Glenda
Crawford,
Associate Professor - Education
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Through this service learning initiative, middle grades
education majors in a course, EDU 471 Effective Middle
School Teaching, involved middle school students in
interdisciplinary curriculum-based service learning
projects. The first project, which expanded 6th
graders' thinking about horticulture, poetic
expression and measurement culminated in a beautification
project: a garden on the school campus planted on Earth
Day. The second project, an integrated social studies,
language arts and mathematics study, focused on oral
history as 8th graders "adopted," corresponded
with and ultimately met other-generational pen pals at
Twin Lakes Retirement Center in Elon. The middle grades
students created and presented to the elderly residents a
booklet that recorded and contrasted interests, values
and views. The projects were featured in the Burlington
Times News and the Mebane Enterprise, and will be
included in a summer edition of the Elon University
Magazine.
Evaluation, which included questionnaires completed by
young adolescents, Elon middle grades majors, and mentor
teachers and administrators at Hawfields Middle School in
Mebane, were overwhelmingly positive. Young adolescents
were asked about perceptions of personal development
related to feelings as a person, any expanded views about
the value of service learning, and their learning to work
together as project teams. Elon majors and cooperating
teachers were asked about the value of service learning
to young adolescent development of personal efficacy,
level of civic concern, broadened perspective, and
collaboration skills; they were also asked to assess the
value of service learning for the school and community.
Elon majors were additionally asked to assess their
perceptions of personal and professional growth as a
result of involvement and leadership in the service
learning initiatives. The service learning endeavors were
successful in terms of young adolescents experiencing the
value of community outreach and personal fulfillment
civic action. Selected comments from Hawfields students,
teachers and Elon majors about the value of the service
learning projects are categorized below.
Value for young adolescents:
I feel better because I contributed to the community and
the environment on Earth Day.
I feel a little more confident when I talk to people I
have never met. As a person, I feel helpful and caring.
It expanded my thinking. Now I see the world as a
whole.
This service learning project allowed me to realize just
how much knowledge the elders of the community have
inside them.
I learned that you have to make sure you complete
everything that you are responsible for or your group
fails.
It gives middle school students a sense of ownership and
accomplishment.
Value for middle grades education majors:
I learned that student relish the idea of helping their
school and environment. They also love to participate in
activities that allow them to be outside the four walls
of the classroom.
I had to take a lot of initiative and make contacts with
people in the community and to ask for help. Having that
responsibility definitely made me more of a
professional.
These prospective teachers have been in situations where
they can facilitate learning, rather than direct it. This
prepares them for a variety of student-driven activities
in their careers.
The project has allowed teacher candidates practical
experience managing resources for instructional
purposes.
Value for the school and community:
School personnel can work with students in an
environment not driven by grades. Students can utilize
skills and knowledge in a productive way.
The community views students as productive
citizens.
The project allowed citizens of our community to see
that middle school students are not so "scary"
after all.
The ratings of the positive development of approximately
120 young adolescents with respect for self-efficacy,
civic concern, and broadened perspective and
collaborative skills ranged from noticeable to
significant.
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