DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 465 829 UD 035 033

AUTHOR Fiske, Edward B.TITLE Learning in Deed: The Power of Service-Learning for American

Schools.SPONS AGENCY Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, MI.; Ohio State Univ.,

Columbus. John Glenn Inst. for Public Service and PublicPolicy.

PUB DATE 2002-01-00NOTE 61p.; A Report from the National Commission on

Service-Learning, which is housed at the EducationDevelopment Center, Inc., Newton, MA. Some photographs maynot reproduce adequately.

AVAILABLE FROM W.K. Kellogg Foundation, One Michigan Avenue East, BattleCreek, MI 49017-4058. Tel: 800-819-9997 (Toll Free); e-mail:WKKFORD@iserv.net. For full text:http://www.learningindeed.org.

PUB TYPE Reports Evaluative (142)EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Community Services; Elementary Secondary Education; School

Community Relationship; *Service Learning; StudentMotivation; *Student Participation; *Student Volunteers;Teaching Methods

IDENTIFIERS Student Engagement

ABSTRACTThis report shares findings from research that examined

service learning, a teaching strategy that combines service to the communitywith classroom curriculum in K-12 schools. The research focused on howservice learning was relevant to schools. The results show that many U.S.youth feel alienated from both their schoolwork and from traditional forms ofcivic activities, though that disengagement is neither universal norinevitable. Service learning is a proven method of instruction that teachersin thousands of U.S. schools nationwide have successfully employed toincrease student motivation for learning and promote traditional academicgoals. Service learning also promotes the broader goals of schooling such asthe teaching of citizenship. The paper presents profiles of schools withsuccessful service learning programs, and it offers four recommendations:reclaiming the public purpose of education; increasing policy, program, andfinancial supports for service learning in K-12 education; developing acomprehensive system of professional development regarding service learning;and providing leadership roles for youth in all aspects of service learning.(Contains 56 endnotes and 5 appendixes.) (SM)

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

Learning

In Deedbizver.cfCse,-P-t%ce,

e-r77meick.r. scibro6_,

1

PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE ANDDISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS

BEEN GRANTED BY

M V arBurenWK.TO THE EDUCATIONALRESOURCES

INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

O This document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationoriginating it,

O Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality.

Points of view or opinions stated in thisdocument do not necessarily representofficial OERI position or policy.

A Report From the National Commission on Service-Learning

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2

A Letter fromSenator John GlennI am pleased to share with you the findings ofthe National Commission on Service-Learning,an active and committed group of individualsfrom diverse geographic, political and culturalbackgrounds who represent K-12 and highereducation, government and business, citizenaction and youth leadership.

Our report reflects nearly a year of study anddiscussion about service-learning, a teachingstrategy that combine's service to the commu-nity with classroom curriculum in K-12 schools.Together, we set about to understand howservice-learning is relevant to schools and howit relates to our own work. We've found thatservice-learning is a powerful strategy forteaching and learning, which allows young peo-.ple to deepen and demonstrate their learningand at the same time develop a strong senseof civic responsibility. We firmly believe that itcan become a central strategy for teaching andlearning in our schools.

To me service-learning can be summarized bythe ancient saying: "I hear, I forget. I see,I remember. I do, I understand."

In addition to that understanding, service-learning adds a critical fourth "R" to the threeR's of education: "R" for responsibility. Let usembrace it at this moment in history when wehave remembered what makes our countrygreat, and when we require the civic responsi-bility of the next generation to sustain thatgreatness.

John GlennChair

National Commission on Service-Learning

National Commission on Service-LearningSenator John Glenn, ChairThe John Glenn Institute for Public Serviceand Public Policy

Anne L. Bryant, Ed.D.Executive Director,National School Boards Association

Gene R. Carter, Ed.D.Executive Director, Association forSupervision and Curriculum Development

Cameron DaryStudent, Waupun Middle School

Nnennia L. EjebeStudent, Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology

Michelle EnglerFirst Lady of Michigan

Jim GeringerGovernor of Wyoming

Carl D. Glickman, Ed.D.Chair, Program for School Improvementand University Professor Emeritus,The University of Georgia

Stephen E. GorriePresident, Massachusetts TeachersAssociation

David W HornbeckFormer Superintendent of Schools,PhiladelphiaEducation Advocate

James B. Hunt, Jr.Former Governor of North CarolinaChair of the National Commissionon Teaching and America's Future

Laurie E. LangExecutive Director,Disney Learning Partnership

Frank Newman, Ph.D.Visiting Professor of Public Policy andSociology, The Futures ProjectBrown University

Arturo Pacheco, Ph.D.'Dean, College of EducationUniversity of Texas at El Paso

Minnie PearceChair, Board of DirectorsNational Coalition of Title I Parents

Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ph.D.Founder, Nihewan Foundation

Jianping Shen, Ph.D.Professor, College of EducationWestern Michigan University

Senator Harris WoffordFormer Chief Executive OfficerCorporation for National Service

Page 3

Page 6

Page 13

Page 18

Page 25

Page 30

Page 36

Page 48

Page 51

Page 52

Page 53

Page 56

Page 57

Introduction

The Paradox ofYouth Engagement

What is Service-Learning?

Growing Support for Service-Learning

The Impact of Service-Learning

Implementing Quality Service-Learning

A Call to Action

End Notes

Appendix A Presentations at National Commission Meetings

Appendix 8 Report Reviewers

Appendix C National Service-Learning Resource Organizations

Appendix D Staff to the National Commission

Appendix E Acknowledgements

Funded by the WK. Kellogg Foundation in partnership with The John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy atThe Ohio State University.

ot/ 47'4 z,iy-olLwoevy f&r .frb og-;47 4&4vc:ce,

0%leze 71(3 aik-tir 0,6

JgeezUly j-ce/J4re. 1;4 lk ceM, t-fAvv4e(e4

amdt00 tk. ativaae u.071:Vz+ 062 weer/ -eilim,General Colin Powell, founding chairman of America's Promise

.3

33*

-EL

,ctt

Introduction

Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks,students at the White Knoll Middle School in WestColumbia, South Carolina, looked for a way that theycould help New York City. They learnedthat in 1867 a fire company in NewYork City had sent a fire wagon tocounterparts in Columbia as a peaceoffering to replace equipment lost inthe Civil War. The gift was documentedin a local museum, along with a pledgefrom a former Confederate soldier thatSouth Carolina's capital city wouldreturn the kindness "should misfortuneever befall the Empire City."

White Knoll students set out to honor this pledge andlaunched a campaign to raise $354,000 to purchase a

new fire engine for New York City. They studied thehistorical background of the gift in social studies class-es. They applied language arts skills as they wrote

letters to firefighters in New York City's Red HookLadder Company 101 and to friends and family mem-bers to solicit donations. In art classes, they createdposters to advertise their fund-raising efforts andmade a huge fire truck mural to track incoming contri-butions in the school's front hall. Gifts and pledgesarrived from throughout the state and beyond. Twomonths after the start of the campaign, they hadreached their goal.

_

Service-learning: a teaching and learningapproach that integrates community service withacademic study to enrich learning, teach civicresponsibility, and strengthen communities.

Many Americans have been inspired by this story, butthey may not realize that it is but one shining jewel ofa larger treasure. The fire engine project is anexample of service-learning, a teaching and learningapproach that integrates community service with aca-demic study to enrich learning, teach civic responsibil-ity, and strengthen communities. A national tragedyprovided what educators describe as a "teachablemoment" for an enriched and lasting learningexperience.

"We have always stressed the importance of givingback to the community," says White Knoll principalNancy Turner. "With this project, I have-seen students

learn and grow as communicators. They understandthe importance of persuasive writing because theywant their letters to bring in results. They have

learned the importance of expressingtheir thoughts clearly in standardEnglish as they have been interviewedby the media. This has been a learningproject in many, many ways."

White Knoll Middle School includesservice-learning as an important part ofthe curriculum in many ways. In thiscase, the fire engine project deepenedstudents' understanding of civics, histo-

ry, communications, and writing. Many schoolsaround the country are initiating these creative pro-grams out of the belief that the preparation of activeand thoughtful future citizens is a core responsibility.

I wish adults would understand that students haveinnovative, mind-boggling ideas, and that studentscan put those ideas into action.They can make theworld a better place.

James,Tennessee high school student

In 2000, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a longtime sup-porter of service-learning, appointed the NationalCommission on Service-Learning to study the currentstate of this practice in American schools. TheCommission, chaired by former United States Senator

approkt

more infrmeJ,

W3G1§' Concis-oo

bovollgoa eft resu t llg

GOOF@ illenlved @DM-

Mumlearrung-,bri

As,

democeacy

thread that

goO@

leaders. Service-

g0 CABP

eftsbrengtihensWW1' @MP averse uveSkuv.

elle Engler, Michigan

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

3

John Glenn and co-sponsored by The John GlennInstitute for Public Service and Public Policy at TheOhio State University, consists of 18 education, gov-ernment, and community leaders who spent a yearreviewing research data, visiting schools and ques-tioning students, teachers and other advocates inorder to understand the prevalence and practice ofservice-learning.

