The Learning Link
Ensuring Service Learning is an Effective Instructional Strategy
PRESENTED BY:
ELISHA WRITT
LEAD TEACHER
CLINTONVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
A Standard for Quality Practice:
Link to Curriculum
SERVICE LEARNING IS
INTENTIONALLY USED AS AN
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
TO MEET LEARNING GOALS
AND/OR CONTENT
STANDARDS.
Taken from National Youth Leadership Council’s K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice
Indicators of Quality Practice
 Clearly articulated learning goals
 Aligned with academic curriculum
 Participants learn how to transfer
knowledge and skills from one setting to
another
 Formally recognized in school board
policy and student records
Taken from National Youth Leadership Council’s K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice
Link to
Curriculum
Rubric for
Continuous
Improvement
of the
ServiceLearning
Experience
Advanced: students learn how to transfer
knowledge and skills, explicit alignment
to curriculum, students construct
knowledge through challenging tasks
Experienced: students are able to master
complex skills, instruction leads to
project/experience completion, some
intentional, some not
Introductory: link to curriculum is not
intentional despite some skill mastery,
experience does not push learning to higher
levels
Novice: low level skills, project/experience
does not come from curriculum, more like an
add-on activity
Summarized from WI DPI’s Rubric , based on NYLC’s K-12 standards
TIME TO SHARE and REFLECT
 Think of a service learning experience
you’ve been involved with
 Share a brief overview of the project
 Reflect on your practice – use the
rubric to guide yourself
Avoiding the Traps
 Start with your curriculum
 Know your curriculum
 Determine learning goals at the start
 Plan assessments at the start
Avoiding the Traps…continued
 Recognize that a project/experience
will likely replace your old way of
teaching a skill set, concept, or unit
 Understand that the learning comes
first, the impact on the community
comes second
Deepen Your Practice
 Setting the Context
 Planning Sheets
 Rubric
Creating the Link
FINDING WHERE SERVICE CAN
COMPLIMENT AND ENHANCE YOUR
CURRICULUM
Steps to creating a link to curriculum
1. Write 5 course goals/objectives for one
subject you teach.
2. What issues in the community relate to
these topics?
3. How might students be able to have an
impact on this issue through a direct,
indirect, or advocacy focused solution?
Adapted from “A Project Walk Through” from Maryland Student Service Alliance, with input from T. Dary, WI DPI
Steps to creating a link…continued
4. What needs in the school or community
would be met through this experience?
5. What do students need to know or
understand before they can respond with a
solution? What do you already do in your
curriculum that prepares students for
applying knowledge and skills in the
community?
Adapted from “A Project Walk Through” from Maryland Student Service Alliance, with input from T. Dary, WI DPI
Steps to creating a link…continued
6. How can you document and assess student
progress throughout the service learning
experience to make sure they are learning
what you want them to learn?
7. What do you already do in your curriculum
that serves as meaningful, challenging
reflection?
Adapted from “A Project Walk Through” from Maryland Student Service Alliance, with input from T. Dary, WI DPI
CREATING THE LINK
Please take a few moments to start
filling out a Creating the Link
worksheet.
Discussion
WHAT DOES IT MEAN…?
”PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN
HOW TO TRANSFER
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FROM
ONE SETTING TO ANOTHER.”
Let’s review…
Fill in the blanks.
 Service-learning has
clearly articulated
____________ goals.
 Service-learning is
_______________
with the academic
and/or programmatic
curriculum.
 Service-learning helps
participants ________
knowledge and skills
from one setting to
another.
 Service-learning is
formally _________ in
school board policies
and student records.
Taken from National Youth Leadership Council’s K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice
 Make sure your students are aware
My Final
Thoughts
of the instructional goals you have
determined for this experience.
 Be ready for those times when you
will need to filter a student spawned
idea through your instructional lens,
so that what comes about is
service-learning, not just service.
 Remember…A service-learning
experience without strong curricular
ties is NOT high quality.
Presenter
Contact Information
ELISHA WRITT
CLINTONVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
EWRITT@CLINTONVILLE.K12.WI.US
715-823-7215 X3254