Community engagement is an important element of education not only at the college or university level, but at the K-12 level as well. Through High Schools in the 21st Century, students in their first semester of teacher education at California State University, San Marcos, are introduced to concepts underlying community engagement in K-12 school reform. Students engage in a service project through which they identify and work closely with a local community agency. In reflecting on their experience, students explore how they could use service-learning placements in their own teaching, and develop lesson plans that incorporate the community agency they worked with as part of a hypothetical K-12 course.

From Service Matters 1998: Engaging Higher Education In the Renewal of America s Communities and American Democracy

Contact:
College of Education-Student Services
333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd
San Marcos, CA 92096-0001
(760) 750-4277

Community Service Learning Program website: http://www.csusm.edu/ocsl/