Although systematic research on this method ofteaching and learning is still developing, there isreliable evidence of its capacity to enhance bothacademic achievement and community involvement.

C11911,g b@Ovn71190 11o. 6:NG llowgage 11

VOF acv@ (008MOTA Demooracy gwadm',

ilag @kkgm lt &DOgG, respomilMay gad

C3G, 11molved llo gohgovg cpudlems0

japV cluo11uky ernes clodok bigN 81111 ROD

00g SOffilee-leamilog iluvecVego Og117,

&GM llmi g99MIX] 00gymanoty pm°

ffluve eg ev@ WOG' OM* CDIADO eo@OM

OMM oad eppOr readka Neeumfevo wham fflad socAid geildilM.

Frank Newman, visiting professorBrown University

Service-learning has been shown to enhance motiva-tion to learn, and it is associated with both increasedattendance and reduced drop out rates. (Chapter 5describes this research in more detail.) Service-learning has attracted growing support over the lastdecade not only as an end in itself, but also as apowerful vehicle for addressing some of the burningissues of the day. Specifically, service-learning accom-plishes the following:

o Reverses student disengagement from schoolingby giving students responsibility for their own learn-ing and increasing their motivation to participate inschool activities

Reinforces and extends the standards-basedreform movement by providing a real-life contextfor learning and giving students a sense of the prac-tical importance of what they are learning in school

Promotes the public purposes of education bypreparing students for citizenship through involve-ment in citizen action

Builds on the growing willingness of students tobecome involved in service to their communitieswhile adding an academic component to suchservice

Contributes to young people's personal and careerdevelopment by reducing violence and sexualactivity and increasing their sense of responsibilityand workplace skills

For half a century, service-learning has spread inAmerican schools. In the last decade, it was spurredto new growth by congressional and presidentialactions and funding. In increasing numbers, schoolshave provided service-learning opportunities forstudents that connect their curriculum studies toactivities such as tutoring younger children, adoptinga river, creating a museum exhibit, or conducting oralhistories with senior citizens. In these and similarinstructional activities, youth have simultaneouslylearned to serve and served to learn.They are becom-ing both better students and better citizens.

The National Commission on Service-learning viewsservice-learning as standing at the intersection of civicand academic engagement. This report is written forpolicymakers, educators, and community leaders whosee the promise of service-learning and want to knowand do more. The report covers six key areas:

The potential of service-learning for improvedacademic and civic engagement

The basics of service-learning projects

The breadth of support for service-learning

The impact of service-learning

Implementing quality service-learning

Recommendations for the future

The National Commission challenges the countryto ensure that every student in kindergartenthrough high school participates in quality service-learning every year as an integral and essentialpart of the American education experience.

The time is now ripe for U.S. schools to embraceservice-learning as a means of overcoming wide-spread academic and civic disengagement amongAmerican students and of raising a generation ofAmerican youth who are both world-class learnersand world-class citizens.

" 444' , 'Mier 414- (-rk-A=14411. 1,411111r .4N'

\ /

Air

The Paradox ofYouth EngagementNumerous studies show that large numbers ofAmerican students are not fully engaged intellectu-ally or otherwise in school. Disengagement alsoextends to activities, such as voting and keeping upwith current events, which are fundamental to ourdemocratic society. Yet there is a paradox here. Atthe same time that academic and civic disengage-ment is rampant, primary and secondary school stu-dents volunteer in record numbers forcommunity service activities, fromtutoring children who need help withschoolwork to working on environ-mental problems. The volunteer spiritthat students express in their sparetime represents a valuable resourcefor transforming education.

Youth Disengagementfrom School

time may come in a single bright burst of understand-ing, or it may come only after trying and failing andtrying again. It comes most dramatically when stu-dents see connections between the various subjectsthey are studying, and when thought is linked toaction. Real learning can raise respiration rates andelicit joy. The urge for such moments is so compellingthat we have linked it to our basic physiologicaldrives: we talk of a hunger for learning, a thirst forknowledge.

The achievement problem we face in this countryis due not to a drop in the intelligence or basicintellectual capacity of our children, but to a wide-spread decline in children's interest in educationand their motivation to achieve in the classroom;it is a problem of attitude and effort, not ability.'

Laurence Steinberg, professor of psychology,Temple University

Engagement in learning takes many forms. It showsitself in a contemplative gaze, a waving hand burstingwith a question or an answer, the stress of having anassumption challenged, or the jubilation of unravelinga tricky problem. The kind of learning that lasts a life-

'nfl ogvi clalloggo beeapoug go

kftrested llup Cm' wh@c0, fflod Rhllallg

magygd vtle p7G,rybody

mohdpegGc9 lla pmj@ae.

who

Diana Samuelson, parent, San FranciscoCommunity School

6

Ever since 1983, when A Nation at Riskwarned of a "rising tide of mediocrity'2in American schools, educators havestruggled to find ways to increase stu-dents' academic achievement.

Concerned about international competi-tiveness in the marketplace, businessleaders and governors spearheadedefforts to articulate high academic stan-dards and to hold students and schoolsaccountable for meeting them through

testing, new graduation requirements, and othermeans. Although there have been differences of opin-ion about various aspects of the standards move-ment, American teachers and parents have generallysupported the broad goals of what has come to beknown as standards-based reform. At the same time,teachers express concern about "teaching to the test"and not being able to include the kinds of schoolworkthat motivate students to meet the standards andperform well on assessments.3

Academic engagement is a combination of factors,including interest, involvement, and effort. It is thequality that inspires a student to persist on a task thatis difficult and complex. It is what causes a look ofexcitement or intense concentration, a thoughtfulquestion, or a heated discussion. It is what everyteacher wants from every student and what all par-ents want for their children.

Sadly, student engagement in learning is not a given.In the late 1980s and early 1990s, researchersbecame concerned by the lack of student engage-ment they observed in schools.' In an extensive studyof 20,000 high school students in nine American com-

munities, Laurence Steinberg found that half of those

-704- --44444* (77,70. . 70-00774.(

4

41, *

4A si ,Ok

t:1-4"

-f

, F

1' 11, .4117--- -

,AWIPunimP*

44 4,

733 --veri a/ et/t/C l'a,a7Z64

Aeifiarr k P-ned Comma , ,a m rla*,92.7- I4 4 Inead C64ffarm G4/1670

4/144),(.. oantidepne 07Z-e;&tA GletrYteo-frn.

cri/-Aeilbau;ry dovimt7iat 6ommaft*

5e-?2/ce,.10 acadenar, ,64/f

Senator John Glenn

o

7

surveyed described their classes as boring, and fourout of five rejected the idea that it is important to getgood grades in school.'

Classroom teachers recognized these observations.They had experienced firsthand the glazed look, thelack of comprehension, and the behavior problemsthat signal when students are not connecting with thematerial they must master. And they were familiarwith the inevitable results: undone homework, failedtests, and poor grades.

MG, GO h@ge gg5acifflod Oga AmeellezoGdgmeav ll kve gudgiM aso2 ego

ei,g6c3@unb beffulgag cooRgabute go

MG. 6dV,M)090MAtft e@rn ® era bi

apagy @7 w011b, Oben)/ me 09 [ADP-

ocoN @V Coppllonge 6be oull. Sceek@-

llmgallag llg mem* en whildG,

d@omnlluvg academilig agemoug ©

OggdoM3 eA IJy uoggig gouiVeDave@go

ft Dow gofflumallelleo.

Carl Glickman, chair, Program for SchoolImprovement, University of Georgia

The consequences of these findings are profound.Engagement in school activities is closely linked toacademic achievement and persistence in schooling.Lack of engagement goes a long way toward explain-ing why the National Assessment of EducationalProgress has repeatedly found that large numbers ofU.S. primary and secondary school students are notacquiring the literacy, numeracy, and problem-solvingskills they need.' Other studies have shown that stu-dent disengagement is strongly correlated withdropout rates, even after controlling for the effects ofacademic achievement and students' socioeconomicstatus.'

Some studies attribute lack of engagement to factorsoutside the control of schools, but many more con-clude that the school experience can strongly influ-ence student engagement. Researcher Barbara

McCombs found that students turn off from schoolingwhen they are not interested in the subject, whenthey have little control or choice in what they aredoing, when they lack the personal skills or resourcesneeded to be successful, or when they lack adulthelp, respect, and encouragement. "Since for moststudents these conditions describe much of theirschooling experiences," she wrote, "we need tounderstand how to develop not only the student skillsinvolved in self-regulation, but also the motivation orwill to self-regulate their own learning." 8

Civic Disengagement

Today's young people also seem to be largely disaf-fected from traditional forms of participation in politicsand civic institutions. The most obvious sign of civicdisengagement has been the low rate at which youngpeople vote in elections at all levels of government. In1972, the first year 18-year-olds could vote, only 42percent of 18 24-year-olds voted in the presidentialelection. In the 2000 presidential campaign, only 45percent of young people cast ballots, compared to 64percent of older citizens.9

Perhaps more disturbing are the studies documentingthe lack of interest in civic and political affairs amongyoung people. A 1999 study by the Boys and GirlsClubs of America reported that only 10 percent of the13-to 18-year-olds who were questioned believed that"engaging in the political system is an effective wayto make change."1° A study by the National

Association of Secretaries of State found that youngpeople lack interest and trust in, as well as knowl-edge about, American politics, politicians, andpublic life.11

The problem of civic disengagement among U.S. stu-dents, of course, reflects a broader problem in societyas a whole. A Roper poll conducted each month from1974 to 1998 reported a drop from 50 to 38 percentin the proportion of respondents professing "a gooddeal of interest in current events and what's happen-ing in the world today."12

I I WBEST COPY ALE

Reason for Optimism:The Surge inYouth Volunteering

Youth disengagement from traditional academic andcivic processes contrasts strikingly with the growingand well-documented willingness of young people todevote much of their free time toserving their communities. This ren-aissance in community spirit has beenespecially evident in the weeks andmonths since the everits ofSeptember 2001, but it precedesthese tragic events. Robert Putnam,the Harvard University social scientistwho has detailed the weakening ofcivic ties among American adults overthe past generation, cites abundantevidence that young Americans in the 1990s dis-played a "commitment to volunteerism without paral-lel among their immediate predecessors:13

When I was in high school, everyone talked about"the real world" and how we would get active inthe "real world" after high school. Service-learninggot us involved in the real world while we werestill in high school. It let us do things that wereimportant and let us see that what we were learn-ing was important to solving real world problems.

Nnennia Ejebe, student, Massachusetts InstituteofTechnology

A 1996 study by the Gallup Organization found that59 percent of teenagers age 12 to 17 had engaged involuntary service in the previous year." Such resultswere confirmed in a 1999 survey conducted by theU.S. Department of Education, which reported that 52percent of students in grades 6 to 12 in public andprivate schools participated in community service dur-ing the 1998-99 school year. Although the vast major-ity (86 percent) of volunteering students were in

schools that endorsed volunteering by requiring orarranging the opportunities, there was little differencein participation rates among those required to serveand those who chose to do so. "The most importantfactor was whether schools arranged participation in

community service," the authorsstated:5

A studY of college students for thePanetta Institute found that nearlythree-quarters of respondents said thatthey had recently done volunteer workfor an organization or a cause theybelieve in, and fully half had refused tobuy a product or service because theydisagreed with the company's labor,social, or environmental policies:6

Putnam sees this groundswell of youth activity as apossible harbinger of "a new period of civic renewal,especially if it persists into adulthood and begins toexpand beyond individual caregiving to a broaderengagement with social and political issues."'

Educational Practices that Promote Engagement

How do we reconcile this seeming paradox: thegrowing eagerness of students to engage in commu-nity service at a time when large numbers of thesesame students are seriously disengaged from aca-demic work and traditional forms of civic activity?Thevibrant volunteer spirit among American young peopleoffers a powerful resource for educators to simultane-ously address the issues of academic and civic disen-gagement among students.

There is abundant evidence that students learn bestwhen they are both interested in what they are learn-ing and convinced that it is valuable. As Steinbergwrites, "In order to become and remain engaged inschool, students must have some sense that whatthey are doing on a daily basis holds some valuethat as a result of being engaged and exerting effort,they will acquire some bit of useful knowledge, learnan important skill, or grow in some way that is fulfill-ing, satisfying, or personally meaningful."8

Z,

v

One study identified the following set of specificpractices that increase student engagement and moti-vation: offering students choices in instructional set-tings, rewarding students for attaining "personal best"goals, and fostering teamwork through group learningand problem-solving.15 Other studies have identifiedcomponents of learning experiences that supportstudent engagement including active learningexperiences," real-world connections,21 teachers'expectations that the students can learn,22 students'attitudes about their own abilities and interpretation ofsuccess,' and opportunities to experience academicsuccess.24

Service-learning can be so much fun I forget I'mdoing schoolwork and actually learning. Service-learning is great for everyone because it gives youskills for life. You learn leadership skills, get abetter self-esteem, and help your community, allat the same time.

Cameron Dary, student, Waupun Middle School

13

Researchers have found that student motivationincreases when students are asked to assumegreater autonomy and control over their lives andlearning, and have called upon schools to create envi-ronments that stress task involvement.25 "How easy itwas for students to write because of their enthusi-asm," commented a Massachusetts middle schoolteacher about her service-learning project. "One boysaid, 'You don't even know you're learning.-

When you see kids who are disengaged, you knowthey are not learning. Seeing 100 percent engage-ment by all students in a service-learning activityreally sparks curiosity, wonderment, and inquirythat we know provides for good learning.

Seewan Eng, San Francisco middle school teacher

Research has found that teachers who are most suc-cessful in engaging students develop activities thataddress intellectual and psychological needs. Suchactivities include work that develops their sense ofcompetence, encourages self-expression and original-ity, allows students to develop connections with oth-ers, and gives them some degree of autonomy.26

Service-Learning as a Strategy to CounterDisengagement and Build Democracy

The principles for overcoming the challenges of aca-demic and civic disengagement are known. They arerooted in the history and purpose of American educa-tion and supported by the American public. More thana quarter of the state constitutions base their sys-tems of public education on the belief that "aninformed and capable citizenry is vital to the preserva-tion of a free and democratic government"."

A Roper Starch Worldwide survey conducted inSeptember 2000 found that the overwhelmingmajority of Americans (94 percent) agree that "agood education is much more than just learning toread, write, and do math ' '28

Recent events have demonstrated the importance ofa sense of community. Community responsibility isalso crucial for developing values that will persist longafter the present sense of tragedy and crisis has

gone. Americans want their schools to teach coreacademic knowledge and skills, but th.ey also look tothe educational system to help students becomeactive, competent, and worthy stewards of our demo-cratic traditions and institutions.

The question becomes: How can these principles beincorporated into the day-to-day activities of Americanprimary and secondary schools?

The good news is that there is an approach to teach-ing and learning that offers educators a powerfulmethod for promoting citizenship, one that hasproven to be effective with students of all levels ofschooling, from preschool through graduate school,and in all varieties of academic settings.

This approach is service-learning.

@GITeiC4G5Fuairc

ovavate raw peop1,9 11G5G2

PDG, kV@ llo ggemilag 6aellega

IP@ moll go gig gh@lle dadRga

have

rents

engaged

seen

Ived

llr.ro olKx30 fflod devekviluto

Icy ila OgNueuig. Mg

Oigvg seen taw studeM, aNig

el-eatieNyNao have g3MUI) kV dem-

exeiteme vig

rooms

exeite

those

oNg @bout

00@ evilogc5 OVV

09ffbt0-09,Dygllug.

Laurie Lang, executive director, DisneyLearning Partnership

il-f

//

fr One oflaivt

s /INnennia Ejebe, student Massachusetts InstituteofTechnology

What is Zerarice-Lea? Mg?

Service-learning is one resource to enhancestudent motivation. Kids are all too easily discon-nected from school, but if they get connected inone place, it spreads over to other areas.Thenparents start seeing new potential in their son ordaughter.Teachers hear about a kid that theythought was a lost cause playing a leading role. Itchanges the lens and opens up possibilities.

Don Hill, director of Service-Learning 2000

The following examples show how education canengage students as both learners and citizens.

ACTION PROFILE

Servige-Ommilag @exii hap .500 wog

peorgo 040' §ftngbho wvhateveF

6g@o, um& 0260 (gouvetmem

Z), 059 asouilinvouvilky ilim tvOadv evw Oilva

1ft KKA engav youth @ogugyfly 11@, u llov Doellem @agovaux bag

tvrep e20 an? peOildc)5M.

Buffy Sainte-Marie, founderNihewan Foundation

Real-World Research

Miami High School is located near the Tar CreekSuperfund Site in Oklahoma, one of the nation'sworst toxic waste clean-up sites. Several years ago asmall group of Native American and non-Native stu-dents and community members learned that childrenin their community had high levels of lead in theirblood. They formed the CherokeeVolunteer Society to increase commu-nity awareness of the hazards of expo-sure to lead and other heavy metals inlocal water and to address what oneteacher called "this horrific problemthat plagues our area."

Teachers at Miami High School haveused service-learning in their classes in

collaboration with Cherokee tribal lead-

public health communication, and community aware-ness issues. In addition, service-learning students pro-vided "Toxic Tours" of Tar Creek to educate communitymembers, the media, and visitors.

Students reaped numerous academic benefits whilehelping their community. "As a biological scienceteacher, I am able to guide my classes in effective

research methods, which allow bothcontent coverage and direct back-ground research, monitoring, and datacollection for the program," said oneteacher. Another praised the fact that"students are working side by side withtribal leaders, teachers, specialists, andcommunity leaders and learning effec-tive communication and social skills." Astudent said the best thing about par-ticipating in service-learning was

ers and organizations such as theEnvironmental Protection Agency. Biology students

conducted sophisticated water monitoring proceduresand collected fish and plant samples from the TarCreek Superfund Site for analysis in their own schoollaboratory and, in collaboration with medical and biolo-gy experts, at Harvard University labs. Language artsclasses engaged in creative writing, essays, and

research projects related to toxj,:waste. Computer sci-ence and journalism classes tAk6'd public relations,

BEST COF:1-NAILABLE

"knowing I really helped people around me."

