This article describes a program through which students with learning disabilities and culturally diverse backgrounds, and their peers in the general education program, demonstrated their abilities to be service providers to many people within their community

Retish, Esther

Wade, Rahima

Yoder, Denise I.

English

The University of Nebraska, Omaha

University of Nebraska at OmahaDigitalCommons@UNOSpecial Topics, General Special Topics in Service Learning1996Service Learning: Meeting Student andCommunity NeedsDenise I. YoderEsther RetishRahima WadeFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slcestgenPart of the Service Learning CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Topicsin Service Learning at DigitalCommons@UNO. It has been accepted forinclusion in Special Topics, General by an authorized administrator ofDigitalCommons@UNO. For more information, please contactunodigitalcommons@unomaha.edu.Recommended CitationYoder, Denise I.; Retish, Esther; and Wade, Rahima, "Service Learning: Meeting Student and Community Needs" (1996). SpecialTopics, General. 107.https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slcestgen/107Imagine students turning the tables-giving service to others instead of always being on the receiving end of services. Imagine students learning in a school-without-walls­except the walls and corridors and gardens of community-based sites where elderly people live or littl~ children play. Imagine students with disabilities getting excited about possible careers and poUshing their "people" skins in the process. . :Imagine ·kids using · math and English and social studies Denise 1. Yoder Esther Retish Rahima Wade • 14 • THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN NOTICE:THIS MATERIAL MAY BE PAOT~TED BY COPYRIGHT LAW (TIllE 17 U.S. CODE) lack of motivation and inadequate social skills on the part of some students. At the same time, the English-as-a-second lan­guage (ESL) teacher felt that there was a need for her students to practice English language skills in a variety of settings. Both teachers believed their students would benefit from using communica­tion, reading, writing, and social skills while working with a variety of individ­uals. Participants. As a result of collaboration among several teachers, we formed a het­erogenous group of 24 seventh- and eighth-grade students interested in ser­vice learning: • All students enrolled in the resource program were invited to participate. • The ESL teacher selected students based on their need for oral and written English-language practice within the community. • Students enrolled in the general edu­cation study hall during class periods when the program would take place were asked to participate on a random basis. Our service-learning group comprised 6 students with learning disabilities, 6 students enrolled in an ESL course, and 12 students without disabilities enrolled in the general education program. Assistants. To help supervise students at his article describes a program through which students with learning disabilities and culturally diverse backgrounds, and their peers in the general education program, demon­strated their abilities to be service providers to many people within their community. In this program-called service learn­ing-we expanded the existing school­based curriculum and gave students the opportunity to work collaboratively with peers, younger students, and senior citi­zens (see box, "A Rationale for Service Learning"). Through their service activi­ties, our students were able to practice appropriate communication and social skills across age levels in natural settings. Responses to questionnaires and inter­views revealed increased social skills and self-esteem. Students were seen as help­ing, caring, role models by younger stu­dents, and as sensitive adolescents by senior citizens. Beginning t he Service-Learning Program The need for increased interaction with peers and appropriate communication skills became apparent to several teach­ers shortly after the new school year began. The resource teacher noticed a g: t the sites, tWO univ cial studi dent en program students fulfilling helped c sions, ac the servi, students tivities. CommUl retireme adjacen u Ser' Pel'! ~I.. VIJ P' 2. V\ 3. '" o 4.V ir s· o 5.' 6. t J . 	 /1.: \ ~ : t ~ social At the Id lan­'was a \nglish ttings . Idents unica­skills ldivid­-ration ahet­- and n ser-Durce lents 'itten I the edu­iods vere ,is. 'sed 5, 6 md led ; at [he sites, we obtained the assistance of [IVO university students enrolled in a so­cial studies methods course and one stu­dent enrolled in the leisure studies program at the University of Iowa. These students assisted with the program while iulfilling practicum requirements. They I helped coordinate student training ses­I sions, accompanied students to and from the service-learning sites, and supervised students during daily service-learning ac­livities. community Sites. We contacted a local retirement center and K-6 teachers in an adjacent ,elementary person? 2. W ho does your agency serve? 