Susan A. Abravanel, YSA Pete Ready, ODE Learning Through Service: Teaching and Engaging for Student Success 2009 Superintendents Summer Institute.

Susan A. Abravanel, YSASusan A. Abravanel, YSAPete Ready, ODEPete Ready, ODE

Learning Through Service:Learning Through Service:Teaching and Engaging Teaching and Engaging

for Student Successfor Student Success

2009 Superintendent’s 2009 Superintendent’s Summer InstituteSummer Institute

Improving communities by increasing the number and the diversity

of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles.

Engaging young people in substantive roles

solving authentic problems leads to:

Student Student AchievementAchievement

Workforce Workforce ReadinessReadiness

Stronger Stronger CommunitiesCommunities

EngagingEngaging

The Dropout ProblemThe Dropout Problem

Percentage reporting that their school’s Percentage reporting that their school’s graduation rates were 90% or higher . . .graduation rates were 90% or higher . . .

Teachers 48%Teachers 48%

Principals 55%Principals 55%

The Dropout ProblemThe Dropout Problem

Average on-time Average on-time national graduation national graduation rate was between 68 rate was between 68 and 75 % at the time and 75 % at the time of the surveyof the survey

ActivityActivity

As a pair, develop a written, verbal, As a pair, develop a written, verbal, artistic, or other picture of a disengaged artistic, or other picture of a disengaged student. student.

How you can tell that the young person is How you can tell that the young person is disengaged, using at least some of the disengaged, using at least some of the senses? (what does the person look like? senses? (what does the person look like? what does the person sound like? how does what does the person sound like? how does the person feel?)the person feel?)

What are the key cues to notice?What are the key cues to notice?

Student EngagementStudent Engagement

Over 1/3rd of students do not take schoolOver 1/3rd of students do not take school seriously and get through the day by fooling seriously and get through the day by fooling around with classmates; around with classmates; 1/2 said their classes were boring; 1/2 said their classes were boring; 2/3rds say they cheated on a school test;2/3rds say they cheated on a school test; 90% copied homework from someone else;90% copied homework from someone else; 80% say it is not important to get good grades80% say it is not important to get good grades in school; in school; 20% say they do not try hard in school 20% say they do not try hard in school becausebecause they are worried what their friends may think; they are worried what their friends may think; 20% say disengagement is a result of 20% say disengagement is a result of confusionconfusion or difficulty of subject matter, particularly in or difficulty of subject matter, particularly in mathmath and science. and science.

Engagement ResearchEngagement Research

Researchers Researchers (Brewster & Fager, 2000:7)(Brewster & Fager, 2000:7) recommend: recommend:

Ensure course materials Ensure course materials relate to students’ relate to students’ lives and highlight ways learning can be lives and highlight ways learning can be applied in real-life situationsapplied in real-life situations (Lumsden, 1994; (Lumsden, 1994; Skinner and Belmont, 1991)Skinner and Belmont, 1991);;

Help students feel that Help students feel that schoolwork is schoolwork is significant, valuable, and worthy of their significant, valuable, and worthy of their effortsefforts (Policy Studies Associates, 1995);(Policy Studies Associates, 1995);

Allow students to have Allow students to have some degree of some degree of control over learningcontrol over learning (Brooks, et. al., 1998);(Brooks, et. al., 1998);

Engagement ResearchEngagement Research

Assign Assign challenging but achievable taskschallenging but achievable tasks for for all students. Tasks that seem impossible and all students. Tasks that seem impossible and those that are rote and repetitive discourage those that are rote and repetitive discourage learners learners (Dev, 1997; Policy Studies Associates, 1995);(Dev, 1997; Policy Studies Associates, 1995);

Stimulate students’ curiosityStimulate students’ curiosity about the about the topic being studied topic being studied (Strong, Silver, and Robinson, (Strong, Silver, and Robinson, 1995);1995);

Engagement ResearchEngagement Research

Design projects that allow students to Design projects that allow students to share new share new knowledge with othersknowledge with others. Projects are more . Projects are more engaging when students share what they are engaging when students share what they are learning in reciprocal relationships, as in collaborative learning in reciprocal relationships, as in collaborative projects where each student’s knowledge is needed projects where each student’s knowledge is needed by others in the group to complete an assignment by others in the group to complete an assignment (Strong, Silver, and Robinson, 1995); (Strong, Silver, and Robinson, 1995);

Develop caring and trust between teachers and Develop caring and trust between teachers and studentsstudents (Nodding, 2000: 36).(Nodding, 2000: 36).

The Dropout ProblemThe Dropout Problem

Teachers and principals know students who Teachers and principals know students who were capable of graduating but failed to were capable of graduating but failed to complete high school.complete high school.

77 percent of teachers and 71 percent of 77 percent of teachers and 71 percent of principals strongly favored alternative principals strongly favored alternative learning environments to reduce the learning environments to reduce the dropout rate.dropout rate.

