Institution: Seattle University
Discipline: Service Leadership / Education
Title: Service Leadership
Instructor: Jeffrey Anderson

Service Leadership

Prof. Jeffrey Anderson
Room arranged Office: Loyola 309
Hours arranged Phone: 296 5754
e mail: janderso {at} seattleu(.)edu

ORGANIZING THEME: The School of Education prepares ethical, reflective professionals for quality service to diverse communities.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: The teacher is an ethical and knowledgeable reflective decision maker who teaches all learners to function effectively in a global and pluralistic society.

TEXT and MATERIALS

Anderson, J.B. & Fogleman, D. (2001). An introduction to service learning.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to facilitate prospective teachers' understanding of the benefits of expanding K-12 educational experiences to involve collaborative efforts with the larger community. The course also provides an introduction to service learning as an instructional methodology, philosophy of learning, and a development strategy for schools and communities.

This course is set in the context of the Jesuit tradition, Seattle University's mission, and the key beliefs and assumptions underlying the NUT program. The Jesuit educational tradition includes a vision of the nobility of the human person who is understood as essentially a social being, relating to others in community through knowledge, love, and service. Seattle University attempts to embody the Jesuit vision by including a focus on the development of leaders for service. The course also manifests the NUT program's first rationale "The social responsibilities of teaching are of fundamental importance to the program. These social responsibilities guide teachers to connect the classroom with the school and community to allow students to apply their learning to address real issues related to justice and global human rights."

Through students' direct experiences and reflections this course broadens teacher preparation beyond the walls of the university and K-12 schools into the larger community. The experience is designed to enlarge students' vision by heightening their sensitivity to significant societal needs. Emphasis is placed on methods to facilitate personal and K-12 student involvement to solve public problems and achieve the academic and affective goals of the schools. In addition, by preparing N41T students to incorporate service learning into their own classrooms, it is hoped they will nurture their future students' interest in service to members of their communities.

TEED 520, Service Leadership is made up of three main components: 1) In class preparation in the use of service learning as a teaching method, 2) 25 hours working with a K 12 educator experienced in the use of service learning to develop and implement a service learning project (secondary); or 25 hours working with your student teaching internship cooperating teacher to develop and implement a modest service learning project (elementary) and, 3) the Service Leadership Conference at the end of the course (June, 2003).

For Secondary NET students, the majority of your 25 hours of service will be completed during Winter Quarter, 2003. In TEED 522, the Secondary Curriculum and Methods Course, six full days are reserved for service learning. These six days will all be Thursdays and will be spread throughout Winter Quarter. Specific dates will be announced in November. You are encouraged to perform your service learning activities on these days. There will be other times when you may be able to focus on service learning (before 9:00 AM, afternoons when you don't have class, task days). Refer to the TEED 522 course calendar.

For Elementary MiT students, service learning planning should take place with your cooperating teacher and the K 12 students during Winter Quarter. Your service learning project should be conducted, ideally, as a part of the social studies, math/science, or literature unit you teach during your full time student teaching in Spring Quarter, 2003.

We will also meet at Seattle University for Service Leadership class on Monday, January 6, 2003, 9:00 12:00, and Friday, January 31, 1:00 3:00.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The student will:

1. Obtain a first hand personal experience of service learning.

2. Develop and demonstrate a commitment to community service in their own lives.

3. Appreciate the importance and power of service learning in helping students develop self esteem, civic responsibility, empathy for others, and higher order thinking skills.

4. Articulate the importance of, and methods for, the creation of collaborative partnerships between K 12 schools and human services
agencies.

5. Demonstrate knowledge for elements for high quality service learning.

6. Identify sources of information pertaining to the variety of human services agencies that can assist teachers in addressing their students' needs.

7. Analyze their service learning experiences and discuss the policy dimensions and ethical issues these experiences bring to the forefront.

8. Identify and discuss methods to integrate service learning experiences into the K-12 school curriculum.

9. Create and assist in teaching lessons which integrate classroom knowledge and skills with service learning experiences.

10. Monitor and work alongside K-12 students in the performance of their service-learning experiences.

11. Observe experienced service learning educators as they develop and implement community service programs with K-12 students.

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

Service Leadership is graded on a credit/no credit basis. You will receive credit when you have met these criteria:

1. Complete a Service Learning Field Experience Proposal and have it approved prior to beginning your service learning work. (Due Date: Monday, January 6, 2003 Secondary; Dates to be determined, Elementary).

2. Complete a Service Learning Action Plan jointly with one or two of your peers in the cohort (Secondary); or individually complete a
Service Learning Action Plan as a part of the unit you develop in TEED 521 (Elementary). (Due Date: Winter Quarter, 2003; exact date TBD)
See the Service Learning Action Plan Assignment sheet for details.

3. Participate in an in-person mid-service project reflection conference with Jeffrey in February, 2003 (Secondary); participate in a
mid-service learning project reflection phone call or in person conference with Jeffrey

4. Prepare and deliver an effective 3-4 minute oral presentation in which you describe service learning and provide reasons to include it in the K-12 curriculum. (Due Date: In class, Friday, January 31, 2003).

5. Hand in a Service Leadership Conference Presentation Information Sheet and have it approved. (Due Date: March, 2003; exact date TBD).

6. Complete the 25 hour field experience and have the assessment form signed and submitted to Jeffrey at the Service Leadership Conference.
(June, 2003; exact date TBD).

7. Make your Service Leadership Conference Presentation.

8. Participate in the entire Service Leadership Conference. (June, 2003; exact date TBD).

9. Develop a revised Service Learning Action Plan in which you incorporate what you learned about service learning from conducting your service learning project and from the Service Leadership Conference to improve your original Service Learning Action Plan. (To be written after the Service Leadership Conference. Exact date TBD).

THE SERVICE LEARNING FIELD EXPERIENCE

A. RATIONALE

Service learning involves a blending of community or school service activities with the academic curriculum. It can be an instructional methodology, philosophy of learning, and a development strategy for schools and communities. Service learning recasts the conventional role of a school to that of a laboratory of learning in which students both gain and apply knowledge to address real world problems. More than anything else, service learning involves a shift in our view of young people as problems or solely as recipients of services to understanding them as key resources and leaders for their communities.

The service learning field experience is designed to provide you with knowledge and hands on experience regarding models and methods for integrating service into the K-12 curriculum. In addition, you will assist K-12 educators in more fully developing their service learning programs by sharing your knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm.

B. PROPOSAL

Descriptions of possible placement sites for a service learning field experience will be posted in class. Read the descriptions and place your name on the sign up sheet of one placement site. To decide which setting would be most appropriate for you, consider the following:

1) What age students do you want to teach?
2) Do you have knowledge, skills, or interest in a specific service learning project?
3) Where is the school located? Where do you live?
4) Are the times and dates of involvement with the project convenient for you?
5) Do you anticipate needing any funds to cover costs of the service learning project? How do you expect to raise those funds?
6) How will students' service accomplishments be recognized?

C. ASSESSMENT

1. How will you determine the degree to which the targets or outcomes you discussed in #2 above have been achieved? Include specific activities, instruments, and/or questions you will use to assess students' learning and growth.

2. How will you assess the impact of the project on the community? Include specific instruments, activities, and/or questions you will use to assess community impact.