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1. What is Service Learning?
Service Learning in Calvert County What is Service Learning?
Service learning is a "learn by doing" approach to the curriculum
that combines active service to the community with academic study.
Effective service learning includes academic preparation, action
and structured reflection. Why do Service learning? Service learning
education develops responsible citizens by engaging students in
service beneficial to the communities that include academic preparation
and structured reflection.
Service Learning in Calvert County The Maryland State Board of Education
passed a mandate in 1992 which requires all Maryland public school
students to complete a program of service learning as a graduation
requirement. Service learning is a form of community service. It
includes a preparation phase in which students study ways in which
they can be of service to their school or community; an action phase,
wherein students engage in actual service to their school or community;
and a reflection phase, which enables students to learn from their
service experience.
The Calvert County Public School program meets the state requirement
for service learning through integrated coursework offered to seventh
grade middle school students. New students who enter after seventh
grade are also responsible for meeting this requirement and are
offered options for completion through individualized programs of
study, both at the middle and high school levels.
The middle school service learning program has three components:
Preparation, Action, and Reflection. Preparation: Students
decide which projects to undertake and devise action plans for project
completion. Action: Students implement action plans. Reflection:
Students analyze the personal impact of their experience and the
effectiveness of their service to the community.
New students who enter Calvert County Public Schools after seventh
grade have two options to fulfill the State service learning requirement.
First, a student may choose to complete 75 hours of volunteer
service to the community; the hours may be prorated based on when
a student enters the school system. In Calvert County, the prorated
hour count for students new to the school system who wish to meet
this requirement through total volunteer service is: Grades(s) 8
or 9: 75 hours 10: 60 hours 11: 45 hours (1st Sem.) 12: 30 hours
(2nd Sem.) 12: 0 hours
The second option for students new to the Calvert County
Public School System is the opportunity to complete the preparation
and reflection phases of the service learning requirement through
an independent study resource booklet. If students choose this option,
they will read about how others have been of service to their community,
and they will write about what they have learned. Students choosing
this second option are still required to engage in actual service
to their school or community, but theses prorated hours of actual
service would be: Grade(s) 8 or 9: 30 hours 10: 25 hours 11: 20
hours (1st Sem.) 12: 15 hours (2nd Sem.) 12: 0 hours.
(You may go to the Calvert County Public School System website to
learn more of this approach to learning. I have learned through
persons I have spoken to that this is way of having students give
service to the community can bring a deep level of meaning and knowledge.
Marty Kirschen)
http://www2.calvertnet.k12.md.us/instruct/servrequire.shtml
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