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Lesson 18 - Service Learning

The document discusses service learning as an instructional strategy for elementary social studies. It defines service learning, outlines its key steps and benefits, and provides an example of how it was implemented in a classroom to help typhoon victims. It also shares tips for integrating service learning across different subject areas and allowing students to brainstorm community activities.

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Villaflores Kyla M.
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190 views

Lesson 18 - Service Learning

The document discusses service learning as an instructional strategy for elementary social studies. It defines service learning, outlines its key steps and benefits, and provides an example of how it was implemented in a classroom to help typhoon victims. It also shares tips for integrating service learning across different subject areas and allowing students to brainstorm community activities.

Uploaded by

Villaflores Kyla M.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lesson 18

Service Learning

Objectives

 Discuss Service Learning as an instructional strategy


 Explain how Service Learning is used in elementary social studies instruction
 Develop a lesson plan that uses Service Learning in elementary social studies

Introduction

Teacher Charmaine's last topic for the first quarter in Araling Panlipunan 4 is
Natural Disasters in the Philippines. It just so happened that a nearby province was
struck by a signal number 3 typhoon a week ago. After discussing the different
natural disasters in the country, she showed pictures and articles of the effects of the
typhoon in the nearby province to her students. She then asked them how they can
help the people who were affected by the disaster. The class suggested a school-wide
donation drive that was done for a week. In coordination with their Filipino teacher,
students wrote letters to parents, teachers, and administrators to help them with their
project. In their arts class, students made posters of encouragement that were sent to
children affected by the typhoon. To conclude the project, Teacher Charmaine asked
the students to write a reflection journal about their experience. She also scheduled a
day where the class shared their reflection with the administrators, teachers, and
parents and thanked them for their participation in the project.

Have you experienced doing a similar activity when you were in elementary? If
yes, was the activity successful in helping you deepen your understanding of the
lesson? If not, what could be one possible reason why your teachers opt not to do
this?

The strategy that Teacher Charmaine utilized is called Service Learning. In this
chapter, you will learn what Service Learning is and how it is implemented in the
classroom.

Think

According to the National Service Learning Clearinghouse (n.d.), Service


Learning is "a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community
service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic
responsibility, and strengthen communities." It is different from volunteerism and
community service because, aside from providing relevant and meaningful civic
involvement, Service Learning targets the acquisition of specific knowledge, skills,
and values. In essence, Service Learning ensures that students learn the social studies
content through active participation in community service.

Service Learning is founded on the philosophical roots of the experiential


learning theory of Dewey (1938), Freire (1970), and Kolb (1984). Through this
strategy, students are actively involved in a concrete experience, encouraged to do a
reflective observation, and expected to integrate abstract concepts that they learned in
the classroom to understand their experience.

There are three types of Service Learning:

1. Direct Service Learning. This requires students to come in direct contact with
the community or people in need. Examples of such activities are conducting an
outreach program for the elderly or tutoring out-of-school youth.
2. Indirect Service Learning. This entails students to channel resources for a
certain project without directly interacting with the people they intend to help.
Examples of such activities are doing fundraising activities for persons with
disabilities or donation drives for victims of calamities.
3. Advocacy Activities. These require students to engage in work on behalf of a
specific cause. An example of such activity is an awareness campaign against
dengue.

Steps

According to Geiger (n.d.) and Wade (2000), there are four basic steps in
implementing Service Learning:

1. Preparation. This involves providing students with the necessary skills and
information for the project. After the discussion of social studies content, the
teacher and students brainstorm possible activities, explore their roles, and
identify budget and resources, among others.
2. Action or Service. After orienting students and seeking their commitment, the
project is commenced and actualized.
3. Evaluation and Reflection. This refers to the act of thinking critically about
their experience in the project. The teacher may ask students to relate the social
studies content to their experience and probe for deeper levels of understanding.
He/she may also require reflection tasks such as journal writing, photo essay,
portfolio, or other creative outputs.
4. Celebration. As a culminating activity, this may be done to extend gratitude to
the participants and to share their experience with parents, administrators, and
other teachers and students.

Advantages

If done effectively, Service Learning poses many benefits. First, it helps break
down the barrier between the classroom and real life. Students are given
opportunities to apply social studies concepts and skills in the real world setting. It
also makes students feel empowered. According to Edwards (2005), Service Learning
increased students' sense of personal and social responsibility, developed a more
positive outlook toward others, improved their learning of content, and enhanced
their self-esteem. Lastly, it enhances the relationship between students, the school,
and the community. Students are encouraged to engage in civic affairs espoused by
citizenship education, and they use their knowledge in solving community problems.

Tips

1. Integrate with other learning areas. Since Service Learning entails a significant
amount of time and effort for preparation, it will be helpful for the teacher and
the students to accomplish the project not just in social studies but also in other
subjects. For example, in conducting an outreach for street children, students
may write a letter of invitation as part of their English or Filipino class, deliver
a song and dance number as a requirement in their music and physical
education class, and give a bookmark about children's rights as a project in their
social studies class.
2. If possible, let students brainstorm their chosen community activity. It will be
more motivating for them to spearhead a project that is aligned with their
interest and philosophy. The teacher can then act as a consultant or guide to
ensure the success of the project.

Experience

It is impossible to implement the Service Learning strategy in one lesson day.


In the sample Daily Lesson Plan below, study how a portion of the preparation stage
of this strategy is utilized in the elementary social studies classroom.

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