Service Learning with Community Partners

1
Service Learning with Community Partners
Garden Projects

• Midwest Consortium for Service Learning
• Conference
• Brookings, SD
• September 25, 2008
• Dr. Deanna Acklie
• Dr. Merryellen Towey Schulz

2
PARTNERS

• Mercy Housing Crestview Village

• College of Saint Mary Teacher Education Faculty
  and Students

3
(No Transcript)
4
Unusual S-L Participants

• SEAN
• Student Professional Organization

• Graduate Students
• Master of Arts in Teaching

Most service learning is associated with a
particular undergraduate course. At CSM, the
teacher education student association and
graduate students work with professors to learn
about planning and teaching children of diverse
populations while completing service-learning
projects with a community partner.
5
The Garden

• Spirit of Service Day
• Landscaped a childrens garden with
• Dry creek bed
• Bridge
• Paths
• Shaped plots
• Play house
• Flowering trees
• Bushes

6
The Plan
7
Community Partners

• Critical element in successful service-learning
  activities
• Can lend expertise in a specific issue area.
• Provide sites for students to engage in service
  activities
• Help strengthen ties between the campus and the
  community

8
OmaGro
9
6 Hours Pouring Rain!
10
(No Transcript)
11
Planting Day in May
12
Stepping Stones

• Project completed in summer 2008
• Worked with resident children to create
  individual stepping stones for Childrens Garden
  created by undergrads in April and May

13
CELEBRATE!
14
Graduate Students

• Individuals with bachelors degrees seeking
  careers as teachers
• Difficult to find time in accelerated program for
  service, but worked well asservice-learning
• Increased experience working with children from
  diverse population

15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
Benefits of Projectfor Crestview Residents

• Spiritual garden for pleasure and reflection
• Beauty added to surroundings
• Opportunity to work with earth and plants
• Pretty place for children to play
• Opportunities for children to learn about and
  care for plants
• Families work in and enjoy the gardens together

19
(No Transcript)
20
(No Transcript)
21
Benefits of Project for CSM Students

• Learn about landscaping, gardens and plants
• Learn about planning and teaching children
• Work side by side with instructors
• Work with resident children
• Do service

22
Funding

• Midwest Consortium for Service Learning CSM Grant
• SEAN (Student Education Association of Nebraska)
  College of Saint Mary Chapter
• Discounts from Lowes and Trees, Shrubs and More
• Private donors

23
Benefits to All

• Service-learning enhanced the students learning
  while fulfilling a need in the community.
• Interactions among diverse groups of people
• Varied SES levels
• Multiple races and ethnicities
• Wide variety of jobs
• Many levels of education
• Ages from toddlers to gt50

24
Lessons Learned

• Maintenance improving but still a concern
• Vandalism
• Training of residents to weed, water, etc.
• Use sturdy perennials
• Students will work hard
• Children can do a lot