Debriefing MLK Day Events: Tapping the Power of the Experience
Enjoy the MLK Day service projects and events you have planned! (If you are looking for one, visit to locate one using your zip code.) 
This post is just a quick reminder to take a page out of your service-learning facilitation book and to take advantage of the MLK Day experience to help the people in your group connect their actions of the day to thoughts and feelings they’ll have during the day.
Make some time to gather your group in a circle before wrapping it up and lead a meaningful debriefing and reflection on the day’s activities. You can do this in a thousand different ways (see reflection lessons suggested on the MLK Day site.), but it seems that including Dr. King’s words and deeds is an appropriate way to prompt the individuals in your group to connect their day’s efforts with their thoughts and feelings.
Consider creating an opportunity for people to share their reflections—hearing from others will increase the power of the experience for everyone.
The MLK Day site has a concise list of nine things to remember to help everyone have a wonderful experience. Take a look at it before you set off tomorrow morning.
Civic Engagement Through Service Learning and 21st Century Skills: Not Preparation for Life, but Life Itself
“Participate in civic life and democratic decision-making.” This is the sixth on the list of seven 21st Century Skills that students demonstrate and develop through service learning. You can read the discussion of the first of five skills on the list (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ) by using the links in the parentheses or by scrolling down through this blog.
I’m reminded of John Dewey when I read, “Participate in civic life and democratic decision-making.” Dewey told us that, “Education is not preparation for life but is life itself.” (This quote, which is how I usually see it in print, is truncated—here is the whole thing.) (more…)
To Ensure Civic Engagement When Working With Youth, Don’t Mention These Words Until…
Last week I posted a blog about a few breakthroughs for civic education…this week…the picture is less rosy.
After reading a few articles over the last couple of days (I’m not linking to them), I’m a bit frustrated with a couple of refrains in civic education I hear, so while this post needs some work, I want to get it off my chest–here is the essence and I’ll overhaul it later.
Here is a breakthrough I’d really like to see… (more…)
Youth Can Extend Themselves at Extended School Day Programs: Community Engagement With Service Learning
“It’s not your father’s Oldsmobile” and “Orange juice, it’s not just for breakfast anymore.” You recognize those taglines from a couple of old ad campaigns, right? Just good old Madison Avenue suggesting that we should think about some old friends in a new way. That is just a little bit like what this post is doing, only I’m not a Madison Avenue ad exec, so I don’t have a snappy tagline. Plus, I know that this is not an entirely new way to think of “an old friend.” But if you come up with a snappy tagline, please, share it. I’ll give you all kinds of credit for it.
Just for breakfast?
More and more extend school day program (before school/after school/during school vacation programs) teachers are using service learning.
Why?
For the same reasons that other school teachers use it—the benefits are many.
The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, released an issue brief this month that discusses civic engagement and service learning in afterschool programs. The title of the brief is Providing Opportunities for Service Learning for Middle School Students. Even though the title isn’t all that catchy, it is a good one to download and read, especially if you have been looking for ideas and support for service learning outside of the school day. (more…)
21st Century Skills and Service Learning: Data Collection and Analysis Creating Critical Thinkers and Effective Citizens
Wanted: caring citizens who think critically, analyze information and make well-informed choices.
Last week I posted a list of seven ways service learning provides opportunities for students to demonstrate 21st Century Skills and gave examples of one of the skills being met through a real project.
Here again is the list:
1) Solve complex, multidisciplinary problems;
2) Think critically, analyze information and make well-informed choices;
3) Be creative and entrepreneurial;
4) Communicate effectively in person and in writing;
5) Collaborate and foster teamwork;
6) Participate in civic life and democratic decision-making; and
7) Cultivate an ongoing commitment to learning.
Let’s look at another project and see how students are developing these skills. (more…)
Catching Up on the Civic Mission of School with the Guardian of Democracy: Inspiration for Civic Education and Engagement
Guardian of Democracy. Doesn’t that sound as if it could be a movie? Who would you place in the lead roles of such a film? Who would direct it? Well, never mind. It is not a movie. It is a report on civic education and civic engagement. Fade cut to the next scene…
Admit it. You have watched your favorite movie at least five times, haven’t you? So don’t start thinking that I am in left field for suggesting that you go back a reread one of your favorite reports on civic education from the last decade…I know, it is not the same as watching the Wizard of Oz in its original format. But I don’t think that we are in Kansas anymore (apologies to those of you in Kansas). (more…)
Seven Ways Service Learning Helps Students to Master 21st Century Skills while Helping Communities to Meet 21st Century Challenges
You have heard it before…service learning is a powerful strategy for helping students to meet 21st Century Skills while transforming communities. Well, it’s true. But how does service learning do that? Over the next few weeks through this blog we are going to explore that a bit. I hope that you will use the comment space to share your own thoughts and examples.
The title above says “Seven Ways Service Learning Helps Students etc…” So that’s it…there are seven. Well, there maybe more, maybe less. In KIDS as Planners: A Guide to Strengthening Students, Schools, and Communities through Service-Learning we identify seven. So let’s start with the idea that there are seven and go on from there. (more…)
Youth as Citizen Scientists: STEM and Civic Engagement
I continue to be energized by the broad base of educators using STEM topics to engage youth in learning about their world, their community and themselves.
At KIDS, we are working with teachers to apply the best practices in civic engagement through our model of service learning with the best practices in science instruction. The initiative started as a grant funded by Learn and Serve America called Youth as Citizen Scientists. Use the link to read more about it. I’m giving you the abbreviated version here.
In 2009-10, a “Design Team” of experienced middle level STEM service-learning practitioners collaborated with KIDS and the Maine Math and Science Alliance to use Curriculum Topic Studies to integrate innovative, research-based instructional strategies into their students service-learning projects. One focus was to explore how middle level students collect, analyze and apply data to authentic problems in their schools and communities. This focus really helped students with data!
In 2010-11 “Expansion Sites” were added, allowing more teachers and more students to build on the knowledge and experience of the “Design Team.” Check out the projects!
This year teachers are disseminating what they have learned by presenting at conferences and through a soon to be published STEM and service-learning supplement (STEM S-L Guide) to KIDS as Planners: a Guide to Strengthening Students, Schools and Communities through Service-Learning. More about the STEM S-L Guide in the coming weeks.
Love to hear about your STEM related efforts…
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