Service Learning

Ashley Bower, Lauren Phillips, Megan Solko

“Service Learning?”

• What is Service Learning?

• A method by which youth improve academic learning while developing personal, civic, and career skills through structured service projects that meet real school and community needs.

• In such projects, youth practice skills and behaviors they need to learn through service. Service is a way to apply learning in the real world.

• Visiting with senior citizens at a nursing home

is volunteerism or service.• Interviewing senior citizens to conduct oral

histories is learning.• When social studies students conduct oral

histories and art students paint portraits of the

senior citizens who were interviewed and

then compile them into a book … that’s

service learning.

Service Learning vs.Volunteering/Community Service

Examples

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Yj-4TjSR8

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hz_SsmYNP4&feature=channel_page

“Where You Stand”

• 1)Listen to the passage and statement read aloud from the text.

• 2)Move to the corner of the room that matches your opinion- Agree, Disagree, Strongly Agree, Strongly Disagree

Statements

• Diverse populations in a community can be problematic. Pg 13

• Poverty can lead to crime. Pg 24• A woman’s place is sleeping. Pg 31• People who move to the United States should

learn English. Pg 77• Beauty is a danger. Pg 79• Homeless people should not receive aid since

they are not working. Pg 87• Marriage at a young age is bound to fail. Pg 101

Elements ofService Learning

• Preparation – assignments for research, needsidentification and assessment, discussion, site visits,policy examination, guest speakers, project design.• Action – service that flows from preparation. Eitherdirect, indirect, advocacy, or research.• Demonstration – presenting, teaching, performing,advocating, etc., about service.• Reflection – writing, discussion, evaluation, futureplanning about needs and service.

PREPARATION

• Research/study

• Guest speakers

• Literature

• Field trips/observation

• Interviews

Power Letter Writing

• Problem/solution letters: select a problem and propose a solution. For example, may write to a newspaper editor about need for library or roads that need to be repaved.

• Pick an issue from The House on Mango Street and write a problem/solution letter.

Lewis, Barbara. The Kid’s Guide to Social Action.Ed. P. Espeland & C.Pernu. Minneapolis: Free Spirit, 1991.

ACTION

• 1. Direct – person-to-person, face-to-face, tutoring,

work with elderly… projects in which students’ service impacts individuals who receive the service

from students.• 2. Indirect – environmental, construction, restoration,

clothing drives… projects with clear benefits to a

community as opposed to specific individuals.

ACTION

• 3. Advocacy - working, acting, speaking, writing, lobbying … projects that create action or

awareness on an issue of public interest.

• 4. Research - surveys, studies, evaluations, experiments, interviewing… projects that find,

gather, measure, and report on needed information.

DEMONSTRATION

• Presentations – lessons, speeches, forums, PowerPoints, tri-folds, art, demonstrations

• Performance - skit, play, song, dance, rap

• Products – brochures, web sites, books, videos, quilts, calendars, puppets, benches

REFLECTION

• Discussion

• Journals

• Portfolios

• Evaluation

• Role play

• Performance

• Artwork

Group activity

• Read the slip provided to your group. The slip describes a service-learning project.

• With your group determine what issue the project addresses.

-Environment, Community, Social?

• How does it meet the components of service learning?

-Does it align with SSS? Which ones?

Service-Learning Ideas

• Adopt a river to clean up• Teach people how to better take care of their pets• Build a greenhouse at the school• Pen pals for elders• Care for a cemetery• Teach CPR and fitness to elders• Welcome video for new students• Teach conflict resolution• Develop portable museums on Native American culture• Act as tutors to elementary school students• Create hurricane preparedness guides for elders• Sponsor Read Across America Events• Sponsor a Math Night at Your School

Service-Learning Ideas,cont.

• Teach elders how to use computers• Give tours in a museum• Write and perform a play about your town• Teach cooking to younger students• Write and read books for younger students• Design and help build a playground• Conduct/write a town history• Vermiculture project to recycle lunch-room leftovers• Create murals for your school• Start a recycling project• Create environmental coloring/activity books for younger• students• Advocate for…

Discussion• How can you select a meaningful service

project?• How will you prepare your class to

address an issue?• How can you create a service project with

your students?• “A small group of thoughtful people could

change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Mead

Sandra Cisneros

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfmo_Us9ldU

PowerPoint information adapted from:• Joe Follman, Florida Learn & Serve, Florida Department

of Education, Florida State University• Orange County Public Schools Service-Learning

Coordinator• Timber Creek High School, Service-Learning Academy