Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/cultivating-leadership-and-responsibility-in-children/5021136/
Service learning projects help children connect the school curriculum with service projects that deal with real community needs. With its emphasis on building relationships and connections, service learning is an approach that allows teachers to maximize children’s strengths, which allows all learners to be successful: children with challenging behaviors, English Language Learners, and children with exceptional needs. This article describes service learning projects of 132 pre-service teachers and 3,500 children, prekindergarten to second grade, and the impact these experiences had on helping behaviors.Service Learning for All Children
Picture preschool children planting flowers in their school garden in order to make their school look better, or a group of kindergarten children drawing posters telling others not to litter. Both are examples of activities related to service learning with young children. Service learning experiences help children connect school curriculum with service projects that deal with real community needs in a hands-on way. By implementing service learning in the classroom, teachers can meet the needs of all children.
Early childhood educators have long known the importance of building relationships and making connections with young children. As an approach to learning, service learning enables teachers to emphasize both content and social skills in ways that ...