Children Helping Children

Service-learning can be just as effective with youngstudents as with older ones. Kindergarten students atSullivan Elementary School in North Adams,Massachusetts, became aware that children who vis-ited the nearby North Adams Regional Hospital werespending long periods of time in the waiting roomwith nothing to do.

ACTION PROFILE

When they learned that this small community hospitallacked the resources to create a child-friendly waitingroom, the class decided to design and equip the wait-ing room themselves. These kindergartners usedmath to complete measurements, study floor plans,rearrange furniture, and analyze data about the room.Pupils used language arts to create a "Don't Be Afraid"book for the waiting room, and their artistic skills to

OGR9b24,96mkig oc,G)0 6 8? beyood

'4K3Agoggeo 02rviee illTh llt aeeessieje-

k7 1k illll roalluvrAGm. Fa' umoy gay-

d@ogg Vurmv veaVgllag

guano& OR@ my own offlut2M

voGio@ wodg@og iluv CfflEf@ffilk,

VOkINIZWYM 110 @awallupg Cevoe

Good a.c, cogs@ OM@ gllwo

dgmeAck awatlluig fflad *oil&KAUG OCAVO OC) sehoal Zgrviee-

Ommilm 11g oc) §ntegu'eay eitd ao

emd@oimb viaes

exAbvfou5goe Gwoyav@

elass baek

academ

6DMgig lla

ilIP

Arturo Pacheco, dean, College ofEducation, University ofTexas-El Paso

decorate the room with quilts, murals, and self-por-traits. They learned about science and health bystudying which toys and items could be safely intro-duced into a hospital environment.

The effects of this service-learning project wereimmediate and far reaching. Behavioral problems inthe waiting room declined dramatically. One hospital

administrator described how impressed he was bythe way in which the teacher linked the service toacademics. "It was amazing to me how the teachertaught the kids so many things through this project,"he said. "Measuring the space of the room, figuringout what fits where in the room, understandingmoney issues for room purchases, and so many otherpositive things the kids came away with."

Teacher Roberta Sullivan described feedback fromparents as "incredibly positive" and added, "People

don't expect five-year olds to be actively engaged inreal work, but they are really amazing in the workthey do, what they say, and the way the projectchanges them. That's what makes this project socompelling."

Improving the U.S. Census Count

In 1999, Turner Middle School teacher Kathy Lee chal-

lenged her eighth-grade students to help with theU.S. Census. The West Philadelphia neighborhoodwhere her students live had been consistently under-counted. Lee brought experts on the census intosocial studies class to describe its history, as well asits importance to the community in terms of electoralrepresentation and community services. Working insmall groups, students came up with numerousstrategies to make sure that the people in their neigh-borhood were fully counted, including developinginformation brochures and street theater, conductinga media campaign, and carrying out a neighborhoodcanvas.

The Turner students spent the year implementingtheir projects and getting a chance to use their aca-demic skills for the good of their community. Theybuilt on their social studies knowledge to understandthe significance of the census, applied math skills toanalyze census numbers, and used language artsskills to present convincing information to their fami-lies and neighbors. At the same time, they learned towork in teams and solve problems collaboratively. Theresult: their neighborhood had the most completecensus count of any in the city.

BEST MN Nat WU.

Characteristics of Service-Learning

These are examples of service-learning a teachingand learning approach that integrates communityservice with academic study to enrich learning, teachcivic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Asthe hyphenated name implies, it involves two equallyimportant components: service and learning.

Service-learning takes many forms, and service-learning projects are as varied as the teachers andstudents who engage in them and the schools andcommunities that foster them. Standards for service-learning practice, which lay out the elements of rigor-ous practice, have been developed and are usedwidely.29 One example is shown here.

Essential Elements of Quality Service-Learning"

Practitioners, supported by the Corporation forNational and Community Service Office for Service-Learning, developed the list of "essential elements"excerpted below:

1. Service projects have clear educational goals thatrequire the application of concepts, content, andskills from the academic disciplines and involvestudents in constructing their own knowledge.

2. Projects engage students in challenging cognitiveand developmental tasks.

3. Teachers use assessment to enhance studentlearning and to document and evaluate how wellthey have met standards.

4. Service tasks have clear goals, meet genuinecommunity needs, and have significant conse-quences.

5. Teachers use formative and summative evaluationin a systematic evaluation.

6. Students have a voice in selecting, designing,implementing, and evaluating their serviceproject.

7. Diversity is valued and demonstrated by partici-pants, practice, and outcomes.

8. Service projects foster communication, interac-tion, and partnerships with the community.

9. Students are prepared for all aspects of theirwork.

10. Students reflect before, during, and after service.Reflection encourages critical thinking and is acentral force in the design and fulfillment of cur-ricular objectives.

11. Multiple methods acknowledge, celebrate, andvalidate students' service work.

Source: National Service-Learning Cooperative (April

1999). Essential Elements of Service-Learning. NationalYouth Leadership Council, St. Paul, Minnesota

,41

do* `- \.\,

-.4111./

ie/5-

To be considered service-learning, the following basiccharacteristics must be included:

Articulated and authentic learning goals. School-based serVice-learriing must always be linked to theschool curriculum and to the academic standards thatstudents are required to meet at their grade level."Teachers Sometimes' struggle with the idea thatservice-learning is not something added on, but a wayto deliver the curriculum," said Roger Rada, anOregon superintendeT, "By engaging in service-learning, having kidS perform community service andattaching the curriculUm'to it, they're going to deliverthe curriculum in a moremeaningful way: My experi-ence is that once teacher's try it, theylove it!"

'1 An elementarylanguage arts class-,might involve students in writingendillustrating stories for children in alocal day-care Center. Older studentsMight hone their stientific inquiryskills by conduCting,inquirieS into

water quality in enearby river and _developinb projects to irriprove it.

%. Many scndols ,invdiVie students in \\,

tobring ,yduriger children. Research-ShOws that both'="-the_tUtors-who,need-pot be the top studentsand

-

-; the children being'tutored increese math and readingSkills in these situation.

I

"Th

Response to genuine community needs. Service-learning is effective only when students help meetreal needs or work on problems of importance to thecommunity. It is not effective when it is contrived orcomes across as "make-work."

Service-learning activities that meet genuine commu-nity needs run the gamut from tutoring younger chil-dren to building nature trails, from conducting studiesfor town government to leading a public campaign onthe census. The community served may be theschool community, its surrounding neighborhood, orthe larger world. Many projects focus on environmen-tal concerns, such as the Maine middle school class

that conducted a study of their harborand presented it to the town planningboard. Others serve senior citizens byorganizing food programs, while stillothers involve the writing of social his-tories of students' communities.

Community partners make an importantcontribution to students' work. Studentslearn how decisions get made frommunicipal and other government employ-ees, from community and faith-based

organizations, and from community leaders.Theybecome more connected with their community byworking with local leaders, thus strengthening.thesocial fabric.

.

"1

, s

, AAMIABLE

Youth decision making. Service-learning is mosteffective when young people are actively involved indecision making at all levels of the process. In somesituations students themselves might identify com-munity needs or issues through a community walk orother research. In others, teachers may present stu-dents with an identified need and involve students in

planning solutions.

For example, if the project is to create a mural for thecommunity, the meaning and authenticity of the workare enhanced when students have some choice inthe project, explore the content that will go into themural, and decide what the community needs.

Referring to a community mural project on which heworked with students, San Francisco communityartist Josef Norris said, "Because it is tied to the cur-riculum, service-learning creates a structure wherestudents decide what they are doing a mural about,complete their own research, find their own informa-tion, and create a mural in their own voice."

In many middle and high schools, students have initi-ated service-learning to work on a local problem.Teachers become their coaches and champions, ask-ing Socratic questions and organizing study related toboth the curriculum and the local problem beingaddressed.

Analytic reflection. A key component of service-learning is the reflection that helps students articulateconnections between their service activities and theirlearning. With careful teacher guidance, reflection

becomes a practical approach to the development ofcomplex, integrated thinking, problem solving, anddeepened understanding.

Teachers build reflection into all stages of service-learning work, from planning through assessment.Reflection may focus on the processes students areusing, on the content they are learning or applying,and on the larger issues surrounding the problemthey are addressing. Reflection and analysis takeplace in classroom discussions, in writing, and incomparing theory with experience. As studentsexplore their curriculum in action and analyze theirexperiences with the help of their teachers, they aredeveloping the ability to think about what they havelearned.

How Service-Learning Is Unique

While it is important to understand the characteristicsof quality service-learning, it is also important to beclear about what service-learning is not.

Service-learning has much in common with both com-munity service and character education, and thesevarious approaches can reinforce each other. Indeed,it is impossible to launch a service-learning projectthat does not build character or involve communityservice.

Nevertheless, service-learning differs in fundamentalrespects from community service because of itsdirect links with the school curriculum, and fromcharacter education, because it includes an actioncomponent.

