside – 350 students ES (45) MS (175) HS (95+) - 4 env. projects across multiple days: trail construction, invasive species, pond rehabilitation projects.

Classes using S-L: Spanish ELL Buddy Program (35 AP Spanish 3) Students help high-need ES & MS as mentors & buddies) Give & Take Theater Project (25 HS writing Theater project for ES & perform for ES) Veterans Projects (160 HS 11-12th Global Realities Class – interviewed vets, wrote reflection papers, exhibits w/ photos & transcripts) U.S. Military Hero (45 Sr. Engl. – Interviewed military or family, built & sent care boxes overseas. Unit: formal letter-writing. Elder Memory Books (15 Sp Ed HS interviewed seniors about their lives, researched their period of time found graphics for seniors. Super responses. Community Awarded $5,000 to non-profits to respond to child abuse in the community. S-L: Oregon Examples

SPS High School: 650 students participated in S-L activities, engaging in a total of 5,600 hrs of Preparation and/or Reflection and 6,100 hours of Service. One Literature project implemented a Service-Learning project related to childrens literacy.

S-L: Oregon Examples Students engaged in multiple activities including: researching literacy statistics learning why literacy is important for brain development educational progress and economic survival. They received reading training from school district Reading Trainers. They also completed literacy training and mentoring for preschool and early ES children.

S-L: Oregon Examples Students used their literacy skills to organize and conduct a book drive, write press releases to publicize the event and its success. They wrote a brochure explaining why reading to children is important and they wrote a childrens book. Students from this class have engaged in presentations at the school, district and the state level.

Learn and Serve-funded Oregon Resource Districts will work with interested Districts in understanding and implementing service- learning as an effective strategy to embed The Oregon Diploma graduation standards in district plans. Connections: Connections: To Graduation Standards

Oregon Department of Education Learn and Serve America Learn and Serve Americas National Service-Learning Clearinghouse Youth Service America More Information / Resources

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