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SERVICE-LEARNING PROFILESTurner Middle School
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At
Turner Middle School in Philadelphia, where these critical elements
co-exist, the results are consistently impressive. During this school
year alone, 50 teachers and 1,000 students at Turner will participate
in service-learning. |
"I got to meet new people and people from different
cultures. I learned that they are regular people like us."
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During the school year, students from both schools are conducting joint visits to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum to perform a range of environmental studies. Through one project, Turner students are leading the Haverford students in a water study project. James Mitchell, an eighth-grader at Turner said, "Testing the water is basically all about knowing what's in the water. We have to know if it's dirty or not and whether it's good for the fish and animals who drink the water."
In turn, Haverford is leading an exercise in air quality testing. Barbara Cheyney, one of the school's science teachers said, "When you do an experiment like this and you start to collect stuff that is in the air, it's a real eye-opener to see all the things you breath every day."
Using techniques learned at Tinicum, students from Turner and Haverford will conduct similar experiments in their respective communities. By comparing the data collected from the refuge center, the Main Line and Southwest Philadelphia, students will illustrate the interconnectedness of the environment they share.
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"There was active research going on, there was active exploration going on, there was academics tied into everything that we did today. You could see the language arts, you could see the social studies, you could see the cross-cutting competencies that we have in technology. You could see all of the components." Kathy Lee, Eighth Grade Teacher at Turner Middle School, on the first service-learning experience that her students shared with the Haverford School at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. |
The schools' partnership is further supported by Earth Force - a nonprofit organization that helps youth discover and implement lasting solutions to environmental issues in their community. Earth Force is helping students use their service-learning involvement to compliment curriculum-related studies in science, math, civics and English language arts, among others. Students will learn how earth science impacts the community by examining recycling, landfills, water and air quality, the effects of suburban sprawl, and fragmented environmental habitats.
Along with environmental learning and impacts, students are also building relationships with members of a different race and taking time to reflect on the differences and similarities they encounter. Kathy Lee, a service-learning veteran and eighth grade teacher at Turner, spoke about the multiple aspects of the partnership, "The project is two-fold, it focuses on bio-diversity and human diversity... but the ultimate goal is to cross cultural and class barriers. We need students to understand the shared global community where we live. The events of September 11 prove that more than ever."
After the project's completion, students will present key findings of their service-learning efforts to people living and working in the community. This process is not only a public service to neighbors interested in learning more about their own community, but it also enables students to demonstrate what they learn and develop communication skills.
How the Partnership Came About
Lee's classroom is no stranger to the Wildlife Refuge Center. Last year, her students visited Tinicum and conducted environmental studies including water testing and recycling initiatives. While the Haverford School had not experienced service-learning at Tinicum before this year, administrators at both schools believed diverse perspectives would add depth to the project.
The seed for the project was planted when Beth Margolis-Rupp from the Haverford School and Lee met at the National Service-Learning Conference. After initial discussions around forming a project partnership, Lee met with Haverford staff to consider the feasibility and functionality of a suburban/urban service-learning partnership. Plans moved forward quickly from that point, as the schools launched their effort in the fall.
"I believe it's one of the first projects in the county that is partnering an urban school with a suburban school...We are doing this because we've discovered that we all share the same watershed, we are all Americans and we need to learn to get along with one another," said Lee.
Impacts
What The Project Hopes to Achieve
Administrators from the Haverford School and the School District of Philadelphia have very similar views on the objectives of the partnership and service-learning. Joe Cox is the Headmaster of the Haverford School and says his school is committed to service-learning, "We don't want to give up high academic standards and learning, but we want the social and moral dimension of the young man to grow as much as the academic dimension. And good service-learning, integrated into the curriculum, does that. It allows for the total human potential to develop and will make for better citizens in the years to come."
Kenny Holdsman, Director of Service-Learning for Philadelphia Public Schools expresses a similar sentiment, "The will of school districts and administrators to support this has got to stem from a gut belief that young people need to be prepared not just for work, not just for college, but for meaningful participation in the community. If a school district believes that notions of active citizenship are important for what they are preparing their young people to be, then they embrace service-learning."
The project's immediate impact on students was evidenced during reflection exercises following the first joint visit to Tinicum. Students recognized similarities with their peers from the other school, talked about how their school could serve as a community resource, and began identifying other service-learning opportunities. When done well, reflection not only reinforces academic ties to learning, but also helps students apply their experience to other issues they identify in the community.
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"In our city there are a range of issues
and problems, I'd even say social justice issues, issues that
are pressing, contentious, in the faces of young people everyday.
If we are going to do our job as educators, we need to help
our students make sense of the very real problems that are
in their schools and in their neighborhoods on a daily basis.
Service-learning is a vehicle to help us do that with students
and for students." |
Along with citizenship and personal development goals, teachers also recognize immediate classroom impacts of service-learning. Lee simply says, "There is a big difference between my service-learning students and other students. My service-learning students have reduced behavior problems and the quality of their work is better."
