Improving Academic Performance by Integrating Service-Learning into the Core Curriculum?

A Forum — Monday, November 14, 2005

Background

Service-learning is a form of experiential education where learning occurs through a cycle of planning, action, and reflection.  Working with others, students acquire knowledge and skills and apply what they learn in community settings as they try to meet community needs.  They experience consequences, both literal and emotional.  Recent research confirms that service-learning can be an effective strategy for enhancing student achievement and therefore is an attractive alternative to those who wish to use service-learning to meet the goals of No Child Left Behind, particularly for Titles 1 (programs for economically disadvantaged students), III (English Language Learners), and VII (American Indians, Native Hawaiians, and Native Alaskans).

As service-learning becomes more prevalent, states have begun to adopt policies that both support and regulate its practice. Some states address issues of mandatory service while others focus on transportation, safety, and alignment with state standards. Such policies include the incorporation of service-learning into state education standards and graduation requirements, the distribution of funds received from the federal government for service-learning programs, and the development of guidelines for local school boards that are implementing service-learning programs.[1]

Overview

This forum was a follow-up to Maximizing Civic and Academic Outcomes: Understanding What Works in Service Learning (November 4, 2005), which shared the latest research on service-learning and its impact on student academic achievement.  A team from Stafford County, Virginia, shared details of their service-learning program, now 13 years old, including successes in improving student academic achievement by integrating service-learning across the curriculum; meeting adequate yearly progress (AYP) by increasing student attendance; experience with shifting from Learn & Serve America support to sustained funding from the district; and experience with standards, assessment, teacher training, and evaluation.

Service-Learning in Stafford County

Cynthia Lucero-Chavez, service-learning coordinator, Stafford County Schools, provided an overview of the history and experience of service-learning in Stafford, including the program’s support from Learn and Serve America funding and its current sustainability through district funding. She explained that a suburban but mainly rural county, Stafford is one of Virginia’s fastest growing communities.

Stafford County Schools in Stafford, Virginia, have used service-learning as a teaching methodology to engage students in learning and civic engagement since 1994, when the program began with one class instructed by a part-time community involvement specialist. Now the district boasts 14 Learn & Service classes and five Students Serving Stafford programs, which have led to 13,000 student hours of service to the community last year alone. 

Lucero-Chavez explained that service-learning at Stafford is “a method in which students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences that meet actual community needs that are coordinated in collaboration with the school and community.”  She emphasized that service-learning: 1) is integrated into the students’ academic curriculum, 2) uses newly acquired skills and knowledge in real life situations, 3) enhances what is taught in school beyond the classroom walls, and 4) provides structured time for reflection.  “Classroom time is deepened by service to others and ample time is provided for reflection,” she said.

High school students interested in service-learning may enroll in elective Learn & Serve courses, which are offered in the 4 x 4 and “X-Y” (also known as “A-B”) block schedules and in the traditional seven period schedules.  The district also offers independent study courses for high school students and other activities at the middle and elementary school levels.  Lucero-Chavez highlighted four service-learning tools the district uses: 1) course card, to emphasize expectations and planning, 2) service-learning manual, to clearly define the service-learning model, 3) professional development, to allow students the opportunity to teach both teachers and other students, and 4) presenters to give students practice with sharing their work. She also noted the four components of a service-learning activity: 1) preparation, 2) action, 3) reflection, and 4) demonstration.

Stafford County Schools received support for its service-learning curriculum from Learn & Serve America from 1994 to 2001.  Since the grant ended, the program has become entirely sustained by county funding and in-kind donations from local partners.  Students also contribute toward grant writing for projects.

Evaluation and Assessment of Service-Learning

Service-learning has been actively connected to academic outcomes and increasingly to assessments. Informal pre and post assessment of a student's GPA and attitudes towards service are performed to get a sense of how the program is making a difference academically. The district's career and technical department administers the multiple intelligence test and career assessment, to look at the difference in the way students learn as well as the interest in careers.

Currently, the district is looking to formal evaluations to assess the program and is seeking a partnership with higher education for this purpose. "We know that the students are benefiting but we don't have the data to show it formally yet, but this is where we are going," said Lucero-Chavez. Teachers evaluate students with rubrics, student portfolios, and daily performance-project timelines.

Service-Learning in the Classroom

Katie B. Werner, Learn & Serve and 9th grade English teacher, Mountain View High School, discussed service-learning from an instructor’s perspective.  “I can’t tell you the amount of confident and growth I have witnessed,” she said of the students in her service-learning classes.  She added that students who teachers and counselors identify as problematic may get the most out of service-learning, as it may be the first time someone has depended on them.

According to Werner, service-learning is a unique form of education, because it allows students to use previously gained knowledge to think critically about real life situations.  Because of this, “students are really engaged, they get really excited about a project,” she said.  Werner explained that students react to service-learning in this way because the projects are based on what they want to do, which is atypical for most teachers’ classrooms.  “It’s very difficult to give the classroom over to your students, but I’ve found that they really make the right choices,” she said.

Werner added that from service-learning students also gain a better understanding of their community, work outside of their comfort zones and learn to network with members of the community.