School-based service-learning is . . .

a method of teaching that combines communityservice with curriculum-based learning

School-based service-learning is not . . .

a volunteer or community service program with noties to academics

linked to academic content and standards an "add-on" to the existing curriculum

about students helping to determine and meet real,defined community needs

logging a certain number of service hours in orderto graduate

reciprocal in nature, benefiting both the communityand the student

one-sided benefiting either the students or thecommunity

an effective way to encourage and foster active citi-zenship as part of a public education

compensatory service assigned as a form of pun-ishment by the courts or school administrators

an approach to teaching and learning that can beused in any curriculum area as long as it is appropri-ate to learning goals

only for use in social studies classes, civics, orAmerican government

for all ages, even the youngest children only for high school and college students /7

Growing Support forService-Learning

Service-learning is both old and new. It is old in thesense that it incorporates traditional principles ofapprenticeship and builds on educational traditionsvariously described as experiential learning, project-based learning, and hands-on learning that began tospread in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Inthe 1930s and 1940s, John Dewey and Ralph Tylershowed how students learn best when they areactively involved in their own learning and when thelearning has a distinct purpose.

Service-learning is new in that linking the concept ofcommunity service with school curricula did notbecome fully developed as an educational innovationuntil the 1970s, and only in the last decade has itspread widely in schools and on college campuses.The expansion of service-learning at the primary andsecondary level began in earnest when individuals inschools and youth development agencies began tofind one another and to share their experiences.Certain states Minnesota, Maryland, Massachusetts,California, Vermont, and Washington, to name a fewprovided fertile ground for the growth of service-learning.

In the late 1880s, national meetings were convenedthat brought people together across the country, andpractitioners began to plan ways to develop andexpand their work. By the early 1990s federal legisla-tion had begun to provide support to local initiatives,Campus Compact had spread service-learning throughhundreds of college campuses, and the Alliance forService-Learning and EducationReform (ASLER) had developed

Standards for Quality Practice.

In 2001, the National Service-LearningPartnership was established with1,000 members, including 250 organi-zational members, to expand andstrengthen service-learning inAmerican primary and secondaryschools.

Service-learning has increased dramatically in recentyears. In 1985, only 9 percent of high schools offeredformal service-learning31. By 1999, nearly half of allAmerican high schools did so, and 32 percent of allpublic schools organized service-learning as part oftheir curriculum. An even larger number of schoolsinvolve their students in community service activitiesthat are formally recognized by the school. It shouldbe noted that schools often start with communityservice activities, then add a curriculum componentthat becomes service-learning. Many schools continueto offer both community-service and service-learning programs. The National Center for EducationStatistics (NCES) estimates that in the 2000-2001school year more than 13 million students wereinvolved in service and service-learning activities.32

NCE0 reseaodwg ffralffiri gaRil Mill)02allndersPaEd eiZe Wow me

Go Oixgcl, May ogarci ready RD

afte @KO' kOporPant factor kV

Ommllow lle ~off' GheEigt'vities u1 ilMtc@

neededstudents

wkonteer,

tementesehoolwidewhereas

schools

askedMaga

fosteriao gopolsge-

orgag&I§ @MODschoolstudent pa rtieipation.

exiG, oviceG OR* go Ozwe

mkg,oNog May Go de 11G

Gbgalw eoulEglm.ogri 110OF Woe avanobigo off X42

11a, goofflleg oem65 oce2

112, pk11,11,2 ehe

radewide@PO01e0o

gooengllo 11

Betweenstudentstom 900

sehootsndividuaV984

II

serviee-lea

classes

nvolved000

gtto opo60,

prog

sehool600 000students

prog

propor-pat-tie-0E10W aii)

mow uoge tom, 2 percent

Despite the rapid growth describedabove, the number of schools offeringservice-learning is still limited, and inmany of these only a few teachers par-ticipate. The quality of programs varieswidely, and many service-learning expe-riences do not occur often enough tohave a positive impact on studentlearning and development. The over-whelming majority of American school

..students still lack the opportunity to participate in thisdemonstrably effective means of promoting scholarlyachievement and overcoming academic and civic dis-engagement.

4 P

s

I,

't

1

audGM-cieegg fflad Owd ffllemoTod

mffko9-0g6guakg llo ffl CODe@glagg gtonft2

gcv aNG, @ognocopplle) A1159oilma GO-

gpMatafflO ffiori cogaguod cillwoegy.

James Kielsmeier, president, National YouthLeadership Council

Public Opinion

The concept of service-learning as an educationalstrategy is still new to most Americans. A September2000 Roper Starch Worldwide survey reported thatwhile about half of respondents recognized the con-cept of "students getting involved in community serv-ice activities as part of their education," only aboutone-third were immediately familiar with the termservice-learning.

When the concept of service-learning was explained,however, an overwhelming 90 percent of respon-dents said that they would support such a program intheir local schools, with parents of current studentsthe most supportive. Ninety percent of respondentsagreed that service-learning would help students buildskills they need to be successful later in life, while 89percent believe service-learning would encourageactive citizenship and community involvement amongstudents.34

Popular support for service-learning has grown asmore and more parents come to have first-hand expe-rience with its benefits. All parents want their chil-dren to love learning and to do well in school, andthey are pleased to find their children so engaged inlearning. As one Massachusetts fourth-grade teachersaid, "Parents are continually surprised by the depthand level of understanding of students engaged inservice-learning projects."

Federal Policy Support

In response to growing popular support, Congressbegan funding service-learning in 1990. Federal sup-port has continued to be one of the driving forces inits expansion. Two principal federal initiatives supportthe concept:

2.0

The National and Community Service Act of 1990established the Commission on National andCommunity Service and provided funding over athree-year period for states, institutions of highereducation, and nonprofit entities to support a broadrange of service-related activities, including service-learning. Among other things, the act created the firstprogram that supported schools, communities, andhigher education to implement service-learning. Italso established the Points of Light Foundation.

The National and Community Service Trust Actof 1993 established what is now the Corporation forNational and Community Service, which includesAmeriCorps, the National Senior Service Corps, andLearn and Serve America. The annual appropriationfor Learn and Serve America grants programs hasremained constant for the last five years at $43 mil-lion per year. Of that, $27 million is available forschool-based programs, approximately $5 million isdesignated for community-based programs to engageschool-age youth, and $10.75 million is available tohigher education service-learning programs.

Nationalaee ce liggg3educational

. 500CIV@

fad

Effif Communitydefines

gt;025327ifige

.ff@service-learningmethod

studedevelop

thoug00m0,6yo'uoted

umpollay

O k

Ra7;5 CP pfflgodwie@ OMP170

Gllamegh cArald llo,g33ge axo-

activeorganized

pation

lluvo orici mGagre kflo

coordschoolht&e.

nated Wollo fflaseconclaav

education,

needs

elementaschool, 11nstitu tie n

CP @CODOW011ay

offserviee

progp@OD, fflog abg coomovenoky

O hot@ foster d4@ responsiMay

o bagorated 11,6e) 'Dove Gehfflovc em-clovb anffolaggato @ff OG, students op goia

CaalOponents Cff tillig OatiODO011ey

gGiffeog progPOR fi@ MOND gig pa rtioima@ambkiri

educational

providesparticipants

emperieneereflect

students

ACTION PROFILE

- V404.- 7,14k

Ant.L

Service-Learning in the School District:Growing the Practice

"The will of school districts and administrators tosupport service-learning has got to stem from agut belief that young people need to be preparednot just for work, not just for college, but formeaningful participation in the community. If aschool district believes that notions of active citi-zenship are important for what they are preparingtheir young people to be, then they embraceservice-learning." Kenny Holdsman, director ofservice-learning for Philadelphia Public Schools

In Philadelphia, Service-Learning is an IntegralPart of the District's Educational Priorities

This philosophy is evidenced in the more than1,800 teachers who have received significant train-ing in service-learning methodology.These andother Philadelphia teachers also find support forservice-learning among the more than 400 com-munity organization partners who work with stu-dents to address needs relating to the environ-ment, health and human services, literacy, corn-

munity safety, technology/digital divide, neighbor-hood history and pride, understanding and toler-ance of diversity, and the lack of democratic partic-ipation All told, more than 25,000 students partici-pated in service-learning last year Over 30,000students are expected to engage in service-learning during the 2001-2002 school year

Recently, the district also made service-learningpart of students' graduation requirements. The dis-trict policy states, "Every student must successful-ly complete a project that involves more than onesubject; demonstrates problem solving, multicul-turalism, technology, citizenship, and communica-tion; requires strong writing skills; and mustcomplete a project that demonstrates citizenshipthrough service-learning." As service-learningcontinues to take a stronger hold in Philadelphia,practitioners around the country may find them-selves asking why. The answer lies in the multi-tude of factors that help to shape effectiveservice-learning committed and creative teach-ers, supportive district policies, and active commu-nity partners.

0a

7o5o7igi, aft

C@GOBWINVO7 EGT4(00

Mg) OmaghgNegi, argdollog ux7 0§hogialgee

addition go goyim service-leaM1100 pllo-Nationa0Corporation

service-lea

ffoo

provides

uabions.

gft

Reeog

Nationa

nition

nationalreeog

supportallabov llovegko

exociassistaprog

Service-Leagfocy@go, vThikhschoolstngeoggh@11F

o gOG,

god Avox11, WO*

PagNIO

mktg

11nclude.

Leader SchoolsMoo

demonst ratedgo

agedbuge lloMug cD5R gft aff

provides061 Ciaut;service-lea

schools

President's Student

reeog

Serviceprovide

ScholaMigNscholaMot%

reeogoak049 .DOKY enwreo ffuomZPG, usgow States UO Ovtal

AssistaGP; 110 provided

schoolPresident

students

eft pub& eutDogh cdovouy

o kft Nabiona Service-Leaffiftpig4? networkilmprovellup

0 J Service-Leaffift a@ffidowhouse,8ft @DONprehensive nationa0 oft apP Unforma-ek4 reseaapo 5llgd 0;65@aolitge@

learniifig, wiCaldv deo oduokkgoug upogoiolloago 0,6@go

needpraebiee,

Exchaaveigogwhokel teMassis

expertsg RC)

WOOmatchdff giap port

people

Nabiona

service-

gtgffa? 630. service-leamllog practitioners

In 1995 the Corporation for National and CommunityService and the U.S. Department of Education issueda joint Declaration of Principles for Improving OurSchools and Connecting Schools and Communities bysupporting service-learning. The two agenciespledged "commitment to service as a means ofimproving our schools, enhancing student achieve-ment and meeting the challenges of citizenship."35There is no specific funding for service-learningthrough the U.S. Department of Education, however,and the Corporation for National and CommunityService remains the only dedicated federal supportfor service-learning.

State-Level Policy Support

Service-learning is thriving at the state level, in largemeasure because of the resources, technical assis-tance, and support provided by the Corporation forNational and Community Service. Virtually every stateenjoys some level of resources for service-learningfrom the Corporation. Maryland, Massachusetts, andMinnesota also provide state funds.

States provide policy support in other ways as well.Maryland is the only state that has chosen to requirestudent service as a condition of high school gradua-tion and that interprets the language of its legislationto mean service-learning. Eleven states encourageservice-learning as a mechanism for increasing stu-dent achievement, seven allow such activities to beapplied toward graduation requirements, 16 states

support it in statutes, and 23 mention it in either theirstate code or regulations, including state board ofeducation regulations.36

Two national organizations bring together state policy-makers as service-learning advocates: the Compactfor Learning and Citizenship is a coalition of chiefstate school officers and district superintendents, andthe State Education Agency K-12 Service-LearningNetwork (SEANet) is a network of the Learn andServe America state education agency service-learning coordinators. Both are privately supported.

Examples StateService-Learning

Policies Supporting

W3G

Service-

Learning

Mandate

Inclusion in

Academic

Standards

Funding

State

Maryland: Established 75 hours of stu-dent service that include preparation,action, and reflection as a high schoolgraduation requirement.

Maine: State academic standards areunusually hospitable to service-learning;administrative procedures provide sup-port for full integration into schooling.

Minnesota: School districts are able toraise $1 per capita levy for service-learning, which raises nearly $4 millionannually.

Local Policy Support

While many local school districts have policies thatrequire student community service for high schoolgraduation (the District of Columbia was one of thefirst), policies supporting service-learning in schoolsare harder to track. School districtsencourage and support the use ofservice-learning in a variety of ways,from policies that encourage the inte-gration of service-learning into existingactivities, such as drug prevention pro-grams, to those that permit the use ofservice-learning as a pedagogical

method to reach education goals.

Private Support

Service-learning has attracted the support of privatefoundations, social service, and education organiza-tions, as well as from organizations representing poli-cymakers. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has provided

over a decade of support for service-learning. Other foundations that haveprovided support for service-learninginclude Carnegie Corporation of NewYork, Dewitt Wallace-Reader's DigestFund, The Ford Foundation, EwingMarion Kauffman Foundation, CharlesStewart Mott Foundation, and SurdnaFoundation. Many local foundationshave also provided support.

Local policy support can be providedby a school board policy, by adminis-trative priorities in budget and other decision making,and by inclusion in professional development offer-ings. Some districts have aligned their efforts withcolleges and universities with active service-learningprograms.

ExamplesSupporting

School District PoliciesService-Learning

WPg

Mandate

Board

Support

Admini-strativePriority

District

Philadelphia, PA: Requires students atfifth, eighth, and tenth grades to com-plete a project that integrates volunteerwork into academic course work andmeets standards as a requirement forpromotion or graduation.

Nestucca, OR: Supports and encour-ages service-learning by giving it prioritystatus in the use of transportationservices, providing staff development,offering teacher release time, publiclyrecognizing service-learning projects,and providing financial support.

Hudson, MA:The superintendent iden-tifies service-learning as a priority forhiring and promotion, provides awards,and includes it in the district improve-ment plan.

Privately funded efforts in support ofservice-learning range from electronic discussiongroups to an annual national conference sponsored bythe National Youth Leadership Council that nowattracts over 3,000 adults and youth. Private organiza-tions have produced curriculum and other resourcematerials, while education associations have support-ed service-learning in their publications, resolutions,and professional development activities.

The Education Commission of the States sponsorsthe Compact for Learning and Citizenship, a nationalorganization of local and state superintendents whosupport service-learning. The National Service-Learning Partnership fosters best practice service-learning through a variety of information exchangevehicles and advocacy efforts.

-

sai

r".

jalLJ

"AI

4111....(-,j

23

ACTION PROFILE

, 1Living Histoiy\ n ('

(--J-N, i,

When LanguageWts students in Judy Drummond'ssixth grade class began writing a paper on the histo-ry oftheir comrnunity,,they found very little informa-tion on-what the; historii books"refer to as the fifth

----, ----, \ /cg"--i' s/taKof cievelopment in the,N/ Aission District of San

'i Francisea (1969-2001). The historical period with2,/ !

tne--most Potential to help students understand their("c\community had received the least amount of docu-

(,mentatiön. Drummond and her class at Horace/IMannAlcademic Middle School decided to address

,------ /this/shortage of accredited history by talking to thevery people who had influenced the community's

\ -idevelopment. Today, driving down Valencia Street,r 1 1

you can't miss their documentation, a brightly col-ored mural depicting twentY:eighi "heroes" of the

----. --,--,.Distritt, including pblificakandcommunity acfivists,

. :educaforS,, artists, a/PolicenTian and a firefighter.

n(

1\ u , .;The students partnereth-with-a profes-sional mural

Vi.V),' ) ,.,. /artist who said the students, expenenced.every-

, Ici-n----- )--- --z-_--);thing hegoas through in a]projact.jhey wrote a

x----1 /,----:: , .,.. ,.project budget using math and multiplication tables,

, AN(/ // ,helPed qevelop grantproposals:f> or fundinb using

--.,writing and research skills, learned interview tech-

:niques from an,investigative reporterit-the San:

\ ,Francisco Chronitle, piracticed\phone skills by invit-

?

ing cornmunity rnembers to speak to, the class,i /I /I' , \ \\. \ \ '

worked on multiple writing cornpetenciesjpy tom-, / /' // \ \, -,,piling biographies and Writing/lietters *community

: ; ,1 ;/V

members, and used their math skills again in creat-ing graphs allowing their smaller drawings to berepresented in proportion on larger mural panels.

The Mission Heroes project is one of many service-learning programs in the San Francisco UnifiedSchool District supported by an organization called

Linking San Francisco (LSF). A network of 50

schools and multiple community partners, LSFworks with schools and community organizations toimprove San Francisco through service-learning.

Mark Sanchez, San Francisco School Board

Member, is an advocate of service-learning for thedistrict. He supports the work of LSF and says thedistrict has made a commitment, "We have justadopted new graduation requirements for highschool that say that service-learning will be part of

every academic subject."

Drurnmond said the project had obvious benefitsfor her students, "I don't know how anyone couldever say fhere is no academic benefit becausethere is so much writing, there is so muchresearch, there is so much involvement and whenkids are involved they do more they just performbetter." When the school year ended and the mural

was not corriplete, students volunteered to spendtheir summer vacation finishing the project. Alex, astudent participant, says it changed the way hethinks and acts toward others, "Because of this proj-ect r know people in my neighborhood better. If Isee something happen in my community, I willreact."

The Impact ofService-Learning

Research on K-12 service-learning is still in itsinfancy, but the evidence of its positive impact isbeginning to build. Teachers, researchers, and othersrecognize multiple benefits of service-learning for stu-dents, educators, and the community. Some value itmost for the outcomes they see in students' academ-ic engagement and learning, while others focus onbenefits for their personal and social development.Still others appreciate the way service-learning helpsstudents develop civic responsibility and communityinvolvement.