Service-Learning in the District
Growing the Practice
Service-learning projects like the Turner-Haverford partnership succeed in part because of the support they receive from the district. In Philadelphia, service-learning is an integral part of the district's educational priorities.
Mr. Holdsman commented, "We realize that we've got to provide teachers with professional development and training. We've got to engage community partners with them. Teachers have a lot on their plate and they need support...We provide mini-grant funding, we give help with logistics like busing, with supervision, with grant writing. I have never seen a good service-learning project that didn't involve a creative, hardworking, risk-taking teacher. But those kind of folks aren't everywhere and if you want to nurture and develop those teachers, administrators have got to support them."
| Service-Learning Facts 30,000 Participating Students 400 Community Partners 1,800 Teachers Trained |
This philosophy is evidenced in the more than 1,800 teachers who
have received significant training in service-learning methodology.
These and other Philadelphia teachers also find support for service-learning
among the more than 400 community partners who work with students
to address needs relating to the environment, health and human services,
literacy, community safety, technology/digital divide, neighborhood
history and pride, understanding and tolerance of diversity, and
the lack of democratic participation. All told, more than 25,000
students participated in service-learning last year. Over 30,000
students are expected to engage in service-learning during the 2001-2002
school year.
Recently, the district also made service-learning part of students'
graduation requirements. The district policy states, "Every
student must successfully complete a project that involves more
than one subject, demonstrates problem-solving, multiculturalism,
technology, citizenship communication, or school-to-career, requires
strong writing skills and must complete a project that demonstrates
citizenship through service-learning."
As service-learning continues to take a stronger hold in Philadelphia, practitioners around the country may find themselves asking why. The answer lies in the multitude of factors that help to shape effective service-learning - committed and creative teachers, supporting district policies, and active community partners.
For more information, contact:
Kenneth Holdsman, Director of Service-Learning, School District
of Philadelphia
John F. Kennedy Center
734 Schuylkill Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19146-2397
Phone: (215) 875-3813
Fax: (215) 875-3813
Email: kholdsman@phila.k12.pa.us
Turner Middle School
Kathy Lee, 8th Grade Teacher
59th Street and Baltimore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19143
Phone: (215) 471-2906
Email: KLEE400@aol.com
The Haverford School
Beth Margolis-Rupp, Service-Learning Coordinator
450 Lancaster Avenue
Haverford, PA 19041
Phone: (610) 525-7023
Email: Haverfordsl@aol.com
Observations About Service-Learning
Kenny Holdsman
Director of Service-learning
Philadelphia Public Schools
"A school district has got to believe that preparing young people to be effective, engaged citizens is part of the public mission of schooling…and we in Philadelphia believe that to our core."
"In our city there are a range of issues and problems, I'd even say social justice issues, issues that are pressing, contentious, in the faces of young people everyday. If we are going to do our job as educators, we need to help our students make sense of the very real problems that are in their schools and in their neighborhoods on a daily basis. Service-learning is a vehicle to help us do that with students and for students."
"There is a serious academic component to service-learning…..It's not just doing good work and feeling good about their efforts. It's about civic engagement and learning about issues. When I see a young person grapple with an issue and the light bulb goes on and they say I know something about this issue and you know what, I think me and my peers can do something about it…that's exciting."
"Young people right now are grappling with questions about 'Are they valued?'…'Do they have a purpose in the community? Is there a place for them that really has meaning? Service-learning allows them to engage on that level as active citizens."
Joe Cox
Headmaster
The Haverford School
Haverford, PA
"It makes kids open to the kinds of problem-solving that they are going to engage in as adults. Working with an urban kid or a suburban kid at this time will build trust for the future."
"As adults, these younger people will realize that they can build on an experience where they had a common goal, common values, common beliefs and they can build on these common learning objectives. I think that it's tremendous to bring different kids from different places together to work on projects like this one."
Barbara Cheney
Science Teacher
The Haverford School
Haverford, PA
"Haverford School is kind of isolated. We are not a typical neighborhood school, our kids come from a lot of different places. We are working on this project so that the boys develop a better sense of community, and in this case the community is Philadelphia."
Kathy Lee
Teacher
Turner Middle School
Philadelphia, PA
"What about today was service-learning? My students taught other students, my students saw their teachers teaching other teachers and other students. Watching my students learn and coming back and doing reflective writing....There was active research going on, there was active exploration going on, there was academics tied into everything that we did today. You could see the language arts, you could see the social studies, you could see the cross-cutting competencies that we have in technology. You could see all of the components, that's what I saw unfold today - as well as human interaction."
"Children learn better from each other, they learn how to be a good citizen because you teach them the value of caring for one another and caring for where they live. And I want my kids to be proud of where they live and where they come from."
Angelique Carroll
Student
Turner Middle School
Philadelphia, PA
"I got to meet new people and people from different cultures. I learned that they are regular people like us and they don't like terrorism."