Service-Learning . . .Service-Learning . . .

a teaching and learning strategya teaching and learning strategyintegrating meaningful community serviceintegrating meaningful community servicewith academic studywith academic studyand reflective practiceand reflective practiceto enrich learning,to enrich learning,build civic engagement, build civic engagement, and strengthen and strengthen communities.communities.

Service-learning is not:Service-learning is not:

An episodic volunteer programAn episodic volunteer program

An add-on to an existing curriculumAn add-on to an existing curriculum

Completing minimum service hours toCompleting minimum service hours tosatisfy a class or graduation requirementsatisfy a class or graduation requirement

Service assigned as a form of punishmentService assigned as a form of punishment

One-sided: benefiting onlyOne-sided: benefiting onlystudents or only the communitystudents or only the community

Service-Learning is . . .Service-Learning is . . .

Real Real serviceservice

Real Real learninglearning

K-12 Service-Learning K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality PracticeStandards for Quality Practice

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Meaningful ServiceMeaningful Service

Service-learning actively engages Service-learning actively engages participants in meaningful and participants in meaningful and personally relevant personally relevant service activities.service activities.

““School is kind of School is kind of boring… warm-up, boring… warm-up,

lectures, lectures, PowerPoint's and PowerPoint's and

videos. It is not very videos. It is not very often that we get a often that we get a

class like this where class like this where we learn and do real we learn and do real

science…we can science…we can help the community help the community if our teachers show if our teachers show

us how.”us how.”

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Link to CurriculumLink to Curriculum

Service-learning is intentionally used as an Service-learning is intentionally used as an instructional strategy to meet learning goals instructional strategy to meet learning goals and/or content standards.and/or content standards.

“Service-learning is doing something for your community but at the same time learning about something school-related like horticulture, science or math. You learn a lot more because you connect with your teacher and meet people who care about you…you never would have met them if it wasn’t for service-learning.”

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ReflectionReflection

Service-learning incorporates multiple Service-learning incorporates multiple challenging reflection activities that are challenging reflection activities that are ongoing and that prompt deep thinking and ongoing and that prompt deep thinking and analysis about oneself and one’s analysis about oneself and one’s relationship to society.relationship to society.

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DiversityDiversity

Service-learning promotes understanding of Service-learning promotes understanding of diversity and mutual respect among all diversity and mutual respect among all participants.participants.

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Youth VoiceYouth Voice

Service-learning provides youth with a strong voice in planning, implementing, and evaluating service-learning experiences with guidance from adults.

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PartnershipPartnership

Service-learning partnerships are Service-learning partnerships are collaborative, mutually beneficial, and collaborative, mutually beneficial, and address community needs.address community needs.

““Service-learning is used to help the community through partnerships with Service-learning is used to help the community through partnerships with other people…when you have a happier community your friends and other people…when you have a happier community your friends and family are family are happier…it happier…it will be a will be a better placebetter placeto live.”to live.”

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Progress MonitoringProgress Monitoring

Service-learning engages participants in an Service-learning engages participants in an ongoing process to assess the quality of ongoing process to assess the quality of implementation and progress toward implementation and progress toward meeting specified meeting specified goals, and uses goals, and uses results for results for improvement and improvement and sustainability.sustainability.

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Duration and IntensityDuration and Intensity

Service-learning has sufficient duration and Service-learning has sufficient duration and intensity to address community needs and intensity to address community needs and meet specified outcomes.meet specified outcomes.

S-L at Lincoln K-8S-L at Lincoln K-8Title1, 6-8 Blend, 28% ELs, 45% at Risk

Essential Question: How can we maximize survivability of Kincaid’s Lupine and Nelson’s Checkermallow in the school greenhouse?

Double Double Jeopardy!Jeopardy!

Fender’s Blue Butterfly Kincaid’s Lupine

• Week 1: Institute for Applied Ecology visits schools and explains problem with growing plants. Asks students for help.

• Week 2: Discuss research question for work sample: plant lupine and checkermallow seeds

• Week 3: Plant lupine/checkermallow seeds in greenhouse, discuss final product of S-L project such as presentations, Youth Summit, and peer involvement

• Week 4: Plan and implement question• Week 5-7: Implement project• Week 8: Field trip for “site-prep” and examination of future

planting site. • Week 9: 4-H Wildlife Stewards Conference, ODFW, and school

wide assembly to recruit students to help plant the seedlings at the field site.

• Week 10: Planting at field site• Years to come : Monitor, survival rates, refine previous years

hypotheses and keep growing plants!

Link to the Curriculum

• 90% of students received a score of 4 or higher for 3 of the 4 “Scientific Inquiry” assessment areas.

• Success was driven by long-term goals, time to complete project, authentic learning objectives, student engagement, and student accountability to their community.

