Title
Will the incorportation of service learning
projects increase student achievement?
Needs Assessment
When
touring the top scoring schools in Missouri, it was clear that one strategy
they all had in common was the use of service learning projects throughout the
school. Although our school is making
AYP through safe harbor we are not scoring nearly as high as the schools that
were toured. Fourth grade at our school
has consistently scored in the 60s in both language arts and math. 3rd grade however has been scoring
in the 40s and 50s. The acuity
predictive tests were projecting the same scores for the Spring Map this year
as well. Even though No Child Left
Behind mandates will soon be nonexistent in Missouri, the grade levels need a
boost. Service learning is an area the
school has not tapped into.
Objectives and Vision
of the action research project. (ELCC 1.1)
The
goal is to increase 3rd and 4th grade MAP scores in both
language arts and math through the use of service learning projects. Teachers will partner with a different grade
level teacher to create “buddy classrooms.”
These buddy classrooms will work together at least once a week on a
service learning project. Students in 2nd,
3rd and 4th grades will take a predictive acuity test
before the service learning project will start.
Those same students will take the predictive acuity test again in March
to determine if growth was made during the service learning project time
frame. MAP scores taken in May will be
compared to those of the previous year to determine if growth was made . The reviews and percentage of completions of
the service learning projects will also be evaluated.
Review of the
Literature and Action Research Strategy
Service-learning is
a teaching and learning method that connects meaningful, community service
experiences with academic learning, personal growth, and civic responsibility
(Shumer & Duckenfield, 2004). Research suggests that service-learning may be an especially valuable pedagogy
to principals of low-socioeconomic status schools, in part because it may be
linked to higher achievement generally and to reduced achievement gaps among
higher- and lower-income students. “Because it represents an “authentic”
approach to teaching and learning, the use of service-learning as a pedagogical
practice appears to have the potential to help meet both the academic and
broader developmental goals of education reform.” (Scale & Roehlkepartain,
2005) Service-learning appears to have a positive impact on students by helping
them to engage cognitively in school and score higher in certain content areas
on state tests. "Service-learning
involves students in solving community problems, and at the same time, helps
them learn and apply reading, writing, math, science, and social studies"
(Fiske, 2002, p. 4). Strage (2000)
suggested that service-learning groups demonstrated increased ability on essay
questions, perhaps due to the journal keeping and more explicit reflective
connections to community contexts.
I emailed three of
the schools that my Principal had toured and requested an information packet
about their service learning opportunities.
I also found opportunities in a service learning book.
After reviewing several different
service learning opportunities the Principal and I narrowed our list down to
three, for teacher choice. I sent out a survey
via email and asked teachers to select which project they would be more apt to try
with their class and a buddy classroom.
I also asked if they would like a buddy classroom and if they had a
preference as to which classroom. I
added a space for their suggestion of a service learning project as well. After the surveys were collected and the data
examined, the Principal determined that she would like to hold off on the
development of service learning and buddy classrooms until the next school
year, due to the approaching MAP testing.
Articulate the Vision (ELCC 1.2)
I created a survey
that allowed teachers to select one out of three service learning projects they
would be interested in taking on with a buddy classroom. Teachers had the opportunity to indicate if they
were not interested in participating in a service learning project. I also asked if they would like to be paired
with a buddy classroom and if they had a preference of classrooms. There was also a question asking teachers if
they would be interested in leading a service learning after school club. Along with the survey I included a brief
paragraph outlining the benefits of service learning on student
achievement. I outlined the benefits and
included information about the top three schools in Missouri use service
learning throughout the year. This was
emailed out to all staff. When the
results of the survey were compiled, I assigned interested teachers to buddy
classrooms, made a chart of the survey results and discussed the results with
the Principal.
Fiske, E. B. (2002). Learning in deed: The power of service-learning
for American schools. A Report for the National Commission on
Service-Learning. Battle Creek, MI: W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
Scale, P.
C., & Roehlkepartain, E. C. (2005). Can service-learning help reduce the
achievement gap?. Growing to Greatness 2005, 10-22. Retrieved from
http://www.nylc.org/sites/nylc.org/files/files/114AchieveGap.pdf
Shumer, R., & Duckenfield, M. (2004). Service-learning: Engaging
students in community-based learning. In F. P. Schargel & J. Smink (Eds.), Helping
students graduate: A strategic approach to dropout prevention (pp.
155–163). Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
Strage, A. (2000). Service-learning: Enhancing learning outcomes in a
college-level lecture course. Michigan Journal of Community Service
Learning, 7, 5–13.
Manage the
organization (ELCC 3.1)
After
I assigned buddy classrooms and discussed the results of the survey with the
Principal we began looking at the calendar to set up a time frame for
implementation. It was then the
Principal decided that there was not ample time for service learning projects
to be completed by the end of the school year.
It was then decided to hold off on implementation until the next school
year. In the Fall, interested teachers
would select which project they would take on with their buddy classroom. Funding for the projects would come from the campus
fundraising fund and PTA. The downfall
of this whole project is that the Principal resigned at the end of the school
year and the new Principal is not interested in an administrative intern or implementing
service learning.
Manage Operations
(ELCC 3.2)
I
had intended to set apart the data from the Fall predictive acuity tests from
the participating classrooms. I wanted
data teams to compare the scores to the Spring predictive tests. I also wanted to compare the scores against
classrooms who chose not to implement a service learning project. 15 out of each staff meeting was going to be
set aside for service learning briefs. A
quarterly presentation was going to be given to PTA about the progress of the
projects.
Respond to Community
Interest and Needs (ELCC 4.2)
The
greatest thing about service learning is that it does not exclude any
student. Special Education and gifted teachers
can take portions of the projects and use them to enhance and tie into their
own educational content. Buddy
classrooms allow teachers and students to collaborate in a mentoring/peer
teaching environment. One of the suggested
projects was to develop a Kentucky Trail information book for new
Kindergarteners written by current Kindergarteners. New students are often scared and unsure of
going to school. This book was a means
to reassure and give incoming Kindergarteners a view of what was to come. All Kindergarteners would be able to
participate in the making of the book and it would reach out to new families
and students.