3. What are the needs and concerns of your agen.cy? 4. Would you be interested in having junior high school students help to meet some of these needs? 5. What limitations are there in regard to time, schedules, and health concerns? 6. 	How many students would you be able to accommo­date? 7. What are your expectations for volunteers? 8 . How should we prepare students for this experience? 9 . Wnat is the level of commit­ment for train ing, supervis­ing, and evaluating students provided by your staff? 10. Is publicity permissible ? Students benefit fro m comm unity service by increasing their self-estee m, self-knowledge, and communication and social skills. school to determine if they would be interested in collaborating on service­learning projects. In choosing the ser­vice sites, we considered factors such as proximity to the school, age appro­priateness of activities, the agency's and students' willingness to participate in the program, and scheduling. Figure 1 provides a list of questions we found useful when contacting agencies. Orientation and 'fraining. All students participated in tours of the retirement center and elementary school, and then selected one of the two sites to carry out their service-learning projects. We held three 20-minute training sessions, conducted by the resource and ESL teachers, the school district volunteer coordinator, and two university practicum students before first period on 3 consecutive days. We discussed issues such as signing in and out of the junior high and service sites, behaving appro­priately at the service sites, and carrying out responsibilities associated with the service-learning activities. Discussion in­cluded the need to be prompt, be cour­teous, and use appropriate language. Students were also informed about the need to be quiet on arrival and complete tasks requested by the elementary teacher or care center staff before beginning ac­tivities that they had planned. Learning from Service Projects and Schedules. Students who worked at the retirement center were able to choose from a variety of tasks, includ­ing reading or writing letters, talking, and playing cards or board games. At the el­ementary school, students were placed in classrooms after considering the tasks requested by the cooperating teachers, their reading and language abilities, and their preference for age group. They read to younger students, played language and board games, answered sixth-graders' questions about junior high school, and tutored in math. Students walked to their respective sites with either a project teacher or a university student. They car­ried out their project dur:::g study halls or selected class times that were 45 minutes long for a minimum of two times a week for 6 weeks. Reflection Time. Throughout the pro­gram, students met with the resource and ESL teachers to reflect on their activities and make plans for their next visit. They also discussed their experiences with the university practicum students as they walked to and from the sites. Group re­view and planning sessions were held after school, and individual students met daily with the program teachers. Students discussed their project, what they planned to do in the future, and what changes they would make, if any. Stu­dents regularly wrote in their journals re­garding their experiences. They also gave oral feedback and incorporated experi­ences into written stories. Links to the curriculum were made as students prac-TEACHING EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN / SUMM ER 1996 • 15 I • FIGURE 2 Questions for Student Reflection After Service­Learning Experience 1 . How did your last service­learning activity go? 2. What was good about it? 3. What problems did you en­counter? ,4. What, if anything, would you change? ticed their reading and oral language skills with young children , kept journals about their activities, and reviewed math facts with elementary students. Figure 2 provides a list of questions that we used for guiding student reflection on service activities. Meeting Challenges An important component of this program was the coordination of schedules. The university practicum students were avail­able during limited hours, and teachers had little free time during the day to work on programs that were not a part of their regular schedules. In addition, we also had to coordinate the class and extracur­ricular schedules of the junior high stu­dents in scheduling training sessions and time for group reflection. Scheduling con­flicts often made it difficult to meet with every student on a daily basis and to in­volve all students in the group reflection sessions. Although all students did not meet in groups, they did meet with a 16 • THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN teacher or university practicum student at least twice a week to reflect on their activities and feelings. Another challenge involved remind­ing some students that they had made a commitment and that despite waning in­terest or impending homework, they must follow through. Despite