Chapter 10: Service Learning: Helping Others to Heal Oneself
Discussion Points
As stated in the chapter, Service Learning is more involved than merely a “Service day” once a year. For students to experience real benefits from service learning, there needs to be considerable time devoted to the services, and while a variety of service learning options are described in the chapter, services provided to other individuals often work best for students exposed to trauma, since the benefits of “other person” services often result in more emotional connections with the community. The resources below (and others found online) are quite extensive, and the facilitator should encourage interested teachers to explore these videos and websites. Like the mentoring option discussed in chapter 9, Service Learning will typically require a school wide effort, since planning is often quite extensive. The good news is the planning and management time actually decrease as the service-learning efforts mature over the first couple of years.
Recommended Videos
I’m Special: Our Service Learning Project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUPYqZFYExw
Examples of various middle school projects that connected students with stories of people with differences, and connections to students with disabilities in the school.
Service Learning at Woodbury Middle School: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkrfaL7ZU
This video stresses service learning projects to connect students to the community locally and around the world. One example is students actually making shoes for people in Africa.
Edutopia: Service Learning—Real-Life Applications for Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t30ZMX8uGw
This video shows student engagement in a greenhouse project to produce food for those in the community. The project used biology students (i.e., every student in the school) to grow salad greens for the school and other schools in the district. Extra impact: students eat more greens!
Learning to Give: Stages of Service Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFd-yiAfrmE
This video discusses the stages in service learning projects from beginning to brainstorm the project through to the conclusion.
Examples of various middle school projects that connected students with stories of people with differences, and connections to students with disabilities in the school.
Service Learning at Woodbury Middle School: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkrfaL7ZU
This video stresses service learning projects to connect students to the community locally and around the world. One example is students actually making shoes for people in Africa.
Edutopia: Service Learning—Real-Life Applications for Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t30ZMX8uGw
This video shows student engagement in a greenhouse project to produce food for those in the community. The project used biology students (i.e., every student in the school) to grow salad greens for the school and other schools in the district. Extra impact: students eat more greens!
Learning to Give: Stages of Service Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFd-yiAfrmE
This video discusses the stages in service learning projects from beginning to brainstorm the project through to the conclusion.
Additional Resources
Campus CompactThis national coalition of colleges and universities that enables campuses to develop students’ citizenship skills and forge effective community partnerships.
Coverdell World Wise SchoolsCoverdell World Wise Schools offer resources to help integrate global issues and cultural awareness into core content areas. The service-learning page provides lesson plans categorized by grade levels (K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12) that guide students through planning, undertaking, and evaluating service-learning projects. In addition, students are encouraged to reflect on the importance of community service by reading stories about Peace Corps volunteer experiences, articulating needs within their own communities, and generating ideas about how to address those needs through service.
Editor’s Picks: Service Learning & Volunteer OpportunitiesThe U.S. Department of Education’s website features a number of volunteer and service-learning opportunities that youth can explore. Each offers unique experiences either domestically or internationally for youth to get involved in so they can make a difference in the lives of others through a variety of community projects.
Global Youth Service DayGlobal Youth Service Day is an annual campaign that celebrates and mobilizes the millions of children and youth who improve their communities each day of the year through service and service-learning. This website offers resources, information about funding opportunities, news, and opportunities to connect with service-learning projects.
International Education Resource Network (iEARN)iEARN is a nonprofit organization consisting of more than 20,000 schools worldwide in more than 115 countries that seeks to empower students and teachers to work together online on selected projects that are integrated into their classrooms.
National Service Knowledge NetworkThe National Service Knowledge Network website serves as a hub for sharing training and technical assistance for AmeriCorps programs. The site offers an online learning center, a library of downloadable publications, an events calendar, and a collection of practices and program examples.
National Youth Leadership CouncilThis organization aims to create a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world with young people, their schools, and their communities through service-learning.
A Practical Guide for Integrating Civic Responsibility into the Curriculum (PDF, 106 pages)This curriculum guide discusses civic responsibility, how it is tied to service-learning, how faculty can integrate concepts and exercises in a practical way, and how faculty can assess the development of civic responsibility in their students. It also provides practical, easy-to-use applications and includes numerous exercises, activities, and assessment tools.
Service-Learning—Learning by Doing, Students Take Greening to the Community (PDF, 32 pages). This booklet from the Environmental Protection Agency contains several service-learning projects that focus on various aspects of safe solid waste management, such as reducing household hazardous waste and buying recycled-content products. Each profile includes contacts who can provide information on how students can start a similar program. Additional resources, including grants to help start such a project, are located in the back of the booklet. Learn more on the EPA website.
Service for PeaceService for Peace is an international nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable and participatory community development through service.
Youth Service America (YSA)YSA aims to improve communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5–25, serving in substantive roles. Resources and training provided by YSA include the Global Youth Service Day Planning Tool Kit, the Service-Learning Curriculum Guide, the National Service Briefing, and Youth Service Institute information, webinars, and individual support. This project is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of State, and other organizations.
These resources were obtained from the Youth.gov website: https://youth.gov/youth-topics/civic-engagement-and-volunteering/service-learning