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Service
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| School-to-Work | Why ExerGames| Exergames and Employee
Wellness
Service Learning : For
Teachers
Integrating Service Learning into the Curriculum
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings describes Service Learning,
"Through service-learning,
students have unique opportunities to learn the value of teamwork and build critical thinking skills
while completing service projects in areas such as education, public safety and the environment.
Studies have shown that students who participate in such programs demonstrate increased civic and
social responsibility and improved academic achievement."
Spellings' quote reinforces what we've seen happen again and again with Generation-FIT projects.
Service learning changes lives - your students' and those they serve.
We hope our students are:
information seekers, analyzers, evaluators!
We hope they become:
Problem-solvers and decision-makers! Team leaders and team members
Service Learning plus Generation FIT is the
Key
!
Why not use entrepreneurship as a school-to-work solution for K-12 students curious about the world of
work? Building a high-interest project like Generation FIT mentoring or our Vending module has
proven to be a highly motivating endeavor for students of all ages. Service Learning leaps a student
straight into the world of real, useful work right inside the school environment. Participating
students build an impressive resume of work place skills while becoming communicators, collaborators,
problem-solvers, and publishers. They become engaged in their family, school and community while
acting as informed, responsible, contributing citizens.
Think about the students who are absent more than they should be. Think about students who may be
labeled “at-risk” or those for whom traditional learning is a challenge. Generation Fit’s lead
teacher, Judy Shasek has developed nationally recognized programs for exactly this audience for two decades.
How is Gen FIT Mentoring a service learning program? Explore the Program here.
Adding the Generation Fit Vending Opportunity is the icing on the cake
Engaging the students (and even families) is your best "first step" toward gaining powerful partners
and engaged learners. But, you need resources for your service learning project - especially Generation FIT.
Enlist students to be the "first step" in answering "Why do we have to learn this anyway?" Whether it's
reading, math, PE or project based learning in almost any subject requiring cognitive skill development,
Generation FIT has ready answers. And best of all, they experience the answer to the question, "How am
I of real value in my school, in life?"
Can your students practice their own much-needed skills while performing a service for their student-peers?
Yes, and it's fun. Suddenly you have got a curriculum home-run!!!
Service Learning leaps a student straight into the world of real, useful work. The students build an
impressive resume of skills while becoming communicators, collaborators, leaders - especially your
most challenged learners.
How can I pay for a service learning program?
Overview
Community service projects have long been a mainstay of scouting, churches and schools.
It seems only natural to encourage compassion for others, a recognition of the many areas
of need in the school community and the power of helping others - especially teachers!
Teachers have a full plate and often a great program can't be implemented because there
is simply no more time. An in-school peer mentoring opportunity may engage your students
while they are in the act of helping, and it really will impact their lives and their
academic success. Generation FIT can seamlessly add that program for you.
Studies have shown that community service does not usually become an integral part of the
lives of our youth when it is done in the traditional ways. When the youth are asked to
bring in cans for a food drive, to sing at a nursing home during the holidays or to
volunteer at a day care center - the action is "other-driven!" Most kids will readily
take on the service and enjoy helping. That is not true service learning.
In Service Learning the young people initiate the action after researching what some
real needs might be in the school community. This "letting go" of the planning, research
and organizing stage of the service is difficult for many teachers. The teacher's agenda
is usually very sincere and based on commitment- and on the time/efficiency factor. A 30
minute class discussion at the outset of your Generation FIT program will result in rewarding
commitment among your students. For help in guiding students during this important step,
Generation FIT provides "discussion and challenges" guidelines in the curriculum packet and
a scripted DVD.
Once students understand how the mentoring component of Generation FIT operates you'll have
a full class of potential service learners on hand. Now, it is time for the teacher to
invest the most important 90 minutes of the year-long project - selecting and training the
peer mentors. This is the crucial step in having a team of empowered students managing the
Generation FIT program for you all year long - while they gain all the benefits of the mentoring
and service learning process.
Again and again as students continue with their peer mentoring and the mentor teams enjoy
10-minute exercise sessions on the dance mats, they will reflect on what they learn and what
they are doing. Students as young as 8 years old become very articulate about the benefits of
the dance exercise, rhythm, patterning, eye-tracking and renewed focus for doing their school work.
Generation FIT allows for 15-20 minute weekly reflection sessions. These can be organized and
carried out by a non-instructional staff person or a community volunteer (for richest impact on
the students). How has the activity changed them? What have they learned from the experience and
from the people they help? How have they been helped. This important stage has much REFLECTION.
It cannot be given short shrift!
It is unbelievable how your student Service Learners will collaborate, team, and
change as they grow into the role of informed and contributing citizens. Sometimes the energy and
momentum of the project seems to be enough, but don't leave out a component of CELEBRATION. A Family
Fitness and Reading Event, a dance marathon, a community business partner dance-day are all ways you
can celebrate the student-driven success of Generation FIT. Let students invite the media, write press
releases and create a website of their progress and fun - celebrate unique talents and abilities.
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