Introduction to Service Learning

Training Provided By: Fran Hollon NYS LSA Statewide Coordinator New York Department of Education Learn & Serve America Program 89 Washington Ave. Room 965 Education Building Addition Albany, New York 12234 (518) 486-5781 fhollon@mail.nysed.gov

Definition of Service Learning The National and Community Trust Act passed by Congress in 1990 defines service learning as a method: under which students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences that meet actual community needs that are coordinated in collaboration with the school and community;

that is integrated into students’ academic curriculum and provides structured time for students to think, talk or write about what the student did and saw during the actual service activity; that provides students with opportunities to use newly acquired skills and knowledge in real-life situations in in their own communities; that enhances what is taught in school by extending student learning beyond the classroom into their communities and; ;

helps foster a sense of caring in others. In other words, service learning is made up of activities that connect serving your community with the learning you already do in your classrooms. Service learning provides real life application of knowledge and skills to real life community needs.

Key Definitions Volunteerism Volunteerism refers to people who of their own free will and without pay, perform some service or good work (such as with charitable institutions or community agencies). Many of you may have volunteered while growing up through scouting, 4-H, church youth groups or other organizations.

Community Service Community service is a form of volunteerism. The important point here is that the community service is done within in a defined community. This community can take many forms. Some examples could include: your classroom, your school, the town where your students live their city, etc. There does not have to be an intentional tie to learning; her the emphasis is placed strictly on the service that is performed.

Community Based Learning Community based learning is the term used to describe any learning experience that occurs in the community. Common forms of community based learning include: internships and apprenticeships. Although internships and apprenticeships do not have any formal service purpose, they offer important experiences for students to master skills in a real-life setting. Community based-;learning may or may not include service.

In order for service learning to indeed be that, it is key to understand the distinction between it and other forms of service.

Service Learning Service Learning is the method of instruction that emphasizes both the service and the learning goals in such a way that both occur and are enriched by each other. Key components in Service Learning are: Preparation Action Reflection Celebration/Demonstration

There are other elements that should be part of strong service learning method as well. These elements include: student ownership, a genuine community need, school and community partnerships, as well as clear connections to curricular learning objectives. The service should drive the learning it should not be an “add on” but an “add to.”

Service learning projects emphasize service and learning outcomes and are designed to incorporate both. Most prominently, programs that emphasize learning always include a strong post reflective element in which students are encouraged to utilize higher order thinking skills to make sense of as well as extend the formal learning that took place through participating in the learning experience.

Elements of Service Learning

Process Elements PARC/D

Preparation Preparation includes everything that is done to help the participants develop the necessary skills and knowledge for the project.

Action The meaningful service performed by participants can take many forms and may include teaching others, creating a product or performance, providing a service or advocating for change. The action can occur in one day, over a particular week, as well as over the course of several months.

Reflection Processing or reconstructing the service experience helps to make the connection to learning. This occurs through out the service learning process and can take many different forms. Participants can reflect by writing, doing, telling, and reading etc.

Celebration/Demonstration It is important that we celebrate/demonstrate to acknowledge that participant and communities have completed their project and done a GREAT job. Everyone that participated in doing the service should be included in the celebration/demonstration. This should include public officials, site personnel and the media. Students now have the opportunity to show what they have accomplished.

This is also the place where all participants can feel as well as see the impacts that their service learning has had on themselves, those they assisted, their school and communities.

Other Important Elements

Participant Voice Participants should play an active role in the selection, design, implementation, as well as evaluation of the service learning project.

Genuine Need It is important that the service learning project meet a genuine/true community need.

Connection to Learning Effective service learning establishes clear learning outcomes that require application of concepts, content and skills, as well as involve participants in the construction of their own knowledge.

Partnerships Promoting communication and interaction with the community encourages partnerships and collaboration. Partnerships can include: businesses, community organizations, historical societies, colleges/universities, public or private school, social service agencies and National Service Programs.

