Service Learning, Continued

As the children move through the grade levels, the activities build on each other. For example, in fourth grade the children study the native plants found on Ring Mountain and then in fifth grade they participate in the removal of non-native invasive species on Ring Mountain and on campus. The kindergartner’s experiences as a class visiting and playing with the Alzheimer’s patients at a nearby care facility, prepares them for future individual volunteer work at senior facilities during eighth grade service learning week.

Key to Success:

Key to the success of the Service Learning program is the follow-up component. Students are encouraged to reflect on their experiences; classroom activities such as journals, art projects and oral presentations allow the students to explore their reactions and better understand their roles as members of a community.

Research shows:

When academics are linked to serious work on real needs, students’ motivation to learn increases. But there are other benefits as well:

Students master curriculum content by making connections between their studies and real-life applications and develop skills and interests, giving them a variety of ways to serve. These benefits are evident in the remarks our eighth graders make year after year in their journals (see side bar) following a week of working with the elderly, preschool and school-age children, the homeless, and on environmental issues.