Service Learning Made Simple

In this article, we will take a closer look at service learning, how to carry out projects, and connecting current standards to help meet the needs of your community. Service-learning is where students actively participate in organized events to serve their communities and have hands-on learning experiences while learning current content standards.

Service learning can look different within each building and grade level. However, ALL kids and communities can benefit from service-learning projects. It may look like preschoolers making cards and posters for the elderly or high-school students organizing a community-wide clean-up day. There are TONS of possibilities to foster civic responsibility while learning in a fun way.

It’s pretty safe to say that counselors can play a key role in advocating for Service-Learning projects because they meet so many of the Character Education curriculum points. I like to host service-learning projects during fun times within the year. For example, I like to have one during the Fall/Winter and one during the Spring. Every year during Christmas, we have a food drive and donate to our local food pantry. We read the book Maddi’s Fridge and talk about childhood hunger and that every person no matter what age can help someone in need. The kids enjoy listening to that story and relating what they can do to help.

How can I get started?

To get started, you’ll need to brainstorm! Take time to think about your community and what’s needed. Is there an area of your community that needs cleaned up or painted? Are there homeless shelters or animal shelters that need supplies? Think outside the box on this and try to think of things that don’t cost a lot of money but may require time and effort instead. You could certainly raise money as a part of your efforts, but to allow more content standards and hands-on experiences try to think of things students can do.

Once, you have an idea of the need, think about your students. What can they offer? Are they young or do you have older students? What are their gifts and talents? Can you take what your kids do well and apply it to a service? If you’re wanting to do this school-wide, you can break it down by grade level and assess those students’ skills developmentally. This way all students could have an opportunity to serve somehow. You can even break them up and have one grade level do a project every other month.

I’m telling you, once you start brainstorming the possibilities are endless!

How can I find the time?

That’s a good question! As a working school counselor, I understand the struggle! But I assure you there is time… especially when the service can tie into a standard. For example, writing stories to hospital patients, learning about plants then, planting a flower garden, using technology standards to create a video presentation, or even using math standards to raise money for something. Not to mention the character education traits and counseling standards that can be tied in!

In my experience, finding one person per grade level and forming a team can really help. We have the “Helping Hands” committee at our school, and we get together to make fun opportunities. Whether it’s celebrating a staff member at an assembly, helping with a fun school-wide initiative, or planning a service project. It’s much easier to do as a team where that one person can go back and relay information to the entire grade level.

What projects could I do?

Like I said… the possibility is endless!
Here are some off the top of my head…

Giving Tree – Food Drive, Shoe Drive, Blanket Drive (Student’s place items under the Christmas Tree and items are donated to the cause of choice)
Shoebox for Soldiers – One box is placed in each classroom to fill up for soldiers.
Community Clean-Up – Do what needs to be done in a community area to clean it up.
Crafts for the Elderly – Create a craft for a nursing home.
Letters – Create letters or cards for patients in the hospital, soldiers, police officers, etc.
Blankets – Create simple tie blankets for a homeless shelter or animal shelter
Teaching – Older kids can teach younger kids about an important topic
Perform – Have students put on a play or music concert in the community
Re-live History – Interview and write reports about the history of your town

There are many, many more if you think about the needs within your community. I challenge you to start brainstorming ways for your kids to support and serve within the community they live in. Giving back is something that can bless everyone involved and kids can just as much be a part of it.

If you already have service-learning projects at your school… I want to hear all about it!
Comment below and let me know what you do!