Service Learning K-12 Service-Learning & Effective Instructional Strategies

s-l is an instructional method that: 1. develops 21 st century skills, including critical thinking, problem solving, communication, teamwork, creativity, information literacy, and action planning that prepares students to compete in a global economy; 2. is integrated intentionally into students’ academic curriculum;

s-l is an instructional method that: 3. lets students learn and develop by actively participating in meeting community needs via school- community collaborations; 4. uses regular assessment to engage in data-based decision making and continuous growth and development.

Service-Learning is... a teaching and learning strategy integrating meaningful community service integrating meaningful community service with academic study and reflective practice to enrich learning, build civic engagement, and strengthen communities Adapted from Learning in Deed: The Power of Service-Learning for American Schools, A Report from the National Commission on Service-Learning, 2002

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

Brief Before Launch Service-Learning is a teaching strategy, not a program. High quality service- learning does not happen by accident or in isolation. High quality service- learning does not happen by accident or in isolation. Service-learning must incorporate lessons learned from educational research. Service-learning must incorporate lessons learned from educational research.

Education is Changing (Wellman & Lipton, 2003, p. 2)

Effective Instructional Strategies Weed the Garden: Weed the Garden: Students are able to perform at a higher level academically when curriculum is deeper in content Students are able to perform at a higher level academically when curriculum is deeper in content Service-Learning  Through service- learning, students delve deeper into fewer topics, allowing them to learn and integrate knowledge more fully.

Effective Instructional Strategies Inquiry Teaching & Inquiry Teaching & Higher-Level Thinking Involving students in posing questions, analyzing data, Involving students in posing questions, analyzing data, and developing conclusions or generalizations and developing conclusions or generalizations moves their moves their learning to a learning to a higher level. higher level. Service-Learning Students identify a community need and carry out a project designed to address that need; to do so, they integrate critical thinking skills and meaningfully interact with knowledge and concepts. Students identify a community need and carry out a project designed to address that need; to do so, they integrate critical thinking skills and meaningfully interact with knowledge and concepts.

Effective Instructional Strategies Active Engagement Active Engagement When students are active in (1) learning and (2) assessment, mastery of academic skills increases When students are active in (1) learning and (2) assessment, mastery of academic skills increases along with along with motivation & motivation & self- self- responsibility. responsibility. Service-Learning Students are actively engaged in (1) what they need to learn, (2) how to learn & apply concepts by Students are actively engaged in (1) what they need to learn, (2) how to learn & apply concepts by connecting the connecting the learning to a project they care about.

Service-Learning = Active Learning

What About Dropouts? S-L is a strategy for dropout prevention 1. S-L is a strategy for dropout prevention 1. S-L is important to S-L is important to –Academic Engagement & Achievement –School & Work Connections, –Adult & Student relationships, –Communication, Career & Essential Skills, –Community & Civic Engagement

Effective Instructional Strategies Student Ownership: Student Ownership: Students learn more when they feel personally invested in the process. Students learn more when they feel personally invested in the process. Service-Learning  Youth Voice: S-L provides a strong Youth Voice in planning, implementing, and evaluating service - learning experiences with guidance from adults.

In their own words “I was always taught that you went to elementary school to prepare for junior high to prepare for high school which prepared you for college which prepared you for life. “I was always taught that you went to elementary school to prepare for junior high to prepare for high school which prepared you for college which prepared you for life. But life was happening when I was fourteen, and I was stuck in school. But life was happening when I was fourteen, and I was stuck in school. I wasn’t being prepared, I was being held back.” I wasn’t being prepared, I was being held back.”

Effective Instructional Strategies Create a democratic environment: Create a democratic environment: Classrooms that invest students in decision making and classroom management Classrooms that invest students in decision making and classroom management process develop more actively engaged process develop more actively engaged students and students and stronger citizens. stronger citizens. Service-Learning  Youth Citizens:  Classrooms that embrace quality service- learning methodology view students as an asset to our schools & communities and seek to empower them through active citizenship.

What about lowering Teacher Dropout Rates? Teacher : Teacher :  Service-learning has made me a better teacher.  I can finally push my students to meaningfully apply and transfer skills they learn. Teacher : Teacher :  Service-learning has become an essential part of my curriculum planning.

In their own words Student Student “The first time we went to city council meetings, everyone was afraid. But we began to see that they were just people too, and they thought we had good ideas and we started to feel like we were working together with them” Student Student “Service-learning makes school more interesting. We learn about all of our subjects and we learn how to cooperate and work in groups.”

Effective Instructional Strategies Reflection: Reflection: Effective learning must involve a process of meaningful reflection embedded Effective learning must involve a process of meaningful reflection embedded throughout the throughout the learning learning experience. experience. Service-Learning  Reflection:  Ongoing, meaningful reflection is a key component in high quality service-learning. Reflection reinforces learning

Pete Ready Education Specialist Office of Educational Improvement & Innovation Oregon Department of Education 255 Capitol Street NE Salem, OR program web pages: