PROJECT “HIGH FIVE” WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY NOVEMBER 11, 2014 MARIE A. LEJEUNE, PHD Service Learning & Culturally Responsive Teaching

The Whats and Whys… Agree/Disagree Activity…our community and service learning. Consider the statements I read aloud…together with your clinical teacher, decide if you “agree” or “disagree” with the statement.

Today is setting the stage… We are discussing the service learning project today to begin your process of reflecting on your community, the needs and the resources available, and to tie service learning to outcomes around culturally responsive teaching. The service learning project is a process and is not “due” to be finished until the end of your teacher candidate (student teaching) experience. We want to share some opportunities and ideas so you are able to make the most of this experience for you, but especially for your students.

Service Learning Definitions How do we define “service learning”? How do others who have participated in service learning in PK-12 classrooms describe the experience?

Service Learning for WOU Teacher Candidates Undergraduate students:  Will complete a Service Learning Project under the guidance of their cohort leader.  Those involved in the Project High Five Grant will have opportunities for classroom and community support through: co-planning/resources with Dr. LeJeune and others in the grant project, and opportunities to collaborate with other Project High Five grant community members.  Service Learning Projects will be presented in the spring at the end of the program and will involve a short reflection paper and a “poster session” sharing of learning.  Projects can be designed individually, with a partner, or a “team” of students.

Service Learning for WOU Teacher Candidates MAT students:  Will complete a service learning project under the direction of Dr. LeJeune and Dr. Landon-Hays. This project will be introduced and tied to academic content related to critical literacy and community literacy in the ED 651 Content Area Literacy class in Winter  Those involved in the Project High Five Grant will have opportunities for classroom and community support through: co-planning/resources with Dr. LeJeune and others in the grant project, and opportunities to collaborate with other Project High Five grant community members.  Projects will be outlined in winter and carried out by the end of spring term.

Upcoming Opportunities… December 5, 2014: College of Education annual service project & family celebration. Each year the COE faculty contribute to the “Central Area Community Christmas Project.” This project provides food baskets and gifts to Monmouth/Independence families in need. Winter/Spring: Tentative plans for:  Literacy night with author and families  Partnership with Ella Curran Food Bank  Head Start/School District family transitions Additionally, I am available to partner with Project High Five participants on other service learning projects they design.

Things to Begin Thinking About… How can I learn more about the needs/resources of the community I am teaching in? (Classroom, school, district, larger community, families, etc.) Are there natural spaces within the units and content I teach to incorporate service learning? Or…how can I connect content learning to a service project? What authentic texts, materials, supplies, and supports would I need to gather to effectively engage students in meaningful content learning that also contains service. How can I insure that my ideas are tied to culturally responsive practices—seeing communities as filled with both needs AND resources/funds of knowledge?