Effective Service Learning Framework Preparation Action Reflection Celebration Preparation consists of the learning activities, orientation, training and analysis done prior to and as needed throughout service. Action is the meaningful service being done by youth -- for their school, their community, or other youth. Reflection is processing, integrating, and contextualizing the service experience through the use of creative and critical thinking skills. Celebration is the recognition that students and communities deserve for a job well done. Examples of tasks Questions to Ask What makes up good reflection Some Recognition Ideas Analyzing of community’s assets and needs, and then selection and planning of a project. Note: it is important to be considerate of the community’s needs and not just the needs of the educators. Are programs designed around real community needs? Does the project have academic integrity? The activities should have the four “C”s. They should be Continuous, Connected, Challenging and Contextualized – always integrating the service and related learning with the rest of one’s life. Host community events – done publicly with officials, participants and perhaps the service recipients. Gathering information about the service site – agency/school, and its purpose of function, and the individuals being served – and any social or contextual issues related to the service. Is the service work engaging, challenging and meaningful for the student? The activities utilize Reading, Writing, Telling and Doing strategies. Honor students for their responsible actions by organizing a project which includes a trip. Specific skills training and the establishing of basic competencies. Are the students significantly involved in defining and designing the service experience? The activities should offer adequate time to review, ponder, contemplate, evaluate and analyze the feelings and the processes involved. Give students T-shirts, certificates, pins, pizza parties, etc. Problem-solving around difficult situations which may arise. Is there adequate supervision? Do the school or agency contact people work effectively with the students? The activities should help students make sense out of their experiences and clarify values as new issues are confronted. Honor participants through the media – an appearance on he local news, or in the newspaper, or a feature done for radio. Group building among participants. Is the project developmentally appropriate? The activities should help students to community-build among participants. Have special school assemblies. Constructing ongoing reflection activities, evaluation exercises and assessment tools. Has the project built in reflection and assessment into the model? The activities should have assessment through portfolio, self-assessment and peer assessment. Complete final evaluations both objective and subjective as a part of the end to a successful project

Reflection Reflection consists of the use of creative critical thinking skills in order to prepare for think about and learn from the service learning experience. What is it? – Structured, objective, critical thinking, sharing and learning. When?—throughout, before, during, as well as after. Where?—anywhere – classroom, site, bus. Why?—connect and crystallize real world service and learning experience. How?—individually, group using a variety of activities

Guiding Principles Actively Involve both recipients and students Most effective when done throughout Actively Involve both recipients and students Utilize a wide array of reflection strategies Post service reflection ASAP after the event Reexamine insights a week, month, semester, or year later.

Basic Reflection Techniques KWLD What do we Know? What do we Want? What have we Learned? What can we Do now? What? So What? Now What?

Connecting Service Learning Start With The Learning Start With The Service Connect to the Service Connect with the Learning

Start With The Learning If you are attempting to find opportunities to integrate a service component into your regular academic program here are three questions by which you can explore possible connections around any unit of instruction. Teach others—Could students teach what they have learned (skill, knowledge) to others? Product Performance—Could the results of the students efforts be contributed to a product or presented to someone? Addressing Community Need/Issue—Could the classroom learning be applied to provide a service or to help solve a real concern in the school or community?

Start With Learning If you are attempting to find service opportunities that you can then integrate into your academic program, here are a few ways to find community needs or problems to address through service. Needs/Assets List – With students create a list of all of the good and bad things about the community.

homes, and any agencies where people can get help. Walkabout – Take a walk around the community recording observations of what is seen, heard, etc. Media Search – Scan newspapers, listen to radio or TV reports for information about the community. Visit – Visit important sites in the community; soup kitchens, thrift stores, nursing homes, and any agencies where people can get help.

indicate the locations of important resources. Map – Have students make a map including points of interest and concern, also indicate the locations of important resources. Survey – Create, conduct, and share the results of a variety of surveys that will help students gain a better understanding of the community. Interview – various members of the community to determine their ideas for service projects as well as the role they could play in a project.

