| There are several characteristics which make service-learning
a unique way to learn, serve, and teach and they are listed below.
However, the fundamental benefit of this teaching technique is based on
the proven experience that when you do something or have to teach it you
learn and retain it much better than any other teaching technique.
What are the characteristics of service-learning?
· Community service serves as the vehicle for
the achievement of specific academic goals and objectives.
· It provides structured time for students to
reflect on their service and learning experiences through a mix of writing,
reading, speaking, listening, and creating in small and large groups and
individual work.
· It fosters the development of those "intangibles"
- empathy, personal values, beliefs, awareness, self-esteem, self-confidence,
social-responsibility, and helps to foster a sense of caring for others.
· It is based on a reciprocal relationship in
which the service reinforces and strengthens the learning, and the learning
reinforces and strengthens the service.
How is service-learning different from community service?
· Service-learning uses community service as the
vehicle for the attainment of students' academic goals and objectives.
· Community service fills a need in the community
through volunteer efforts. Service-learning also fills that need,
but it uses that need as a foundation to examine our society, our future,
and ourselves. Further, service-learning provides students with opportunities
to use newly acquired skills and knowledge in real-life situations.
· Service-learning identifies in advance, and
tracks, specific learning objectives and goals (as well as the intangible
ones).
· Service-learning allows students to perform
a valuable, significant, and necessary service which has real consequence
to the community.
· The goal of service is to empower students and
those being served.
· The needs of the community dictate the service
being provided.
What liabilities and risks are involved with service-learning?
· There is an inherent assumption of risk for
which all students are responsible. All volunteers and service-learners
should be fully informed, in advance, of any risks inherent in the activity
and must knowingly consent to undertake such risks.
· All those involved with service-learning activities
should exercise due care and attempt to foresee dangers to students and
take whatever precautions seem reasonable to avoid them.
· The program coordinator has worked with teachers,
staff, and administrators to develop activities that have been tried and
tested. Release forms have been developed where needed.
Service-Learning Goals
· Enhance student learning by joining theory with
experience and thought with action.
· Fill unmet needs in the community through direct
service that is meaningful and necessary.
· Enable students to help others, give of themselves,
and enter into caring relationships with others.
· Assist students to see the relevance of the
academic subject to the real world.
· Enhance the self-esteem and self-confidence
of your students.
· Develop an environment of collegial participation
among students, teachers, and the community.
· Give students the opportunity to do important
and necessary work.
· Increase the civic and citizenship skills of
students.
· Assist agencies to better serve their clients
and benefit from the infusion of enthusiastic volunteers.
· To expose students to societal inadequacies
and injustices and empower students to remedy them.
· Develop a richer context for student learning.
· Provide cross-cultural experiences for students.
· Better prepare students for their careers/continuing
education.
· Foster a re-affirmation of students' careers
choices.
· Keep students in class/school and serve as a
tool for retention.
· Give student greater responsibility for their
learning.
· Help students know how to get things done!
· Impact local issues and local needs.
Florida Learn &
Serve
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