The Nuts and Bolts of Aligning Service-Learning with Content Standards

Presented by Lisa Guilfoile

Education Commission of the States

Lori Gonzalez and Maria Petropulos

Sutter Middle School

Agenda

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Service-learning: What is it?

Why is it important?

What does quality service-learning look like?

How can I connect S-L to my curriculum?

How can school boards support S-L?

Service-learning is a teaching strategy that intentionally combines service activities with curricular objectives.

Commonly Confused Terms

Community Service

An activity that engages people in addressing the needs of their school and communities

Community-Based Learning

An approach that enhances the curriculum by using community members and places as resources for learning

Service-Learning

A method of teaching and learning that challenges students to identify, research, propose and implement solutions to real needs in their school or community as part of their curriculum

What does the research say?

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Improved academic engagement Improved relationships with peers, parents, teachers Fewer behavioral problems Greater motivation to learn

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Increased student attendance Increased sense of civic responsibility More positive perceptions of school/students by community members

Learn & Serve Video Clip

Eight Standards for Quality Service-Learning Practice

(Billig & Weah, 2008) Duration & Intensity Meaningful Service Youth Voice Reflection Diversity Progress Monitoring Link to Curriculum School Community Partnerships

Five Elements of Sustainability

(Education Commission of the States, 2002) Vision & Leadership Curriculum & Assessment Professional Development School Community Partnerships Continuous Improvement

The Curriculum Connection

Real Life Examples Lori Gonzalez & Maria Petropulos Sutter Middle School Fowler, California

Service-Learning Board Policy: Models and Mechanisms

How can school boards support service-learning?

Greendale School District Greendale, Wisconsin File: 341.26 SERVICE-LEARNING

The Board of Education desires that all students develop a strong sense of personal and social responsibility. We understand development of this virtue can occur by infusing service learning instructional formats as an integral component of curriculum. The

District recognizes that service-learning can help students develop skills, career awareness and self esteem.

Service experiences can also

motivate students

by allowing them to

apply their skills and knowledge to local needs and problems and showing them that they can make a contribution to their community. We encourage staff to collaborate with local public and non-profit agencies and groups in order to develop service- learning activities

that meet education objectives and also support current community efforts to meet health, environmental or public safety needs. This meets the District’s goals of helping to develop youth as contributing citizens and also the opportunity for youth to be seen as resources in their communities.

APPROVED: November 15, 1999 REVISED: February 16, 2004

The

District recognizes that service-learning can help students develop skills, career awareness and self esteem.

Service experiences can also

motivate students by allowing them to apply their skills and knowledge to local

needs and problems and showing them that they can make a contribution to their community. We encourage staff to collaborate with local public and non-profit agencies and groups in order to develop service learning activities

that meet education objectives and also support current community efforts to meet health, environmental or public safety needs. This meets the District’s goals of helping to develop youth as contributing citizens and also the opportunity for youth to be seen as resources in their communities.

School Board Policy on Service-Learning, Alameda Alameda County Board of Education and Alameda County Superintendent of Schools, Alameda, California Joint Resolution No. 1591 Service-Learning

Whereas, Service-Learning is a teaching pedagogy whereby students gain a better understanding of academic content by applying their skills and knowledge to benefit society; and Whereas, the Board of Education and the Superintendent of Schools recognize the importance of teaching content and performance standards through experiential teaching strategies; and Whereas, the challenge has never been greater for California communities and schools to develop effective means for developing civic responsibility among students; and Whereas, parents, youth, government, business, social services, service organizations, religious institutions, media and the general public are urged to collaborate and partner with schools in order to meet important, unmet, community needs; and Whereas, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction has challenged all California school districts to provide Service-Learning experiences for all students; Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Alameda County Board of Education and the Alameda County Superintendent of Schools

encourage all districts, schools, and community partners to adopt the use of the Service-Learning teaching strategy as means of educating towards standards, developing civic responsibility, and providing service in areas of authentic community needs.

Passed and adopted this 14th day of March 2000.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Alameda County Board of Education and the Alameda County Superintendent of Schools encourage all

districts, schools and community partners to adopt the use of the Service-Learning teaching strategy as means of educating towards standards, developing civic responsibility, and providing service in areas of authentic community needs.

CANBY (OREGON) SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD POLICY Title: SERVICE LEARNING Policy: IGCG Adopted: 11/20/08

The Board supports the concept of service-learning as a teaching methodology in its schools. As used in this policy, service-learning means a method through which citizenship, academic subjects and skills are taught through active learning – drawing lessons from the experience of performing service work.

In developing its service-learning program, the Superintendent shall encourage staff, student, parent, community and higher education input. The Superintendent shall ensure that service-learning activities are tied to performance standards in the academic content standards area and/or local performance standards.

Recommendations for curriculum revisions that require the addition or deletion of existing courses, represent a change in the courses and/or units of credit required for graduation, and/or impact existing staffing patterns shall be submitted to the Board for approval. All other recommended changes shall be submitted by the building principal to the Superintendent for approval.

The

Superintendent is directed to identify existing

district policies and administrative regulations that may be

barriers to effective implementation of the district’s service-learning program

. The Superintendent shall also

purposes.

determine service-learning activity funding needs that may not be met in the current district budget. Identified policies shall be referred to the Board for review and revision as appropriate. Funding needs shall be submitted to the Board with recommendations for budget planning

END OF POLICY

The Superintendent is directed to identify existing district policies and administrative regulations that may be barriers to effective implementation of the district’s service learning program. The Superintendent shall also determine service learning

activity funding needs that may not be met in the current district budget. Identified policies shall be referred to the Board for review and revision as appropriate. Funding needs shall be submitted to the Board with recommendations for budget planning purposes.

NCLC

National Center for Learning and Citizenship

700 Broadway, Suite 810 Denver, CO 80203 www.ecs.org