How to Facilitate Successful Service Learning in the Social Studies Classroom

Dr. Alice W. TerryKennesaw State University

Garfield on Community ServiceGarfield on Community Service

What is Service Learning?

What is Service-Learning?

““...an innovative teaching methodology...an innovative teaching methodologythat integrates community service withthat integrates community service with

academic study to enrich learning, teachacademic study to enrich learning, teachcivic responsibility and strengthencivic responsibility and strengthen

communities.communities.””

National Commission on Service-Learning, 2002.

The power of service-learning for American schools

““Service-Learning is a particularlyService-Learning is a particularlyfertile way of involving young people infertile way of involving young people in

community service, because it tiescommunity service, because it tieshelping others to what they arehelping others to what they are

learning in the classroom.learning in the classroom.

In the process, itIn the process, itprovides a compelling answer toprovides a compelling answer to

the perennial question:the perennial question:‘‘Why do I need to learn this stuff?Why do I need to learn this stuff?’’””

General Colin Powell, founding chairman of AmericaGeneral Colin Powell, founding chairman of America’’s Promises Promise

A recent report from the Center forA recent report from the Center forInformation and Research on CivicInformation and Research on CivicLearning and Engagement (CIRCLE)Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE)found that:found that:

57% of 15 to 25-year-olds57% of 15 to 25-year-oldsare completelyare completelydisengaged from civicdisengaged from civiclife.life.

1)1) PreparationPreparation

2)2) ActionAction

3)3) ReflectionReflection

4)4) Celebration/DemonstrationCelebration/Demonstration

Preparation

What will you do? Who will you need to help you? How will you make contacts? How will you begin? How will you incorporate this

experiential design into your content curriculum?

How will you incorporate this experiential design into your classroom?

JUST DO IT!!JUST DO IT!!

……the process of gaining meaning and the process of gaining meaning and understanding from experience understanding from experience

……helps students identify their own values, helps students identify their own values, develop empathy for others, and compare develop empathy for others, and compare their assumptions to real world experiencetheir assumptions to real world experience

……the key to successful experienced-based the key to successful experienced-based

programsprograms

Celebration.Celebration.....

Multiple methods Multiple methods designed to designed to

acknowledge, recognize acknowledge, recognize and further validate and further validate

student’s service workstudent’s service work(Toole, Conrad & Nelson, 1998)

In order to gain the most from their In order to gain the most from their service experience, students need service experience, students need exposure to the exposure to the

3 R’s of Celebration: 3 R’s of Celebration: Recognition, Respect, and Reward.Recognition, Respect, and Reward.

(Bohnenberger and Terry, 2002)(Bohnenberger and Terry, 2002)

The K-12 Developmental Service Learning Typology

……addresses the differences in service learning addresses the differences in service learning activities based on the level of student learning and service.activities based on the level of student learning and service.

Interaction between school and community goes one way—from theschool to the community. Community Service involves a high degree ofservice to the community with a lesser degree of learning.

Community Service level…

Students Volunteer as

a docent at an historical museum in your community

Reflection is informalReflection is informal students observe without students observe without

giving insights into the giving insights into the reasons behind the reasons behind the observationobservation

Task is one dimensionalTask is one dimensional reflections are reflections are

conventional or repetitions conventional or repetitions of what students have of what students have heard from othersheard from others

Bradley’sBradley’s

ObservationObservation

Bradley’s Level 1 corresponds to

Community ServiceCommunity Service:

Int era cti o n be tw e en th e s c h o ol a n d c o m m u nit y c an g o in eit he rd ir ec tio n —t h e s tu d e n ts g o o u t int o the c o m m u n it y or e lem e n ts o fth e c o mm u n ity c o me int o t he sc h o ol . C o m m u ni ty E x p lo ra tio nd o e s n o t n ece ss ar ily in v o lv e di rec t s e rv ice to th e c o m m u nit ya lth o u g h it m a y in v ol ve a h ig h de g re e o f l ear ni n g .

Community Exploration level…

Students Students Research your town history. Research your town history.

Investigate and write a report on Investigate and write a report on historical buildings, sculptures, or historical buildings, sculptures, or activities in your communityactivities in your community

Reflections are more Reflections are more thoroughthorough

But do not allude to But do not allude to broader system in which broader system in which the aspect is embedded the aspect is embedded

Students demonstrate a Students demonstrate a beginning ability to beginning ability to interpret evidenceinterpret evidence

Bradley’sBradley’s

AnalysisAnalysis

Bradley’s Level 2 corresponds to

Community ExplorationCommunity Exploration:

Int era cti o n be tw een sc h o ol a n d co m m u n it y f low s in b o th d ir ec ti o nsp ro d u c in g g rea ter imp ac t in the co m m u n it y an d e m p o wer m en t inth e s tu d e n ts . C o m m u n i ty Ac tio n in v ol v es th e hi g h e st d egr e e o fser vi ce, w h ic h ca n h ave far - rea ch in g o u tc o m es in th e c o m m u n i tya n d th e hi g h e st de g re e o f l ea rn in g.

Community Action level…

Students Students Brainstorm ways to Brainstorm ways to

publicize and/or publicize and/or preserve your preserve your community's community's heritage. Then heritage. Then design and design and implement a plan implement a plan of action to of action to increase interest in increase interest in your town and your town and tourismtourism

Students identify a need area,Students identify a need area,develop a plan, take Action.....develop a plan, take Action.....