Curriculum Connection Curriculum/Discipline Social Studies Unit on Local Town History Science Unit on Water Quality Math Unit on Measuring Spanish Unit on Grammar Project/Service Interviewing local Senior Citizens on Town History for Centennial Celebration Clean-Up of Stream Behind School Constructing Picnic Tables for Community Park Translating Children’s Books for local Head Start Project

The Curriculum Connection Social Studies Unit on Vandalism Health Unit on Safety Science Unit on Local Flora & Fauna Science/Social Studies Unit on Aging Science Unit on Conservation Painting Mural on Public Building Downtown Lobby for a Traffic Light Near School Creating a Nature Trail Making and Playing Games With Residents at a Nursing Home Developing a School-Wide Recycling Program

The Curriculum Connection Social Studies Unit on Hunger and Poverty Language Arts Unit on Letter Writing Social Studies Unit on Laws Protecting Those With Disabilities Organizing Canned Food Drive for the Homeless Shelter Writing Letters to Nursing Home Residents Building A Ramp for Wheelchairs at a Local Community Agency.

Evaluation of Students Portfolios are a great way to document and evaluate service-learning projects. The contents are evidence of learning and may include: Reflections activities Written work such as: Journal entries Essays Research Papers, data Outlines of presentations Scored rubrics Evaluation checklists Teacher’s anecdotal records Attendance log Test results Constructed products such as: Videotapes Books Charts Pamphlets, Brochures

Project Evaluation Project Name:__________ Service Learning Component Important Questions to Ask Evidence from Project PREPARATION Were there specific learning activities, training, orientation, or needs assessment done before the project? ACTION Was a service provided to someone else? REFLECTION Were there opportunities for participants to review, evaluate, or analyze their feelings and learning from the project? CELEBRATION Were the participants recognized for their efforts? Were others (recipients & partners) included? PARTICIPANT VOICE Were the participants given opportunities to have a voice in selecting, designing, or implementing the project? GENUINE NEED Did the project meet a real, recognized need in the community? CONNECTION TO LEARNING Is there a clear connection to real skills, knowledge, or content learned by the participants? PARTNERSHIPS Was there interaction and collaboration with others in the community?

Examples of Service Learning

Fourth and fifth grade classes at Clinton Elementary School teamed up to contribute something to celebrate the centennial of their town, Clinton, Wisconsin. They interviewed senior citizens to gather stories that related to the town history. They did library research and obtained records from the city government. From their research, they developed a multi generational play of the town entitled “Clinton, Our Town”. The play was created and performed in partnership with a local theater group. Support from other businesses was also solicited for props, costumes and other aspects of the play. The play was such a success it is now put on annually by the school and the theater group.

The Academy for Science and Foreign Language is a k-8 school in Huntsville Alabama. Students there discovered that the early history of African Americans in the building of their community had never been documented. Though interdisciplinary, cross grade projects this school has taken on the researching and recording of that history. Students helped with the restoration of an old African American cemetery that had been neglected and forgotten. With community support they have restored headstones, written books and created plays about the lives of the people buried there. Their work included interviews with senior citizens whose ancestors were among those unrecorded heroes as well as library and land deed research. This project has unified the community in many ways .

Students at an alternative high school in Miami, Fla Students at an alternative high school in Miami, Fla. had been tutoring third graders in language arts at a nearby elementary school. At the close of the first year, the students initiated, designed, and implemented a science component to improve and expand the tutoring program. The high school students hosted the elementary students at the UM/Knight Center to view their seven marine aquariums and participate in student-designed activities. Student presentations at the elementary school on marine biology and oceanography, and a visit to local recreation area to see examples of marine communities were also planned. Finally, students decided to give the third grade an aquarium for their classroom as well as printed materials and a CD-ROM they had developed.

