Cultivating community: A multi-generational approach to fostering meaningful partnerships
and leadership engagement
Dr. William J. Soesbe and Amanda R. Sanderman
Dearborn Inn, Dearborn, MI Monday, May 20th, 2013
@2:45-4:00 Firestone Room
2013 The Engaged Campus: Driving Innovation through Partnerships
• Assistant Professor of Education • ILE Leadership Fellow • Iowa Campus Compact Engaged Scholar
Faculty Fellow • Former Director for the Office of Student
Field Experiences and School Partnerships Coordinator at Wartburg College
• Middle school science teacher within the Waverly-Shell Rock CSD
Dr. William J. Soesbe III
2013 Driving Innovation Conference
• Current Director for the Office of Student Field Experiences and School Partnerships Coordinator at Wartburg College
• 14 year veteran teacher in secondary science for Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District
• Adjunct professor for education and science departments
• ILE Leadership Fellow
Amanda R. Sanderman
2013 Driving Innovation Conference
Where is Wartburg College?
Wartburg College Waverly, Iowa
• Located in Waverly, Iowa (pop. of 10,000)
• Small, private, liberal arts school
• 1,800 undergraduate students (about 90% residential)
• Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Saemann Student Center
Wartburg College
• Largest majors on campus are Biology, Communication Arts, Business and Education
• Largest minor is Leadership Education
• Internationally known for Civic Engagement
Wartburg College
Network with other educators and expand your Professional Learning Network (PLN)
Better understand how to develop and foster effective and reciprocal partnerships
Learn about ways to create opportunities for communities to engage in deep and integrative learning
Brainstorm possibilities of how to develop and further infuse meaningful partnerships into our communities
Goals and Objectives
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Name, Institution, Position, Role(s)?
1. Why did you attend this presentation?
AND
2. What do you hope/need to gain from the presentation?
Two Questions…
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• Began in 2000 • Embedded within a leadership course (ID 315) and
the Institute for Leadership Education (ILE) • Uses Triangulated Learning as a pedagogy • Service-learning component of ID 315 • Involves an assortment of partnerships • Awarded the McJannet Prize for Global Citizenship
in 2010
History of Community Builders
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• One of the courses as part of the leadership minor • Taken as a junior or senior • Counts towards the essential education plan • Two sections simultaneously taught by different
professors in Fall/Winter • Leadership is defined as:
“Taking responsibility for our communities, and making them better through public action.”
Leadership Theories and Practices (ID 315)
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• Comprised of three key components: 1. Traditional learning 2. Peer (collaborative) learning 3. Experiential learning
**Intent is to forge links between deep thinking and leadership education
Triangulated Learning
Waldstein, F. (2009). Triangulated learning: A bridge for deep impact pedagogy and leadership education.
Triangulated Learning
Traditional
Tabb, M. (2011). The Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story. Zondervan: Michigan. Heifetz, R. and Linsky, M. (2002). Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading. Harvard Business School Press: Massachusetts.
Leadership on the Line & The Sacred Acre , worksheets
Deep and Integrative Learning
Create five groups and use your MBTI results to create as diverse groups as possible.
Let’s Create Groups
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Do not open until 5/20/2013
Let’s open the CB time capsule’s that were left for us so we could learn about the program.
CB Time Capsule
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Do not open until 5/20/2013
Overview of Community Builders
• “Neighborhoods” are formed • Collegiate students partnered through results of
MBTI, gender, major, outside activities • Goal is to have “opposite” partners • 1-2 adult volunteers • 7-9 6th grade students
• 10 sessions spread throughout the academic year
• Lesson plans are designed by coordinator with latitude for Wartburg students to adapt lessons
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Session 1: Introductions, team building, and vocabulary development (community, leadership, service)
Session 2: Introduction to service-learning and information about community partners
Session 3: Educational session held at a community partner site
Session 4: Service-learning session held at community partner site
Session 5: Culminating activity held at Wartburg College
10 Town Meetings
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Session 6: Introductions, vocabulary review, and vocabulary development (poverty, hunger, thirst, peace)
Session 7: Presentation from Water to Thrive, Ethiopia lesson
Session 8: Presentation from Self-Help International, service project for SHI
Session 9: Development of final Community Builder’s project
Session 10: Sharing out of final projects
10 Town Meetings, con’t.
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Satisfy a community need Reciprocal and beneficial Common goals established Expectations clearly articulated Resources allocated appropriately Expenses and costs “shared” Invest in social capital Transparent and frequent communication Continuous assessment and evaluation Admit and “accept” failures Celebrate and promote successes
Essential Characteristics of Effective and Meaningful Partnerships….
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School Partnerships
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Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District and St. Paul’s Elementary
• All 6th grade students • Utilize district standards and benchmarks for academic
objectives (http://www.wsr.k12.ia.us/site_District/info_curriculum.html)
• Utilize Iowa Core standards (www.educateiowa.gov)
Local Partnerships
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• Waverly Police Department • Self Help International • Waverly City Hall • Waverly Recycling Center • KWAY Radio station • Trinkets and Togs • Bartels Lutheran Home
• Waverly-Shell Rock Sports Booster Club
• The W (Wartburg) • Waverly Public Library • Shell Rock Public Library
Local Partnerships
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Trinket and Togs The W – recreation center
Volunteer Action Center
Public Library Recycling Center KWAY Radio Station
Local Partnerships
Goodwill Industries Sports Booster Club Self Help International
Waverly Police Department
Waverly Health Center
North Star Community Services
International Partnerships
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www.watertothrive.org (3 minute video)
• Self Help International www.selfhelpinternational.org http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4KaEX8tOoU (2 minutes)
International Partnerships
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Self-Help Service Projects • Hygiene kits • Tennis balls • School kits • Informational mailings
International Partnerships Self-Help International and Dr. Fred Waldstein deliver materials and resources on future trips
How were/are partnerships established? Maintained? Fostered? Assessed?
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Communication through websites, email, phone, written Verbal contact between collegiate participants and site
supervisors Successes with other initiatives Flyers* Letters* Appreciation notes* Appreciation luncheon*
*Examples included in Wartburg folder
Future Partnership
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Retrieving Freedom, Inc.
Retrieving Freedom, Inc. is an organization that trains service dogs for disabled veterans and children with autism.
http://www.kwwl.com/story/22034461/2013/04/21/scott-dewey-trains-service-dogs-through-retrieving-freedom-in-waverly?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8800617#.UXaIdHP-gPw.facebook (3 minutes)
RFI will serve as a local community site for Community Builders as well as a site for students wanting to complete an Individualized Service Project.
• Utilizing the strengths of the groups, each neighborhood designs a final project
Final Community Builders projects
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Public Service Announcement
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80Bw_olpxPI&feature=youtu.be (4 minutes)
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xybaB3okr_Y&feature=youtu.be (2½ minutes)
Soesbe’s Conceptual Framework
Soesbe, W. J. (2012). Voices of the lived experiences of alumni who completed an undergraduate leadership program in a small liberal arts college.
What is the Next Step? How do We Get There?
Professional Learning Networks
Let’s not have these conversations in isolation or stop them once this session is over.
Follow Bill on Twitter at @drbillsoesbe
Use this hashtag #CBDIPC to share information with others about this session and to continue our dialogue in the future
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Questions and Comments?
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Thank you for your attention and insight.
Bill Soesbe [email protected] Amanda Sanderman [email protected]