Teachers who use service-learning successfully oftenfind new meaning and energy as they see their stu-dents learn and realize what young people can do.Teachers often find that behavior problems disappearwhen students are excited about their work andunderstand why they are learning a subject. As oneteacher said, "Service-learning is a way to bringhumanity back into schools. I do this because I get soproud when I see what my kids cando and what they accomplish."

Because there is such a wide range ofservice-learning implementation e.g.time spent on the experience, quality,connection to different subject matter

it is difficult to assess its results andto combine studies. To date, mostresearch data have come from pro-gram evaluations, although some ofthese have been conducted on multiple sites at thenational and state levels. Although some studies haveused experimental designs with randomized assign-ments, such studies are rare.

on youth, schools, and communities. We draw herefrom Billig's 2000 summary of service-learningresearch, which highlights four kinds of benefits tostudentsacademic learning, civic responsibility, per-sonal/social development, and career explorationaswell as benefits to the school and to the community."

Academic Learning

Service-learning is a powerful way to teachall academic disciplines...Community servicethrough service-learning does not competewith academics. It validates and solidifies it.

Delaine Eastin, state superintendent of publicinstruction, California

Research shows that when service-learning is explicit-ly connected to curriculum, and teachers help stu-dents to understand and draw meaning from theirservice experiences, young people make gains onachievement tests, complete their homework moreoften, and increase their grade point averages.

There is a great need for large-scale studies on theeffects of service-learning, especially on the factorsneeded to achieve desired academic and civic out-comes. It would also be valuable to know whichimplementation and support factors make the mostdifference for ensuring quality. However, at this pointin the development of service-learning as a field, thebody of research cited below cumulatively providesevidence of many positive effects of service-learning

Studies from California and Michigan,for example, showed that studentswith high-quality service-learning expe-riences scored higher than their non-participating peers in a variety of out-come measures, including standardizedtests.38

Service-learning engages students inacademic work and helps them tobecome motivated to learn.

Researchers found that students who participate inservice-learning describe themselves as moreengaged in their work and more motivated to learn,and also report that they have learned more in theirservice-learning classes than other classes.39

In another indication of the attractiveness of service-learning to the students, studies in Florida, Texas, andother venues have consistently shown higher schoolattendance rates among service-learning students rel-ative to their peers.4°

Santmire, Giraud, and Grosskopt (1999) found signifi-cant improvements on standardized test scoresamong middle school students who participated in

28

service-learning. Their study used an experimental designwith students randomly assigned to service-learning andnon-service-learning groups. The seventh graders in theexperimental group participated in service-learning proj-ects two periods a day during the academic year. In anassessment of Metropolitan Achievement Scores,researchers found that the 117 students who participatedin service-learning showed statistically significant gains

SWWID2-005ffigq0 13g1YOR 5W502°

uvGgc5 Eft ac), 6SP@ classroom. 06'

gapci@uM llc

Goa? llunvoIveci

Ived aThe 0011 gebs p5P-

WA? .5 WU tvaii)Vbeee

ffl plOGM gOUVA And ll Oigtg gap-

ciGioa? 096vn ea 'Pm goC1 by GNM

0 hem@ respomMy @t&Ggaw

&Mfg-005MM it5 12 oT60 llll emperi

Nogc, 007) llovo0wouv@ove a0pait ezuv bggllo

gemv ll re-sehal io7 i@ cxv

OvutangOvallq sehoo0 ve6q0

Minnie Pearce, chair, board of directors,National Coalition ofTitle I Parents

2_6

when compared to the control group. The greatest gainswere in math.'

Civic Responsibility

A growing body of research shows strong civic benefitsfor students who engage in service-learning activities.Research shows that service-learning helps studentsincrease their knowledge of community needs, becomecommitted to an ethic of service, and develop a moresophisticated understanding of politics and morality."They also gain a greater sense of civic responsibility anda feeling that they can make a difference and increasetheir desire to become active contributors to society.

Yates and Youniss studied students in a Washington,D.C. Roman Catholic high school who were involved inserving meals at a soup kitchen as part of a class onsocial justice. Students worked 20 hours per week in themeal program for homeless people and discussed theirexperiences in class. Using both multiple qualitative and

zq

quantitative methods to study results of the experi-ence, the two researchers found that students hadbecome increasingly aware of the problem of home-lessness and its complexity, their own role in enact-ing social change, and issues of moral responsibility.They also report having learned from the people whoran the soup kitchen, the program clients, and theirfellow students."

//lialliMa74(

Personal/Social Development

A well-designed service-learning program not onlyprovides the opportunity to serve but also encour-ages students, through structured reflection, toexplore the meaning and moral implications ofservice.

Gene Carter, executive director, Association forSupervision and Curriculum Development

Research consistently shows that students whoengage in service-learning activities not only becomemore responsible but rank responsibility as an impor-tant value." Such students tend to see themselves asmore socially competent, are seen by others as morereliable, and show greater empathy toward othersthan their non-participating peers."

Several studies have shown that, in comparison withpeers, students who engaged in service-learningshowed less alienation and exhibited fewer behaviorproblems, were less likely to be referro the officefor disciplinary measures, and were les:sAkely to

engage in behaviors that lead to pregnancy or arrest."The highly publicized Kirby report draws on a 1999study by O'Donnell, et al., of Reach for Health thatfound that service-learning was an effective deterrentto early and unprotected sexual activity. The projectstudied over a thousand urban middle school stu-dents in two schools, with students in one schoolserving as a control group. Students in the otherschool were assigned randomly by classroom to

Servic6G-09,5fflilug 0,§ NO& OuPperebb

WEN 60d Ouppourdw egOurAfig

gfogirkotAtM20 wig

Oabp@dntenden ilo PIIV00fflc14ank,

mei@ g @GoVeY mg a ano fiboyn

ageodeJ 1li1t resuk;c1 ,5

academ

nerease iloV exWevemegve llu um*

readkg iu Wil@MQ betwee fig110C1190-

offlu1r2o ope allp@ V20 grade ftoThvg

19V@1Th U71©ffr 1101pCADM g0 OG' MOM°

howevez mrviee-105Mag Mc@ 09=.

eift good eibizeM, VCADOW peopb cau

@GG' GOV@VIGgGd aD fflove gm gag'

0,2eNuMag uRgso evGAT muyomoVegg.

bebteo0

David Hornbeck, former superintendent ofSchools, Philadelphia

receive either the Reach for Health curriculum aloneor the curriculum plus community service (service-learning). Researchers found that students who par-ticipated in the service-learning intervention reportedsignificantly less sexual activity and scored lower on asexual activity index than other students.The great-est effect was among eighth graders, who receivedthe most intensive service-learning program. In otheranalyses, these same researchers also found a reduc-tion in violent behavior."

BEST COPY AVAILABLL

27

Career Exploration

Studies have shown that students who engage inservice-learning learn about career and communica- .tion skills, increase awareness of career possibilities,and develop more positive workplace attitudes thanfellow students."

Researchers believe that there are other positive out-_ _)1, comes of service-learning that have yet to be docu-

mented, Based on experience, learning theory, andliterature on the results of higher educationservice-learning, many believe that research couldunearth impacts on young people's development of

/complex cognition, their acquisition of critical thinkingability to analyze social systems from multiple

points of view in order to derive complex meaning,ability to transfer learning and apply knowledge toother subject Matters, their problem-solving and

Teaehgm mexfig gft@k gRand@ova@

MeJgg9F OSOWV10@dec' ,DOCI @Mb fflod do©

0,96ffl gX 60Mg Nhe (=AGM woOs

acgedow fflurl Ogoavi OGF mg& ei

clllftmume llo Wald Sgrviee-

Omouvilog bll goo ck 600 Ougi@

Nog@ V @am avid eAup txkg tea eh

@F@ ow, GoGegy eg ev@llFcl@ok@ eeeed

Stephen Gorrie, president, MassachusettsTeachers' Association

strategic decision-making skills, their avoidance ofself-destructive behaviors, and their increased valuing

'of facial and ethnic diversity.

National Evaluation of Learn and Serve America

One of the most comprehensive studies of service-learning to date is the National Evaluation of Learnand Serve America (Melchior, 1999). This study

tracked approximately 1,000 service-learning programparticipants and comparison group members from 17middle and high schools with well-established service-learning programs. All programs in the study includedclear links to curriculum, substantial direct service (anaverage of 70 hours per student), and regular ongoingreflection.

r r

3 )

At the end of the program year, thestudy found positive impacts amongparticipants on civic attitudes, involve-ment in service, and a variety of aca-demic outcomes. Students showedstatistically significant changes in atti-tudes toward cultural diversity, com-mitment to service, and total hours ofvolunteer service. Academically,service-learning produced statisticallysignificant impacts on measures of school engage-ment and on math grades, as well as marginallysignificant impacts on science grades and core gradepoint average. High school students in service-learning were significantly less likely to fail courses,while middle school students saw a significantincrease in social studies grades.

An interesting finding of this study was that impactstended to fade over time, providing an argument forthe need for ongoing and regular service-learningexperiences in order to achieve the strongestbenefits.49

In addition to the benefits to students, service-learning has been shown to benefit schools andcommunities.

