SERVICE LEARNING WHAT? WHY? HOW? Ashley Cooper Education 601 Fall 2012

ESSENTAIL QUESTIONS  What is Service Learning? How does service learning impact students? How does a teacher implement service learning into their curriculum successfully? ”

UNDERSTANDING  Service Learning is essential to the development of well- rounded Students and Citizens ” STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT…

TRANSFER GOAL  Integration and Planning are fundamental to learning and understanding. ”

Students will know… Definition of Service Learning Different types of service learning opportunities- Direct or Indirect Benefits of Service Learning Guidelines for creating service learning lesson plans Students will be able to… Implement Service Learning into Pedagogy Develop a successful service learning lesson plan

What is Service Learning?  Service Learning is a form of experiential education where learning occurs through cycles of action and reflection as students work with others in applying their knowledge to solve a community problem and, at the same time, reflect upon their experience to gain a deeper understanding of complex issues for themselves.” Felicia Wilczenski and Susan Coomey, A Practical Guide to Service Learning (New York: Springer Science and Business Media,LLC, 2010),4.

UNDERSTANDING REFLECTION ACTION KNOWLEDGE ACTIONKNOWLEDGELEARNINGREFLECTIONMEANING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

What is Service Learning?  Service Learning is an educational methodology that incorporates student preparation, service to the community, and reflection, with links to the academic curriculum.” Marjori Krebs, “What Makes K-12 Teachers to Initiate Service-Learning Projects?”, Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue (2008):

What is Service Learning? Positive, Meaningful, and Real Positive, Meaningful, and Real Cooperative Cooperative Complex in Problems and Setting Complex in Problems and Setting Promotes Deeper Learning Promotes Deeper Learning Creates situations for problem solving Creates situations for problem solving Requires Critical Thinking Broadens Perspective Challenges Values Address real- life needs Creates hands- on experiences Invokes Reflection Felicia Wilczenski and Susan Coomey, A Practical Guide to Service Learning (New York: Springer Science and Business Media,LLC, 2010),xiv

Service Learning is NOT… Volunteer Programs without a reason Competitive Only for High School or College Students Beneficial to just one party Unplanned

SERVICE LEARNING DIRECT DIRECT Students engage in face to face interactions with people being served in the community. Tutoring Tutoring Visiting the Elderly Visiting the Elderly Volunteering at a Food Pantry Volunteering at a Food Pantry INDIRECT Experiences that address community needs but that are physically distant from one another. Raising Money for a Family in Need Writing Letters to people in the Military Political Advocacy Community Beautification Projects

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SERVICE LEARNING? Cooperative Learning Cooperative Learning Civic Responsibility Civic Responsibility Critical Thinking Critical Thinking Personal Development Personal Development Social Development Social Development Responsibility Responsibility Career Exploration Reduces Risk Taking Behavior Higher Academic Scores Pride for School and Community Felicia Wilczenski and Susan Coomey, A Practical Guide to Service Learning (New York: Springer Science and Business Media,LLC, 2010),xv

 “When I incorporate service-learning in my teaching, I know that I am changing the lives of children and I make a difference in their lives and it empowers them. That empowerment and self-confidence, especially for the child who isn’t strong academically, but has other gifts and talents, and seeing that they had not been in the service learning project, they wouldn’t have encountered that self-confidence… I think, if you just taught your normal day and your normal subjects and did your normal things, you wouldn’t be giving these kids the opportunity to really shine in ways that some of them can’t typically shine. “ Marjori Krebs, “What Makes K-12 Teachers to Initiate Service-Learning Projects?”, Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue (2008):

Service Learning Making a puzzle complete Social, Emotional, Academic and Career

Why Service Learning?  Service Learning aims to connect the personal and intellectual, to help students acquire knowledge that is useful in understanding the world, build critical thinking capacities and perhaps lead to fundamental questions about learning and about society and to a commitment to improve both” *Janet Eyler and Dwight Giles, Where’s the Learning in Service Learning?(San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, 1999),12..

Service Learning serves as a bridge between knowledge and understanding.

Why Service Learning?  Experience enhances understanding, understanding leads to more effective action. Both Learning and Service gain value and are transformed when combined in the specific types of activities we call Service Learning” *Janet Eyler and Dwight Giles, Where’s the Learning in Service Learning?(San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, 1999),7.

HOW???? INTEGRATEINTEGRATEINTEGRATEINTEGRATEINTEGRATEINTEGRATE The best way to add service learning to curriculum is to plan in advance and integrate!

Lesson Plan using Service Learning

Understanding  Our nation is guarded by a group of elite men and women who dedicated their lives to protecting our freedoms. ” The student will understand that…

Essential Questions  What are the characteristics of a solider? What are the sacrifices that soldiers make in order to protect America and its people?”

TRANSFER GOAL  It is important to give thanks to people in the community, country and world.”

Students will know… Differences between civil war soldiers and soldiers in present time Differences between civil war soldiers and soldiers in present time Characteristics of a soldier Characteristics of a soldier The Different types of Military Branches of the United States The Different types of Military Branches of the United States Synonyms of Brave Synonyms of Brave Guidelines for Writing a letter Guidelines for Writing a letter Proper use of Grammar within a Letter Proper use of Grammar within a Letter Students will be able to… Write a letter Analyze the Differences between different military personnel Incorporate new vocabulary words into their repertoire Identify what makes a soldier brave

Lesson Activities o What are the similarities between soldiers in the Civil War and soldiers in the Military now? What are the differences? o How does it feel to be away from home and your family for an extended period of time? o What are ways we can give thanks to people who do nice things for us? o What are characteristics of a soldier? o Brainstorm New Adjectives to describe Soldiers. Use dictionary and thesaurus. o Watch Brain Pop- Civil War & United States Military o Discuss proper ways to write a letter. Show Examples of Historic Letters. o Get CREATIVE! o Write Two Letters for the Troops overseas to Receive on Thanksgiving.

ACTION!!!

REFLECTION CONCLUSION

Service Learning Classroom Beautification Classroom Beautification Organic Garden Organic Garden Reading Pals Reading Pals Disaster Relief Pen Pals Disaster Relief Pen Pals Lunchroom Recycle Lunchroom Recycle Playground Restoration Playground Restoration Veterans Day Play Veterans Day Play Animal Shelter Snacks Animal Shelter Snacks IDEAS TO REMEMBER

Questions???

CHALLENGE  WILL YOU INCOOPERATE SERVICE LEARNING IN YOUR PEDAGOGY?” PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY…