About Service-Learning

What is service-learning?

School-based service-learning combines meaningful service to the community with classroom studies in a way that improves student learning and strengthens the community. Students work in collaboration with community members, teachers, and classmates to meet real community needs, while learning more about math, science, language arts, social studies, and other subjects, as well as civic responsibility and effective citizenship.

Is service-learning just another word for community service?

No. The link to specific curriculum objectives distinguishes service-learning from community service and volunteerism. While community service and volunteerism may have much in common with service-learning, they cannot be defined as service-learning. The service-learning process explicitly involves preparation, action, reflection, and celebration. Service-learning is not an add-on program. It is an instructional methodology infused into the school's curriculum.

What does service-learning look like?

An example of a service-learning class is as follows. Students in a high school biology class study ecosystems in general. Then students reinforce their knowledge through visits to a local ecosystem. They study soil and water composition and the impact of industrial development. They also use their findings to promote the maintenance of a healthy ecosystem through an awareness campaign and community cleanups. Throughout this service-learning class, students reflect and discuss the project's impact on their lives and the lives of local community members.

Our service-learning projects.

New York Learn & Serve supports a multiple of service-learning projects in areas as diverse as education, public safety, health and human needs, and the environment. Currently there are 36,000 students K-12 engaged in NYLS service-learning programs across NY State. In addition to our regular school-based service-learning programs and regional programs, each year we sponsor conferences and statewide projects. This year we are sponsoring service-learning projects that address low literacy levels in NY State.

How does service-learning fulfill state learning standards?

Service-learning supported by NYLS complies with New York State learning standards and performance indicators. Below is a chart profiling standards that are frequently targeted by service-learning. This chart is divided according to three levels of increasing sophistication, elementary K-4, intermediate 5-8, and commencement 9-12, and highlights three academic areas: Math, Science, and Technology; English Language Arts; and Social Studies.

	Elementary (K-4)	Intermediate (5-8)
Math, Science, and Technology	Standard 1.1: Engineering design is an iterative process involving modeling and optimization, finding the best solution within given constraints. Standard 7: The knowledge and skills of mathematics, science, and technology are used together to make informed decisions and solve problems, especially those relation to issues of science/technology/society, consumer decision-making, design, and inquiry into phenomena.	Standard 2.3: Describe applications of information technology in mathematics, science, and other technologies that address needs and solve problems in the community. Standard 7: Same as K-4.	Standard 2.3: Work with a virtual community to conduct a project or problem using a network. Standard 7: Same as K-4.
English Language Arts	Standard 1: Connect personal experiences and observations to new information from school subject areas. Standard 4: With teacher assistance, maintain a portfolio of writings and drawings for social interaction. Also, write to establish, maintain, and enhance personal relationships.	Standard 3: Analyze the impact of an event or issue from personal, peer group, and community perspectives. Standard 4: Write personal reactions to experiences, events, and observations using a form of social communication.
Social Studies	Standard 1.2: Gather and organize information about the traditions transmitted by various groups living in their neighborhood and community; gather and organize information about the important accomplishments of individuals and groups, including Native American Indians, living in their neighborhoods and communities. Standard 5.3: Examine what it means to be a good citizen in the classroom, school, home, and community. Understand that effective, informed citizenship is a duty of each citizen, demonstrated by jury service, voting, and community service. Standard 5.4: Participate in activities that focus on a classroom, school, or community issue or problem.	Standard 3.1: Map information about people places and environments. Standard 5.4: Participate in negotiation and compromise to resolve classroom, school, and community disagreements and problems.	Standard 3.1: Understand how to develop and use maps and other graphic representations to display geographic issues, problems, and questions. Standard 4.2: Apply a problem-solving model to identify economic problems or issues, generate hypotheses, test hypotheses, investigate and analyze selected data, consider alternative solutions or positions, and make decisions about the best solution or position. Standard 5.3: Understand how citizenship includes the exercise of certain personal responsibilities, including voting, considering the rights and responsibilities of others, behaving in a civil manner, and accepting responsibility for the consequences of one's actions. Analyze issues at the local, state, and national levels and prescribe responses that promote the public interest or general welfare, such as planning and carrying out a voter registration campaign. Standard 5.4: Participate in school/classroom/community activities that focus on an issue or problem. Prepare a plan of action that defines an issue or problem, suggests alternative solutions or courses of action, evaluates the consequences for each alternative solution or course of action, prioritizes the solutions based on established criteria, and proposes an action plan to address the issue or to resolve the problem.