A Turning Point for Service-Learning

At the National Service-Learning Conference in Nashville last month, NYLC president Jim Kielsmeier hailed the progress of federal legislation for recognizing service-learning not only as a gateway to national service but also as a strategy for school improvement.

“The turning point in history is here. Americans are being asked to do more, participate more, no matter age, location, or background,” Kielsmeier said in his address to more than 2,000 youth and educators, challenging them to immediate action.

Anticipating the new Service America Act (see related story) he asked the conference attendees to heed the call for service and to participate in community- and school-based opportunities. He also called for the merging of service and engaged learning in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act this congressional session.

NYLC proposes the following steps to solidify the movement and bring service-learning to its rightful place in the education agenda:

• Pursuing high quality practice.
• Engaging the disengaged.
• Pushing for accountability, outcomes, and evidence.
• Supporting professional development initiatives and teacher education.
• Breaking through “glass floors” and “silos” in professional settings.
• Crossing the federal service/education divide.

“Our goal should be to reach every student, every year, through college,” Kielsmeier said.

“This is the moment to strengthen the ‘l’ in service-learning. Our message should be that service-learning is a way of teaching and learning across the disciplines that, if done well, will reform and improve education at all levels for all children. No longer is it a school day or a school year, but a learning day and learning year.”

In short, the new federal legislation is just the beginning.