History students in Los Angeles, California discovered their high school grounds once included a beautiful Japanese garden. The garden was built during the 1930s and early 40s by Roosevelt High School students. Then, during World War II, the federal government ordered Japanese-Americans relocated to internment camps. Roosevelt High lost many Japanese-American students to the camps, and the Japanese garden was vandalized and destroyed. Few Japanese-American students attend Roosevelt High School today. The population is predominately Latino. But when the students learned of the garden they decided to rebuild it as a tribute to the Japanese-Americans who died fighting for the country or who were interned during the war. Students researched and mapped out the original garden. Then they went into the community looking for help. They were able to complete the garden with much donated materials and labor.

Why Service Learning What the Research Says

Potential Outcomes of Involvement in Service Learning Academic Problem Solving Ethical Development Social Responsibility Assertiveness Career Goals Political Efficacy Critical Thinking Moral Reasoning Self Esteem Civic Responsibility Tolerance For Diversity

Benefits To Students Students develop a habit of critical reflections in their experiences, enabling them to learn throughout life Students become more curious and motivated to learn. Students increase their sense of social and civic responsibility Students feel more committed to addressing the underlying problems behind social issues Students understand problems in a more complex way and can imagine alternative solutions

Benefits To Students Students demonstrate more sensitivity to how decisions are made and how institutional decisions affect people’s lives Students learn to respect cultural differences Students learn to work more collaboratively with other people on real problems Students realize that they can make a difference.

Benefits and Impacts of Service Learning National: “Service Learning produces an array of positive impacts in the areas of pro-social behavior including: acceptance of diversity, connection to cultural heritage, development of ethics and Strengthening of protective factors related to resilience. Service Learning clearly helps students to develop caring, altruism, and other social emotional learning.” (Billig, 2000)

Melchior and Ballis (2002) found that service learning programs had a statistically significant impact on; students’ civic behaviors, particularly in the areas of responsibility for the welfare of others; personal and social responsibility for community involvement, service leadership, acceptance of diversity, and communication skills.

Academic performance (47%) Class participation(70%) New York State: The FY 2003-2004 Learn and Serve America Program evaluation surveyed over 500 teachers who reported moderate and great positive changes in students in various areas as follows : Attendance (30%); Academic performance (47%) Class participation(70%) Fewer number of discipline problems (38%) -- research conducted by CASE @ CUNY Graduate Center

CUNY Research continued… How students treat one another (66%) Severity of discipline problems (less severe)(30%) How students treat adults (65%) Students’ willingness to take responsibility (77%) Students’ understanding of the service need addressed by the project (77%); Interactions between students and teachers (71%) Students’ connection with population served ((70%) General classroom climate(59%) Number of at-risk behaviors (decreased) (24%) Empathy expressed by students (60%); Conflict resolution skills(36%) Reduction in bullying in class(22%)

Student Testimonials “Service learning has taught me to give someone a chance.” “Service Learning connected me to others.” “Service learning has helped me not to be so mean.” “Our service learning program has impacted me as an individual because I feel more important, like I have an actual place and purpose. I have a higher self esteem and greater tolerance for all types of people. As a student our program has taught me to do oral presentations better, to be more organized and to balance my time better. As a member of society it has made me realize how everyone affects everyone else, whether they know it or not.”

A Parent's Perspective As a parent , I have seen my daughters benefit from service learning in the following ways: an increase in their knowledge, awareness, compassion, tolerance empathy for those that are handicapped or disadvantaged development of critical thinking, time management, leadership and communication skills. All of these are key to success in college and the world of work; and a growth in personal self esteem which is so important for young people today.”

What Americans Want from Public Education In a survey of 1000 Americans, research found: 94% agreed a good education is much more than just learning to read, write and do math, and 89% agreed that schools need to teach in different ways to reach different types of students. When given a definition of service learning, 90% agreed they were likely to support it in their local public schools, 90% said they were likely to support service learning if academic skills were tied to service, and 90% agreed that service learning helps students build the skills they need to be successful later in life. (Roper Starch Worldwide for the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, 2000)