Although the service-learning activities are flexible, Werner’s class follows a weekly structure.  Mondays students examine current events through local newspapers, Youth Today, and other sources; at Mountain View, this takes an environmental focus.  Tuesdays and Wednesdays students prepare for their various projects.  Thursdays the students tutor and mentor students at a local elementary school.  Fridays the students engage in team building activities, leadership seminars, games, reflection and demonstration.  Werner noted that reflection enables students, “to transform their lives into learning.”  Reflection, which is not a component of traditional core classes, is the most important part of the service-learning experience, she said.

Service-Learning in the Community

Natalie S. Davis, Stafford County Citizen Assistance and Volunteer Services Manager, has worked with many Stafford County Learn & Serve students in her volunteer capacity with the county.  The students she has worked with have created a fundraising cookbook, directed and produced a safety DVD, and written a historical activity book for elementary school students.  Davis added that the students’ fresh perspective and insightful questions contribute to the work of the county.  “The students learn a great deal from us, but sometimes I wonder if we don’t learn more from them,” she said.

Davis said that Stafford County strives to become the best local government in Virginia.  “We can’t do that without our students,” she said.  Added Davis: “Service-learning is an enormous blessing in our community.  It see it as a money-saving, productive, challenging two-way street.”

Student Perspectives on Service-Learning

Chad Liston Terry, North Stafford High School junior, described how service-learning has enhanced his education.  “Some people my age have problems with organization, self-preparation, and teamwork,” he said, adding that service-learning is a real life means to build these skills.  Terry said he enjoys service-learning because it allows students to work together and communicate to overcome disagreements.  He also said he enjoys seeing a project reach fruition.  “It gives me joy to see a project from beginning to end,” he said, specifically noting that instead of seeing one component of a project, such as a canned food drive, the students are able to see the result of their actions and the faces of those they help.  “[Service-learning] needs to be put in all classes, because the community can be changed,” he said.

Tenille Goodman, Stafford High School senior, said she took the Learn & Serve class because she thought it would be an “easy A.”  “But there’s no easy party about Learn & Serve,” she said.  Goodman said Learn & Serve teaches students responsibility, organization, and preparedness, in order to meet the needs of the community.  “Our class does things that wouldn’t be done otherwise, “she said, speaking of canned food drives and river and road clean-ups.  She also thinks it helps bolster the teens images of themselves as well as others’ images of teens.  “Usually people only hear negatives things about teens, [but] we do a lot of amazing things no one hears about,” she said.  “I know I wouldn’t be the same person if I hadn’t taken this class—it was a life-changing experience.”

Questions and Answers

In response to a question about how service-learning is integrated into the curriculum, Lucero-Chavez explained that there are two models: begin with the learning objective or begin with the project.  Learn & Serve classes begin with the project and then integrate items from the curriculum. Werner provided examples of how math and English are integrated into service projects, such as by writing business letters and computing the price and quantity of pizza needed for a large group.

In response to a question about service projects with religious institutions, Lucero-Chavez answered that service projects, such as food drives, may be conducted with any organization, but that religious education and evangelization, as well as political campaign work, are not acceptable Learn & Serve projects.

In response to a question about the annual cost of the district’s program, Lucero-Chavez said the supply budget is $30,000 per year.  Faculty from various disciplines teach Learn & Serve classes.

Other Resources

AYPF field trip to Stafford County Schools, Stafford, Virginia: www.aypf.org/tripreports/2005/tr021405.htm

Service-Learning Quality Review Tool produced by RMC Research: http://cart.rmcdenver.com/assessment

Service Learning United and the National Service-Learning Partnership are national-level advocacy groups promoting greater acceptance of service-learning in national, state, and local policy. For more information on these groups, visit http://www.servicelearningunited.org/pages/1/index.htm and www.service-learningpartnership.org/

Presenters

Cynthia Lucero-Chavez is originally from Los Angeles, California but moved to Virginia 7 years ago. She is in her 5th year as the Community Involvement Specialist for Stafford County Public Schools. Currently, she serves on the Stafford County Beautification Committee and has served on the Department of Defense School Board.  She has a degree in Social Work from George Mason University and is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Service-Learning from the University of Wisconsin.

Mrs. Katie Werner is an English teacher at Mountain View High School in Stafford County, Virginia.  She has taught 9th grade English and Learn and Serve for the past 4 years.  She is a graduate of St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY and is currently pursuing her masters at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Katie Werner is an English teacher at Mountain View High School in Stafford County, Virginia.  She has taught 9th grade English and Learn and Serve for the past 4 years.  She is a graduate of St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY and is currently pursuing her masters at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Natalie S. Davis is a native of Virginia. She has worked as the director of two local United Way Agencies: the Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence and the Fredericksburg Area Hotline. She taught high school English for nine years and has served in her present position for 15 years.  Currently, the office coordinates the activities of over 100 adult volunteers who work in government offices and on administrative support teams. Natalie holds a degree in English and Liberal Studies from the University of Mary Washington.

Chad Liston Terry is a 16 year-old junior at North Stafford High School.  He is a member of the JV Football team and a photographer for the school yearbook.  He is a Life Scout of Boy Scout Troop 46.

Tenille Goodman is in 12th grade at Stafford High School.  After high school she plans to go to college to study Anthropology or International Affairs.  She enjoys reading, listening to music, and meeting new people. 

[1] The National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, http://www.servicelearning.org/resources/fact_sheets/k-12_facts/policy/

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