PRESENTED BY: ELISHA WRITT LEAD TEACHER CLINTONVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS The Learning Link The Learning Link Ensuring Service Learning is an Effective Instructional Strategy

SERVICE LEARNING IS INTENTIONALLY USED AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY TO MEET LEARNING GOALS AND/OR CONTENT STANDARDS. A Standard for Quality Practice: Link to Curriculum Taken from National Youth Leadership Council’s K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice

Indicators of Quality Practice Clearly articulated learning goals Aligned with academic curriculum Participants learn how to transfer knowledge and skills from one setting to another Formally recognized in school board policy and student records Taken from National Youth Leadership Council’s K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice

Link to Curriculum Rubric for Continuous Improvement of the Service- Learning Experience Advanced: students learn how to transfer knowledge and skills, explicit alignment to curriculum, students construct knowledge through challenging tasks Experienced: students are able to master complex skills, instruction leads to project/experience completion, some intentional, some not Introductory: link to curriculum is not intentional despite some skill mastery, experience does not push learning to higher levels Novice: low level skills, project/experience does not come from curriculum, more like an add-on activity Summarized from WI DPI’s Rubric, based on NYLC’s K-12 standards

TIME TO SHARE and REFLECT Think of a service learning experience you’ve been involved with Share a brief overview of the project Reflect on your practice – use the rubric to guide yourself

Avoiding the Traps Start with your curriculum Know your curriculum Determine learning goals at the start Plan assessments at the start

Avoiding the Traps…continued Recognize that a project/experience will likely replace your old way of teaching a skill set, concept, or unit Understand that the learning comes first, the impact on the community comes second

Deepen Your Practice Setting the Context Planning Sheets Rubric

FINDING WHERE SERVICE CAN COMPLIMENT AND ENHANCE YOUR CURRICULUM Creating the Link

Steps to creating a link to curriculum 1. Write 5 course goals/objectives for one subject you teach. 2. What issues in the community relate to these topics? 3. How might students be able to have an impact on this issue through a direct, indirect, or advocacy focused solution? Adapted from “A Project Walk Through” from Maryland Student Service Alliance, with input from T. Dary, WI DPI

Steps to creating a link…continued 4. What needs in the school or community would be met through this experience? 5. What do students need to know or understand before they can respond with a solution? What do you already do in your curriculum that prepares students for applying knowledge and skills in the community? Adapted from “A Project Walk Through” from Maryland Student Service Alliance, with input from T. Dary, WI DPI

Steps to creating a link…continued 6. How can you document and assess student progress throughout the service learning experience to make sure they are learning what you want them to learn? 7. What do you already do in your curriculum that serves as meaningful, challenging reflection? Adapted from “A Project Walk Through” from Maryland Student Service Alliance, with input from T. Dary, WI DPI

CREATING THE LINK Please take a few moments to start filling out a Creating the Link worksheet.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN…? ”PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN HOW TO TRANSFER KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FROM ONE SETTING TO ANOTHER.” Discussion

Fill in the blanks. Service-learning has clearly articulated ____________ goals. Service-learning is _______________ with the academic and/or programmatic curriculum. Service-learning helps participants ________ knowledge and skills from one setting to another. Service-learning is formally _________ in school board policies and student records. Let’s review… Taken from National Youth Leadership Council’s K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice

My Final Thoughts Make sure your students are aware of the instructional goals you have determined for this experience. Be ready for those times when you will need to filter a student spawned idea through your instructional lens, so that what comes about is service-learning, not just service. Remember…A service-learning experience without strong curricular ties is NOT high quality.

ELISHA WRITT CLINTONVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS X3254 Presenter Contact Information