Can
service learing be used with everyone? Or is it only for older
kids? Or gifted kids?
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Service Learning works with
kindergarteners and college students as well as every grade in
between. Students of all ages and most ability levels can
participate successfully, and almost every subject or skill can be
enhanced through the practice of service learning. Because it can
be applied to almost every subject area, this naturally encourages
cross-curricular intergration, which can help students grow and improve
in several areas simultaneously.
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Are
there different kinds or categories of service?
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Service can take many
forms. Usually though, the "service" in service learning can be
classified as direct service, indirect service, advocacy, or
research.
- Direct
service - Students' service directly affects and involves
the recipients. The interactions are person-to-person and
face-to-face, such as tutoring younger children or working with
elders. Students engaged in direct service learn about caring for
others who are different in age or experience, developing
problem-solving skills, following a sequence from begining to end, and
seeing the "big picture" of a social justice issue. Interacting
with animals is also included in direct service.
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- Indirect
Service - Indirect activities do not provide service to
individual but benefit the community or enviroment as a whole.
Examples include restoring a wetland area, constucting park benches,
stocking a food pantry, donating picture books to a Head Start program,
and collecting clothing for families living in a shelter.
Students engaging in indirect service learn about cooperation, working
as a team, taking on different roles, organizing, and prioritizing.
They will also gain project-specfic skills and knowledge that relate to
academic content.
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- Advocacy
- The intent of advocacy is to create awareness of or promote action on
an issue of public interest. Related activities include writing
letters, sponsoring a town meeting, performing a play, and public
speaking. Student advocates learn about perserverance;
understanding rules, systems, and processes; civic engagement; and
working with adults.
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- Research
- Research activities involve students in finding, gathering, and
reporting on information in the public interest. For example,
students may develop surveys or conduct formal studies, evaluations,
experiments, or interviews. They my also test water or soil, or
conduct internal enviromental surveys. By participation in
research-based service learning, students my learn how to gather
information, make discriminating judgements, and work
systematically. They enhance their skills in organization,
assesment, and evaluation as well.
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