...and get RESULTS!!...and get RESULTS!!

Students Students view things from multiple view things from multiple

perspectives perspectives make appropriate judgments make appropriate judgments

based on reasoning and based on reasoning and evidenceevidence

perceive conflicting goals perceive conflicting goals within the situation within the situation

recognize that the differences recognize that the differences can be assessedcan be assessed

Bradley’sBradley’s

SynthesisSynthesis

Bradley’s Level 3 corresponds to

Community ActionCommunity Action:

How can you integrate service How can you integrate service learning into the curriculum?learning into the curriculum?

Will it be part of an elective class or a content class?

Will it be tied to the content and/or skill objectives?

Can it help meet school objectives? Can it be continued throughout the

semester or year?

Choice and Voice in Service Learning

Give the students a choice and voice in deciding the focus for the activity

This insures more interest in and commitment to the activity

•Let students select the project•Allow students to conduct their own research around their interests•Design working groups based on different intelligences and interests, i.e,

MediaFacilitatorsPublic RelationsArtTechnology

Communications

Choice and Voice

Giving students a voicevoice in how they relate their reflections can lead to higher levels of reflection.

JournalingWriting poetrySinging a song they wroteRole-playingCreating a slide show

Using Choice and Voice in Reflection

How can I find the time?

Try an interdisciplinary approach effective when the same service learning

theme is explored in multiple classes Compact the

curriculum/differentiation Cover required curriculum in 4 days in a

week; use the 5th day for service learning, etc.

Reschedule the school day so that a block of time is available for service learning

Decide on the type of service…

Students take positive hands-on action to make aStudents take positive hands-on action to make adifference in the community through needed projectsdifference in the community through needed projects

identified, organized, and implemented by the studentsidentified, organized, and implemented by the students

Students engage in social action and advocacyStudents engage in social action and advocacydesigned to impact decision-making on public issuesdesigned to impact decision-making on public issues

by raising awareness, getting bills passed, etc.by raising awareness, getting bills passed, etc.

Students assist and support an existing, establishedStudents assist and support an existing, establishedeffort such as the Cancer Society, Kidney Foundation,effort such as the Cancer Society, Kidney Foundation,MADD, Meals-on-Wheels, Save the Rain Forest, etc.MADD, Meals-on-Wheels, Save the Rain Forest, etc.

Cooperative Learning Strategies

Cooperative Groups and JobsCooperative Groups and Jobs Project Facilitators - electedProject Facilitators - elected Press SecretariesPress Secretaries Video CoordinatorsVideo Coordinators PhotographersPhotographers File ClerksFile Clerks JournalistsJournalists Scrapbook CoordinatorsScrapbook Coordinators

Cognitive Apprenticeship Model (Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989)

Four elements that lead to learning:Four elements that lead to learning: ScaffoldingScaffolding ModelingModeling CoachingCoaching FadingFading

Teacher’s role: facilitatorTeacher’s role: facilitator

Student-run, student-focused classStudent-run, student-focused class

Creative Problem Solving Process (Osborn, 1963; Parnes, 1967)

Identifying problems & challengesIdentifying problems & challenges Recognizing and stating the Recognizing and stating the

important important

problemproblem Producing alternative solutionsProducing alternative solutions Evaluating alternative solutionsEvaluating alternative solutions Planning to put solutions into use Planning to put solutions into use

(Torrance, (Torrance, 1995)1995)

Brainstorms anyone?

Have students brainstorm possible problems on a Jot Board problems discovered during fact-finding problems the students may encounter while trying to

effect change in the community. Narrow the brainstormed challenge ideas to five or six.

From among this list, select an Underlying Challenge by identifying the most significant issue—the problem on which that the class feels it can have the most impact and influence.

Students work together asStudents work together asideas flourish on the Jot Board!ideas flourish on the Jot Board!

Tips & Techniques

What’s in a name?What’s in a name? A group identity and unity is often

established within a group or class by encouraging the service learning students to choose an acronym, a name, for the group and/or the project

RIPPLES, SWaMP Kids, Backstage Crew

Tips & Techniques•A team T-shirt is fun for the students to create•It can unify the students as well as advertise the

service learning project •The T-shirt can be worn on any project outing

or presentation •The design should be

connected to the project topic and/or the project goals

Tips & Techniques for Tips & Techniques for Community MeetingsCommunity Meetings

Students get the group on the agenda of the meeting—call at least a week in advance

Select a spokesperson to represent the class

Prepare a complete, concise, and creative presentation

The spokesperson presents the ideas your class has with others providing support

Identify Areas of Concern in the CommunityIdentify Areas of Concern in the Community

Conduct Extensive ResearchConduct Extensive Research

Generate Challenges andGenerate Challenges and Select Underlying ChallengeSelect Underlying Challenge

Generate Generate and Evaluate and Evaluate Action IdeasAction Ideas

FlyFly!*

• *Create andCreate andImplement Implement

Plan of ActionPlan of Action

Perhaps the old African proverb,

“It takes a village to raise a child,”

will coexist with a new

American proverb,

“It takes a child to raise up a village.”(Terry, 2000)(Terry, 2000)

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