Service-learning is a powerful tool for K-12 teachers to use to motivate and prepare students to become effective workers, family members and more educated and productive citizens in our democratic society.
UNK can provide educational resouces and assistance to support you in your efforts to integrate service-learning into your curriculum. Currently a web-based course is being offered, specifically suited to taking educators step-by-step into a deeper understanding of service-learning, its benefits to those involved, making community connections, and integrating it into your curriculum to meet State/National Standards. (See the Web Course page at this web site for additional information.)
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Nebraska Teacher Corps: an AmeriCorps Program, was an opportunity for teachers to be awarded an educational stipend for incorporating service-learning in their curriculum. In the 2003-04 program, twenty-three K-12 teachers participated in the program. At this time this opportunity is not being offered until another grant is funded. Contact the UNK Office for Service-Learning about this potential opportunity for the future.
The Nebraska Consortium for Service-Learning in Higher Education has compiled a manual detailing over 30, model, service-learning projects, developed by recent Teacher Corps participants. The manual, "From theField," features project descriptions, detailed preparation for projects, student outcome indicators, project outlines, and step-by-step information about how the students served. Information about the assessment of the project, suggestions for possible changes to the plan, and the structures for reflection, are also included. This manual is currently not available for purchase.
- Community Development
- Environment
- Learning Support
- Other Human Needs
- Public Safety
- Social Justice
Call the UNK Office for Service-Learning for additional information 308-865-8957. Email:stirtzg@unk.edu
- "Work hard to make service play a central and relevant role in the curriculum."
- "Recognize leaders-identify them and allow them to lead the students, peer to peer."
- "Real-world tasks that address actual needs and allow us to implement our ideas and engage our interest..."
- "It's a building process. Give students just a taste of service at first-like a small project-and then they'll want to do it again."
- "You learn that the community needs and appreciates you."
- "You see how you fit into family, school, community and state."
- "I was motivated to be involved because I was: "Having fun and being a part of something where you feel accepted, wanted and like you belong."