Impact of Service-Learning on Schools

Service-learning, when embraced by a critical mass ofeducators in a single school building, can have animpact on the school as an organization or culture.

Research shows that, as a result ofservice-learning, teachers and students

tend to become more cohesive as agroup, and that positive relationshipsdevelop between and among the adultsand young people in the school.Students report feeling more connectedto the school. In addition, teachersreport having more and deeper conver-sations about teaching and learning.50

Service-learning creates an environment thatvalues young people. Our community sees ourstudents in a new light, as givers, contributorsand citizens.

Roger Rada, superintendent, Nestucca SchoolDistrict, Oregon

Changing Attitudes in Communities

An important benefit of service-learning is theincreased connection between communities and theirschools. Community members who participate aspartners in service-learning as well as those whobecome familiar with the activities tend to changetheir perceptions of young people, viewing them asimportant resources and contributors. They also gainby being direct recipients of service. The Melchiorstudy found that on average, participants producedservices valued at four times the program costs.51

32-2_y'

Implementing QualityService-Learning

In order to obtain the benefits described in the pre-ceding sections, service-learning must be of highquality. The experience of thousands of educatorsover recent decades has produced widespread con-sensus about some of the support factors that areessential to quality service-learning programs, as wellas wisdom about practical issues that arise.52

Compatibility with Academic Standards

Our community believes that high stakes testingand student achievement are important. As a com-munity, we also want to focus on leadership, char-acter, and civic development. Service-learning letsus do it all.

Beverly Hiott, service-learning coordinatorSpring Valley, South Carolina

As schools across the country have concentratedtheir attention on academic standards, teachers oftenwonder how they can pursue service-learning while atthe same time prepare students to meet standards.As discussed above, however, high-quality service-learning helps students meet curriculum standards. Itis not "another thing to do," but rather "another way todo what we do." Some educators see service-learningas a way to deepen the curriculum and provide aform of performance-based assessment that supple-ments standardized testing.

Many state and local educators have worked hard tolink service-learning to state standards. States suchas Wisconsin and Massachusetts have producedguides that show how service-learning can be used tohelp students meet and demonstrate their mastery ofthe standards in nearly all curriculum areas. Since vir-tually all the curriculum standards include higher orderthinking and application of knowledge and skills,service-learning is a natural fit.

Linking Service-Learningto StandardsResouM;5,502 Neeilllleil@ eTheR art gGe4g®-

005gegtiO

kdapdg

emci

googg?.

@gDocieiodo lluv dovag cff um11060pb cykrolloG@ w go

learnkg ID agbeffiV1100btACM1kg eiff!G C4SeNOR @ ffhaw

cii7J C3@ 011ogs@ci grp

academb standards. noGge

CS 03iffkig projects @grid kwOmockgdo w@OO pkoolug

augh c yaotx0ao moci meg-

Serviee-leauMmo @fig, 1x egGC5 60

descriptionsmeet specific

assessment tools,meet

demonstrate

serviee-learnimCkffigio

One discipline:

OUP@ Wisconsi@

projects

project.different

standaud llg' flo

portiona0 elluDeskg kV 0 6eJOYOF off

Oar@ kflog figaggd@ ba ex@ me 00uollaxi

ourid percents.' 2owv0D-afged ehggig @et& expo-

River, OW)

stan-

proportions,aghth-go8d2

org2 waterengaged

students

present

alloGAT data fflhd Maw@ ao aft60Gee gOGEMIN011ey

Multiple disciplines:

Boston elementaknguage

studentsuyOckurk

nderstandouvci Gh@

h historical

sentationsproeessdarcl wec,

National If=bgts

ogg OD@ E Okhmake

engagepretationsll

llov

veterans.

effective pUG65ord ageG, moYakg

g50-ktieGe6

soeial

projectFcxpugh

resea

gradersreseaudv exxi llnterviewedalloGe 00000Od guild

allag ffpo allia veteraM,

studiesanalysisiffihllow

WorldConducted

A culminating project:

Severalseniorsmeets

Wash llngtondesign

specifiedak@q@ ahGtt.

Saull@@:

@KO honor-Onternet

Wo 00 veterans,

B @aumgallepi

gEgrg hth@Dg7 CAR .5,

orrl Ocauments

schools

criteria,work.

Service-LeaEducation

Magulg,

avdproject

Mug exileCommission

33

h._

-,k

ala re&40, eolocatton: reloa4ce dte

(57 y oic reeate:een .

, ae4,V

Rudy Crew, former chancellor, NewYork City Schools

lewd

at,

a

41 I111114.1

mist 44.1.4...

32-

,

Nett,

Teacher Preparation and ProfessionalDevelopment

Organizing meaningful service-learning experiencesfor students is not easy. Teachers must be able touse a complex set of skills: identifying the mostappropriate curriculum connections for a communityproject, leading reflection activities that help studentsdeepen their learning, and moving from presenter-style teaching to coach-style teaching.

Some teacher preparation programs, including a groupsupported by the American Association of Colleges ofTeacher Education, have incorporated service-learning

into their teacher education requirements and offer-ings. Student teachers can learn about service-learn-

ing as a methodology and experience itin their classes. New HampshireCollege student teachers use service-

.4111La. learning in the schools where they areplaced. They hone their own skills inthis method while simultaneously intro-ducing it to local teachers and students.

Professional development in service-learning is needed not only to introducethe concept but to assist teachers in

continuing to learn as they develop deeper under-standings of its complexities and uses.

014

; 0

plow.r

'

-J4'00afeliiti"-"

2asteeffA

Such opportunities have been limited and, whenoffered, usually focus more on the logistics oforganizing service-learning rather than on its underly-ing pedagogy.

Adequate Time and Support

We realize that we've got to provide teachers withprofessional development and training. We've gotto engage community partners with them.Teachers have a lot on their plate and they needsupport...We provide mini-grant funding, we givehelp with logistics like busing, with supervision,with grant writing. I have never seen a goodservice-learning project that didn't involve a cre-ative, hardworking, risk-taking teacher. If you wantto nurture and develop those teachers, administra-tors have got to support them.

Kenny Holdsman, director of service-learningThe School District of Philadelphia

Teachers frequently raise concerns about finding thetime to fit service-learning into the school day. Theypoint out that service-learning by its nature frequentlyinvolves outreach to the community, extra planning,and other out-of-school time. At the high school level,

Serv041Mffio1104) 11L .f Vftll Gr;ib

arD clely 11 5 MOW refosuo CASO

Wueatilouv cffhdabo ay whfflro

nay llmcpcNeffluvit ila Gclowd@up

llaftll ll emoellavel, god

elbize

M

ectua

oahllo 11 upftEllonee--0@ orDu

peteneim fibo miDA, criuze5-

avo, evve @avelluvairmo OGgouvilag,

Tony Wagner, graduate

Harvard School of Education

where classes are typically organized in 50-minutesegments, it can be difficult to fit service-learning intoa single class. Concerns about scheduling service-learning pre-date the standards movement, but theproblem has been intensified by the recent emphasison standards and testing.

Service-learning belongs in the school day because itis an academic enterprise. It fosters understanding ofcurriculum concepts as well as problem-solving, high-order thinking, and teamwork skills. That said, thetime problems are real, and schools have foundnumerous ways to solve them. These include:

Engaging a service-learning coordinator. A service-learning coordinator can do community outreach,scout for service ideas, develop relationships withcommunity agencies, and explain the nature andneeds of service-learning. Districts and schools havehired full or part-time coordinators, used parent orcommunity volunteers, or brought in VISTA orAmeriCorps volunteers for this purpose. Dependingon the experience, knowledge, and skill of the personin the position, some coordinators provide teachersonly with logistical support of arranging service activi-ties, while others may assist teachers in organizingclassroom lessons that link with service experiences.

Flexible in-school scheduling. High schools withblock scheduling or intersessions find that service-learning fits better into longer time periods.

33

After-school programs. Especially when they areconnected to schools, after-school sessions can becoordinated with classroom teachers' work to provideextended learning time that includes service-learningas a central feature. Even in the absence of a formalprogram, older students can do their service activityafter school and on weekends. In such situations,planning, curriculum instruction, and reflection shouldbe built into ongoing class time.

Transportation

Tutoring projects, school-yard improvements, and proj-ects in the immediate vicinity of the school may be

Mow v#40-ma agoekdwrivilocy

purojwg@ heme dgownsbrated Cch@llo

clabg9 vfflOgG-6bo teh@ GducaiiICA Cg

6gUldgM3 eod atg (douiliNagnaft

7T1IG, Om@ (lo Ope ao, spread OM 0@w=

ill h ilmpact lligg i500 whalgifflod ft 600 gaaci@hea

@ost,

Senator Harris Wofford, former chief exec-utive officer, Corporation for National andCommunity Service

accomplished with no transportation costs and withthe help of adult volunteers. Students may discover acommunity or senior center with needs within walk-ing distance of the school.

Other projects, however, may require some form oftransportation to off-site locations. Some school dis-tricts solve the problem by using a school bus forservice-learning projects or allowing teachers and/orother staff to use school vans. Urban districts oftenuse public transportation, again with extra adults