these diffi­culties, the time and energy spent were well worth the efforts. Counting the Benefits of Service Increased Self-Esteem. The value of the service-learning activities is most evident in the benefits to individual students. For example, Bob was a reluctant, yet curi­ous student. He was hesitant to become involved in the service-learning project at its inception. With encouragement, he decided to go on the tour and see what service learning was all about. After the tour, he stated that he would like to work with "little kids," but because of past ex­periences and feelings of failure, was hes­itant to go back to his former elementary school. With teacher support, he began his service-learning project, reading to a first-grade student. As the project con­tinued, he became more comfortable and was asked by elementary teachers to speak to students about adjusting to ju­nior high school. In reflecting on his ex­periences, he stated that he learned he "could read." He felt better about himself and spoke with pride about his new role. Increased Self-Knowledge. A question­naire revealed that many students learned a great deal about themselves and serv­ing others. In response to the question, "What did you learn about service?" Diane expressed surprise "that something so easy can make somebody happy," and Mary felt that she learned time manage­ment. Vong commented that he realized he liked children, but did not like to teach them, while Jeff found that through cross­age tutoring he had a chance to work with someone who looked up to him. Increased Communication, Problem­Solving, and Social Skills. After their ser­vice-learning experiences, our stUdents seemed more self-assured and displayed skills and talents that are not typically ap­parent in our classrooms. For example, students exhibited patience, understand­ing, and functional problem-solving skills . As they assisted elementary stu­dents with a variety of assignments, stu­dents also developed skills in relating to the very young and the elderly. Sarah noted, "I got more self-confidence," and Kari stated that "it's really fun and makes you feel a little bit better about yourself." Students became aware of their role as active citizens and service providers. As they engaged in problem-solving, they were able to come up with complex so­lutions for a variety of social issues. One group of students proposed a number of options regarding care for the elderly that incorporated societal and culturallimita­tions and norms. All participating students learned that it was necessary to prepare ahead of time for their activities and bring necessary materials. Students put plans into action, and they experienced the benefits and pleasures of collaborating with others to meet a variety of needs. We 'observed increased communication skills and the development of friendships with com­munity members, as well as peers who were also involved in the service-learn­ tal. Rap ing project. ingwitf work w Achieving Closure or comparContinuation dents e: Ending the service-learning projects was in a sin difficult for many students. They enjoyed the time that they had spent with the el­ Extent ementary students and residents of the Conne retirement center. At the request of the Engagi: students, we extended a few projects be­ their cc yond the original time line. When pro­ fort on jects ended, students gave mementos to pays 0 the people with whom they had worked to all. and thanked them for their participation. studen Cindy and Lisa continued their commu­ is aidE nity service by volunteering at another proble residential care center and a local hospi­~ J.. J r students disPlayed picallyap_ example, lderstand_ a-solving ntary stu­lents, stu­~elating to ~ ly. Sarah nee," and nd makes yourself. " ~ir role as fiders. As ing, they nplex so­lues . One umber of jerly that allimita­rned that d of time ecessary o action, ~fits and Jthers to bserved and the :h com­~rs who e-Iearn­:ts was 'njoyed the el­of the of the cts be­n pro­ltoS to 'orked ation. mmu­lother lospi­tal. Raphael noted that he enjoyed work­ing with small children, and would like to work with elderly people in the future to compare the two experiences. Many stu­dents expressed the desire to be involved in a similar school project again. Extending Learning and Making Connections Engaging students in civic action within their community takes extra time and ef­fort on the part of teachers, but more than pays off with a multitude of benefits to all. Teachers learn more about their students' strengths, and the community is aided by people who help identify problems and contribute time, skills , and energy to solve them. Service learning provides an opportunity for students to establish friendships with peers, as well as community members. Students are able to make a meaningful link between daily activities, work skills, and the cur­riculum through problem-solving and ac­tion. Students learn to take pride in themselves and their social contributions while engaging in activities that establish positive connections among the school, students, and community. References Cairn, R. w., & Kielsmeier, J. C. (1991) . Grow­ing hope: A sourcebook on integrating youth service into the school cuTTiculum (lst ed .). National Youth Leadership Cou ncil, Roseville, MN. Conrad, D., & Hedin, D. (1991). School-based community service: What we know from research and theory. Phi Delta Kappan, 72(10), 754-757. Eberly, D. J. (1993 ). National youth service: A developing institution. NASSP Bulletin, 77, 50-57 . LaGreca, A. M., & Stone, W. L. (1990). LD sta­tus and achievement : Confounding vari ­ables in the study of children'S social status, self-esteem, and behavioral functioning. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 23, 483-490. McPherson , K., & Nebgen, M. K. (1991). Con­nections: Community service and school re­form recommendation. Education and Urban Society, 23, 326-3 34. Morris, R. (Ed. ) . (1992) . Solving the problems of youth at-risk: invol ving parents and community resources. Lancaster, PA: Tech­nomic Pub. TEACHING EXCEPTIONAL CHILD REN / SUMMER 1996 • 17 Omark, D., & Erickson, J. (Eds.) . (1983). The bilingual exceptional child. San Diego: Col­lege Hill. Schine, J. (l990) . A rationale for youth com­munity service. Social Policy, 20, 5-1l. Scbloss, P., Smith, M., & Schloss, C. (1990). Instructional methods for adolescents with learning and behavior problems. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Townsend, K. (1993). Wby mandatory service belongs in public schools. The School Administrator, (50)3, 64. Additional Resources Cohn, E. (1987). Designing groupwork: Strate­gies for the heterogeneous classroom. New York: Teachers College Press. Kiner, R. W (1993) . Community service : A middle school success story . Clearing House, 66 , 139-140 . Kinsley, C. W, & McPherson, K. (1995). En­riching the curriculum through service learn­ing. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Mention this ad at the CEC Conference and receive 10% off materials. ''When e • etlratn :> •~. Zoo-phonics is designed to reach .., students in your Special Education/ categorical programs. Zoo-phonics is also available in Spanish.'.,.• ; . Zoo-phonics can teach all age groups from pre-school through adult. ~@a !oo-p .~;;~ •• ';1 ..e yMoves------' , Through a cast of 26 animal characters, Zoo-phonics teaches the sounds and shapes of the alphabet. This sound/symbol information is locked into memory through 26 body movements which together become the foundation for reading and spelling mastery. This same cast of characters and body movements teach all of the phonemes of the English language in a "teacher-student­parent" friendly manner . •";. Z h' . IfW. oo-p omcs Increases se -.., confidence and self-esteem because of the immediate success the children feel. onics® '~ Multi-Modal Phonics, Reading & Spelling Program which is Literature-Based. " P.O. Box 1219, Groveland , CA 95321 • Toll free : 1.800.622.8104 Phone: 209.962.5030· Fax: 209.962.4320· Internet: AOL@Zoophonics Silcox, H. (1993). School-based commUnity service programs-An imperative for effe~_ tive schools. NASSP Bulletin , 77, 58-62. Stiliadis, K., & Wiener, J. (1989) . Relationship between social perception and peer status in children with learning disabilities. JOur­nal of Learning Disabilities , 22, 624-629 . Stone, W L., & LaGreca , A. M. (1990) . The so­cial status of children with learning dis­abilities: A reexamination. Journal Of Learning Disabilities, 23 , 32 - 37. Wood, G. s. (1992). Teaching community ser­vice. Association Management, 44, 39-42. Denise I. Yoder (CEC IA Federation), Resource Teacher; Esther Retish, English as a Second Language Teacher, Iowa Cit)' Community Schools, Iowa City, Iowa. Rahima Wade, As­sistant Professor of Elementary Social Studies, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. Address correspondence to Denise Yoder, Northwest Junior High, 1507 8th Street, Coralville, IA 52241 (e-mail: dyoder@blue. weeg. uiowa. edu) . Copyright 1996 CEC. Practical lnt.rvtntions for managinq b.havioral, sodal, and academicprobl.ms. PackiCJrd In 16 individual booklets with srparat. Proc.dural Manual. ~ Managi'ng Physically Dang.rous Behavior - Managing Srvrr.ly Disruptive Behavior • Providing Academic Assistance :. Structuring Reinforce"1N1t SV5ttlm~ · Restructuring Self-Talk • (stablishing (Jassroom Manag~mmt Strategirs • Incrfasing·Positive Intt'ractions' • (stablishingBordrrlinesand (onsrqvrnces · PlanningDiStusSioDs · Self-Monitorinq · Mentoring . • ManaginCJ Strrss - Tl'aching Desired Bphaviors • Signallntl'rfl'rl'nce (ueing - 60al Settingand'(ontracting - S.lf-(ontrolTraining . Thl'ProCl'duralManual provides dftaUed instructions on how to do coilaborativ(I probl,m-solvinq. c;;;;==n a I I #S5101 19931SBH 0-9ft~~8~-95-0 m «(( MrmhaFS $65 Dt!pt. K60~18 18 • THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN 

Service Learning: Meeting Student and Community Needs

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Service Learning: Meeting Student and Community Needs

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