Life Science Benchmark: Factors affecting balance in ecosystems

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Earth Science Benchmark: Explain the water cycle

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Earth Science Benchmark: List multiple factors that affect water flow, erosion, and depostion

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Connections: Connections: To the Oregon DiplomaTo the Oregon Diploma

Learn & Serve GrantLearn & Serve Grant (’09-12)

1. Implementation Districts

2. Sustainability Districts

3. Professional Development TracksPriority Categories Include:

The Oregon Diploma Inquiry-Based Science

Essential Skills Strategic Partnerships

Credit for Proficiency Civic EngagementCareer & Technical Education

S-L Connections: S-L Connections: To Other Initiatives

Oregon Diploma &Oregon Diploma & Essential Skills Essential Skills

Safe/Drug-Free Safe/Drug-Free SchoolsSchools

Education Education Plan & Plan & ProfileProfile

Comprehensive Comprehensive Guidance & Guidance &

Counseling -- Counseling -- Youth Youth

DevelopmentDevelopment

School to Work, School to Work, Youth Pre-Youth Pre-

ApprenticeshipApprenticeship

Character Character EducationEducation

Community Community Education – Education – Title IV-B Title IV-B

AfterschoolAfterschool

Service-Service-LearningLearning

Career & Career & Technical Technical EducationEducation

Title Programs Title Programs YSA, YSA, AmeriCorpsAmeriCorps

Content Content StandardsStandards

ODE 2006-9 Service-Learning Grants:K-12 schools – Astoria, Canby, Cascade, Corvallis, David Douglas, Lane ESD, Oregon City, Pendleton, Rainier, St. Helens, SOLV, Tillamook, WESD [Robert Farrell].

Service-LearningService-LearningProject ExamplesProject Examples

S-L: Oregon ExamplesS-L: Oregon Examples

Relief NurseryRelief Nursery (35 HS Lit) – Child Abuse & Welfare), Pediatric CancerPediatric Cancer (35 HS Lit), Food for Lane CountyFood for Lane County (15 HS Lit.) Students studied Lane Co. hunger & poverty, engaged in an extended learning project, toured Lane Co. Food Bank, worked at local Food for Lane County farm 2 hrs/wk for 7 weeks. Art in MotionArt in Motion (15 HS Adv Video Students work with Teachers: make many Lrng Art project Packets for teacher use & Older students teach younger students), Diversity CirclesDiversity Circles (30 HS after 3 days of training Lead Groups @ HS MS & ES)Field/stream testing & Wet WellField/stream testing & Wet Well (Science classes, District-Wide EWEB grant)Down by the RiversideDown by the Riverside – 350 students ES (45) MS (175) HS (95+) - 4 env. projects across multiple days: trail construction, invasive species, pond rehabilitation projects.

Classes using S-L:Spanish ELL Buddy Program (35 AP Spanish 3) Students help high-need ES & MS as mentors & buddies)Give & Take Theater Project (25 HS writing Theater project for ES & perform for ES) Veterans’ Projects (160 HS 11-12th Global Realities Class – interviewed vets, wrote reflection papers, exhibits w/ photos & transcripts) U.S. Military Hero (45 Sr. Engl. – Interviewed military or family, built & sent care boxes overseas. Unit: formal letter-writing. Elder Memory Books (15 Sp Ed HS interviewed seniors about their lives, researched their period of time found graphics for seniors. Super responses.Community 101 - Awarded $5,000 to non-profits to respond to child abuse in the community.

S-L: Oregon ExamplesS-L: Oregon Examples

S-L: Oregon ExamplesS-L: Oregon Examples

SPS High School: 650 students participated in S-L activities, engaging in a total of 5,600 hrs of Preparation and/or Reflection and 6,100 hours of Service.One Literature project implemented a Service-Learning project related to children’s literacy.

S-L: Oregon ExamplesS-L: Oregon Examples

Students engaged in multiple activities including: researching literacy statisticslearning why literacy is important for brain developmenteducational progress and economic survival.

They received reading training from school district Reading Trainers. They also completed literacy training and mentoring for preschool and early ES children.

S-L: Oregon ExamplesS-L: Oregon Examples

Students used their literacy skills to organize and conduct a book drive, write press releases to publicize the event and its success. They wrote a brochure explaining why reading to children is important and they wrote a children’s book.

Students from this class have engaged in presentations at the school, district and the state level.

• Learn and Serve-funded Oregon Resource Districts will work with interested Districts in understanding and implementing service-learning as an effective strategy to embed The Oregon Diploma graduation standards in district plans.

Connections:Connections: To Graduation Standards

Oregon Department of Educationwww.ode.state.or.us/go/servicelearningLearn and Serve Americawww.learnandserve.govLearn and Serve America’s National Service-

Learning Clearinghousewww.servicelearning.orgYouth Service Americawww.ysa.org

More Information / ResourcesMore Information / Resources

Your questions?Your questions?