1. Setting the Foundation: Service-Learning at its Roots

2. Objectives
Understand the differences between community service, experiential learning and service-learning.
Learn the key elements of a service-learning project.
Understand the steps to developing and implementing a service-learning project.

3. What is it?
As a table, decide if the scenarios are community service, experiential learning or service-learning. You will have 5 minutes.

4. Similarities & Differences
Service-Learning
Community Service
Experiential Learning
Tied to Academics
NOT tied to Academics
Occurs over months or Year
Often occurs only once
May happen once or over the course of time
Structured reflection
No structured reflection
Youth Voice present
Often planned by agency
Some Youth Voice present
Focus on meeting a community need
Meets a need
Focus is not meeting a community need
Completed as a group
Completed as an individual or group

5. Service-Learning Key Elements
Meaningful Service
Link to Curriculum
Reflection
Diversity
Youth Voice
Partnerships
Progress Monitoring
Duration and Intensity

6. Revisit Scenarios
Each table will now have 4 minutes to discuss how they could turn their assigned scenario into service-learning. Be prepared to report out to the whole group.

7. Service-Learning I-P-A-R-D Model
5 Steps - Investigation Planning & Preparation Action Reflection Demonstration

8. Investigation
Teachers and students investigate the community issues they may potentially address.
Investigation typically involves some sort of research and mapping activity.

9. Types of Needs Assessments
Community Mapping
Walk About
Classroom Brainstorming
Informal Research like reading the newspaper or internet search
Community partner presents a need
SAE

10. Planning & Preparation
Teachers, students, and community members plan the learning and service activities, contact community partners and address the administrative issues needed for a successful project.
One of the most important parts (if not the most important part) of this step is creating a link to curriculum!

11. Action
The “heart” of the project: engaging in a meaningful service experience that will help your students develop important knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and will benefit the community. The action occurs both in the classroom and in the field.

12. Pre Reflection: prepares participants for the project
Reflection is On-Going
Pre Reflection: prepares participants for the project
Active Reflection: occurs in the field and requires critical thinking
Post Reflection: is used as an evaluation tool

13. Demonstration
Participants publicly demonstrate their knowledge gained and accomplishments achieved through the service-learning project.

14. Ag. Ed. & Service-Learning

15. Benefits of Service-Learning
Involves ALL students.
Increases visibility of Ag. Ed. and FFA within the school and community.
“The exposure is helping the school see that we (FFA & Ag. Ed.) are extremely valuable and should not be cut out of the school academic program because of budget cuts.” – Advisor from PA
Allows Ag. teachers to create cross curriculum partnerships.
Creates SAE opportunities.
Opportunities for financial support.

16. Please sit as states (if possible).
Note About Dinner
Please sit as states (if possible).
We will also have a table for individual chapters.
Use this time to discuss what you would like to gain from this training.