Service learning combines community engagement with classroom instruction. Today, almost one-third of K12 public schools nationwide incorporate service learning into their curriculum. There are many benefits to doing so. 

Service learning provides K12 students opportunities to develop as engaged citizens and apply their knowledge in a real-world setting. It allows students to develop transdisciplinary skills that will support them in advanced study and their careers. And it enables students to practice teamwork while cultivating a deeper awareness of local, regional and global issues. 

But to be successful, service learning projects need to be accessible and engaging to students. Here are four ways to maximize the impact of your K12 service-learning opportunities.

CREATING RELEVANT PROJECTS

Your service-learning project should align with your curriculum and translate to topics your students explore in the classroom. But your service should also address a genuine community need. 

Work with your community partner to design a project that advances their goals while meeting your student learning outcomes. Using GivePulse, you can search more than 650,000+ active groups, organizations and agencies to find the perfect partner for your project. 

Already know who you'd like to collaborate with? Our simple onboarding process will connect them with your institution in no time so you can track student hours, measure participation and communicate seamlessly.

LEARNING FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES

By building on students' strengths and interests, you can design a project that is as fun as it is educational. The more your students are excited by the work, the more they will get out of it.

Try designing your project around one key priority, such as health and wellness, sustainability or housing justice. Complement the service portion of your project with discussion and learning in the classroom so your students understand the broader context of the project. 

You could incorporate the topic into art or creative writing projects, giving your students multiple ways to engage with the issue. 

Service learning is also a great way to help your students develop relational and communication skills. By allowing your students to design and manage portions of the project themselves, you can provide them with valuable leadership experience.

PROVIDING THE RIGHT STRUCTURE

It's crucial to design service-learning projects that are appropriate for your students' age and development level. The project should also be something the students can complete within the allotted time frame.

Structure your project so that students have opportunities to learn, engage and reflect. Don't underestimate the power of that last stage — reflection allows students to think critically about their experience and identify the lessons they'll be taking away from it. In doing so, they'll make crucial connections between the project and other aspects of their learning. 

STREAMLINING YOUR SERVICE LEARNING WITH AN SLM

Service-learning projects offer a way for K12 students to develop as engaged scholars. Students have the opportunity to learn and grow while also addressing a community need. In addition, service learning can help to build students' social and emotional skills, teaching them to communicate more effectively and work with people from diverse backgrounds.

But managing service-learning projects also requires significant administrative support. You'll need to coordinate student hours, communicate with partners, gather reflections and track and analyze your impact. 

GivePulse provides an all-in-one platform for teachers, administrators and community partners to connect, collaborate and capture and curate data. From creating and approving partner applications to scheduling student shifts and sending out surveys, our platform provides a comprehensive solution for service learning in public and private K12 schools.

Ready to shape the future of your students and the community through service learning? Schedule a demo with GivePulse today.

About GivePulse

GivePulse's mission is to enable everyone in the world to participate and engage in lifting their community to new heights. We do so by providing a platform to list, find, organize and measure the impact of service-learning, community engagement, philanthropy, corporate social responsibility and volunteerism.

Founded in 2012 in Austin, Texas, GivePulse works with 650,000+ groups, including colleges and universities, nonprofits, businesses, K-12/school districts and cities and municipalities. Together, we connect millions of people in an effort to create positive social change.

Start making a difference today by visiting www.givepulse.com.