Service Learning:A Powerful Method for Engaging

Gifted Students

NCAGT 41st Annual Conference March 5-6, 2015 

Winston-Salem, NC

Kristen R. Stephens, Ph.D.kstephen@duke.edu 

Alissa Griffith apg8@duke.edu 

TheCycleofService‐Learning:Whattodoineachphaseofthecycle

Step 1: Preparation 

Reflection

Step 2: Action

Investigate Needs and Research Solutions  Investigate cause and

effect of the  need inthe  community

Identify possiblesolutions

Select a Need  Evaluate community

needs

Design a Plan  Create an action plan

Implement the plan l d

Reflect  Revisit and analyze the project

                What skills were developed?                 What was learned about self?                 What was learned about others?                 What was learned about the community? 

Evaluate the success of the project  Identify the effects of service

What parts of the project worked well? What were the challenges of the project? 

Share the Outcomes Inform the community  Contact the local media

Newspaper Radio Television

Present to the School  principal conference student assembly posters

Hold an awards ceremony Sponsor an open house Showcase products 

Introduce Service‐LearningDefine Service‐Learning Differentiate Service‐Learning from  Community Service Community‐based Learning

Step 4: Celebration

Step 3: Evaluation

Duke University  Program in Education 

Benefits of Service Learning for K‐12 Learners 

Academic and intellectual benefits. Service‐learning supports young people inmastering important curriculum content by helping them make meaningfulconnections between what they are studying and its many applications.

Civic and ethical benefits. Service‐learning allows young people to explore anddevelop skills for a range of ways to serve, including acts of kindness and caring,community stewardship, and civic action.

Social and personal benefits. Service‐learning offers young people a holisticlearning experience that can increase their engagement in learning, providethem access to adult mentors, bolster their self‐confidence, and enhance theirpreparation for the world of work.

Additional Benefits:

Increases understanding of the content. Engages students in active learning that develops research, critical thinking, and

problem‐solving skills. Increases understanding of diverse cultures and communities. Improves one’s ability to handle ambiguity and be open to change. Develops or enhances communication, collaboration, and leadership skills Connects students with professionals and community members from whom they

can learn. Increases motivation and the desire to learn. Helps students gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around

them.

Picking up trash by a riverbank is service. 

Studying water samples under a microscope is learning.  

When students collect and analyze water samples and the local pollution control agency uses the findings to clean up a river... that is service‐learning. 

[Courtesy of the National Youth Leadership Council] 

How Does Service‐Learning Meet the Needs of Gifted Students? 

S‐L Components  

Characteristics of Gifted Students  

Authentic Experience  

Demonstrate Leadership; Exhibit a wide range of interests;  Venturesome;  Entrepreneurial and resourceful; Able to extend learning to other areas; Interest in fairness and justice;  Seek  and value assistance 

from experts  

Problem‐Based Learning  

Solve problems in unique ways; Inquisitive about the world;  Enjoy exploration; Ask many questions; Generate multiple  

solutions; Fluid in elaborating ideas; Sense when  problems  exist; Employ higher level thinking skills 

Investigates from a Variety of Perspectives  

Understand how people feel and groups function;  Interest in cause/effect relationship; Perceptually open to the 

environment; Exhibit a broad perspective; Embrace being different or expressing unique ideas 

Fosters Teamwork and Collaboration  

Stimulate others’ interests; Organize others; Recognize  and articulate group goals; Adopt non‐leadership roles in a  

group; Support others in a group when recognized;  Coordinate the work of others  

Links to Curriculum and 

Standards  

Explore areas of interest; Voluntarily spend time beyond  ordinary assignments; Flexible thinking patterns; Extend learning from key areas to other areas; Pursue innovation; Demonstrate superior 

judgment in evaluating; Learn rapidly, efficiently, and easily  

Encourages and Models 

Citizenship  

Possess a keen sense of judgment; Ask questions of a  provocative nature; Globally aware; Understand how  

groups function; Listen to others empathetically; Strive to  adapt and improve conditions; Curious about the world  

Service‐Learning Resources for Classroom Teachers 

National Youth Leadership Council: http://www.nylc.org/   The mission of the National Youth Leadership Council is to create a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world with young people, their schools, and their communities through service‐learning.  NYLC offers an annual conference, webinars, a resource library, an online community for classroom teachers, and evidence‐based examples of quality standards and best practices:  http://www.nylc.org/k‐12‐service‐learning‐standards‐quality‐practice 

generation ON: http://www.generationon.org/teachers  generationON is the global youth service movement igniting the power of all kids to make their mark on the world. As the youth division of Points of Light Institute, generationOn has brought the nation's leading youth service organizations and programs under one umbrella including New York‐based Children for Children, The League, Learning to Give, Points of Light Institute's Kids Care Clubs, HandsOn Schools, and HandsOn Network's youth‐driven programs. The website offers resources for students and teachers, including lesson plans and online trainings.  

Kids Consortium: http://www.kidsconsortium.org/  Founded in 1992, KIDS (Kids Involved Doing Service‐Learning) Consortium is a nonprofit organization that serves schools and community organizations in Maine, throughout New England and beyond. Our education consultants train and assist teachers, administrators and community partners as they work with K‐12 students to identify, research, and address real community challenges. Students are involved in powerful learning experiences, forge stronger ties to their communities, and gain the skills and confidence they need to become engaged citizens. 

National Service‐Learning Clearinghouse: http://www.servicelearning.org/  The National Service‐Learning Clearinghouse (NSLC) supports the service‐learning community in higher education, kindergarten through grade twelve, community‐based organizations, tribal programs, and all others interested in strengthening schools and communities using service‐learning. Also be sure to check out SLICE on this site. SLICE is an easy‐to‐search database full of hundreds of high‐quality service‐learning lesson plans, syllabi, and project ideas. Lesson plans are submitted by educators and service‐learning practitioners: www.servicelearning.org/slice 

Learning to Give: http://www.learningtogive.org  Learning to Give is the world's leading developer of lessons and resources that teach giving and volunteerism, civic engagement, and character through service. 

Service‐Learning and Common Core Standards – Web Resources  http://www.ascd.org/common‐core/core‐connection/090512‐common‐core‐and‐service‐learning.aspx 

http://wws.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/servicelearning/pdf/Curriculum_connections_Common_Core2011.pdf 

http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/Connecting%20Expanded%20Learning%20Opportunities%20and%20the%20Common%20Core%20State%20Standards%20to%20Advance%20Student%20Success.pdf 

Knowledge Development Social DevelopmentScenario 1 Scenario 1

Scenario 2 Scenario 2

Scenario 3 Scenario 3

Civic Development Personal DevelopmentScenario 1 Scenario 1

Scenario 2 Scenario 2

Scenario 3 Scenario 3

IB Learner Profile

Human Rights Project

Harvest Project

History Project

Inquirers

Knowledgeable

Thinkers

Communicators

Principled

Open-Minded

Caring

Risk-Takers

Balanced

Reflective

IB learner profileIB learner profile IB learner profile

IB learner profileIB learner profile IB learner profile

IB learner profileIB learner profile

IB learner profile IB learner profileIB learner profile

IB learner profile

The IB learner pro�le represents 10 attributes valued by IB World Schools. We believe these attributes, and others like them, can help individuals and groups become responsible members of local, national and global communities.

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We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global signi�cance.

We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

We express ourselves con�dently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate e�ectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.

We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive di�erence in the lives of others and in the world around us.

We understand the importance of balancing di�erent aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.

We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.

We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

IB learner profile

IB learner profile

The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

As IB learners we strive to be:

IB learner profile