Building Ethical Communities Through Service Learning '99-'00

Introduction

The School for Ethical Education and the Albert Schweitzer Institute have developed a youth-leadership program called Building Ethical Communities through Service-Learning (BEC).  Completing a second year of pilot implementation, BEC is designed to achieve four goals which are believed to support the reduction of student conflict and the promotion of respectful and caring behavior.  BEC goals specify that students will—1. Discover shared community values; 2. Develop reflection skills anchored by shared values and the Golden Rule; 3. Practice ethical leadership and cooperative work skills; and 4. Apply shared values, reflection, and ethical leadership skills during the planning and implementation of service-learning projects.

In 1999-2000, the yearlong program served two separate cohorts of middle school and high school students.  BEC staff solicited the applications of student teams representing a diverse cross section of Connecticut communities to attend an interactive, daylong workshop to introduce the BEC process.  During the workshops, participants discovered shared community values, learned and practiced ethical leadership and cooperative work skills, and applied their shared values and skills to the planning of student-led service-learning projects.  Participants then returned to their schools to expand their teams, teach skills learned at the workshop to new team members, and to implement their projects while practicing regular ethical reflection.  After the workshop, one teacher commented, “They walked us through the ethical implications of service-learning step by step.  Words such as responsibility, respect, and patience that students might not always connect with the ethics suddenly had tremendous meaning to them in this context.”

The BEC program uses service-learning as an experiential teaching strategy which can be integrated into school instruction.  BEC defines service-learning to include student-designed projects that teach academic and life skills.  A unique feature of the BEC process is the intentional integration of ethical reflection within the program.  Ethical reflection is not widely understood or recognized as a skill normally taught in public schools.  At the conclusion of this project year, a teacher noted, “students’ comfort level with ethical reflection improved as the project went on.”  One student also summarized the views of many participants by stating, “[the process] has given us a respect for people who are different.”

Following the introductory workshops, the BEC staff provided monthly consultation and resources to assist the student teams complete successful projects.  In addition, school teams were invited to send representatives to Connecticut’s Assets-Based Character Education Conference.  The School for Ethical Education organized the conference which enrolled over 340 participants in April 2000.  The conference included a breakout session for student presenters from BEC.  Three BEC school teams sent representatives to participate on a service-learning panel.  The conference provided a great forum for students to share their experiences with service-learning and ethical reflection, exchange ideas, and learn from their peers and teachers throughout the state.

Participating Schools

Thirteen schools represented by 90 students and teachers participated in the 1999-2000 workshops and nine schools completed at least one service-learning project.  The documented service-learning projects addressed a variety of community needs.  Six hundred seven students, 23 faculty members, and eight other adults completed over 8700 service hours.  BEC students served senior citizens, peers and younger students, veterans, crisis centers, schools, and community members.  Student responses to post-project questionnaires noted 82% of the students thought their experiences were satisfying and that their projects were at least somewhat helpful to the communities and individuals served.

Some schools were unable to complete a project because it was too difficult to implement or because of a lack of support or understanding within their schools.  Common characteristics of successful projects included motivated and enthusiastic students, flexible and supportive staff and administrators, and strongly committed lead teachers.  As described in post-project interviews, the level of the lead teacher’s understanding of ethical reflection and service-learning also impacted the success of the project.

Participant interviews conducted during and after BEC noted the program could be improved in several ways.  Recommendations from this current evaluation include:  1.  Screen and/or train the lead teachers for understanding of service-learning and their willingness to fulfill the requirements of the program prior to the fall workshops; 2. Streamline the monthly reporting between BEC staff and teachers; 3. Provide clear examples of ethical reflection for practice in the school setting; 4. Support process instruction within teacher materials; 5. Provide opportunities for teachers and student to meet and/or exchange information during the year to discuss progress and problems; and 6. Plan the replication of the BEC process through a train-the-trainer model.

In a summary of interviews, site visits, and student questionnaires, program evaluators concluded that with modifications BEC is a viable and useful program that is worthy of continued funding.  The evaluators concluded that BEC provided positive experience and skill development to students, teachers, and community members that participated.

The following report is a synthesis completed by Amy Garrish for BEC.  Ms. Garrish has summarized the work of Felicity Harley of Clemow Consulting Group, Dr. Marc Goldstein of Central Connecticut State University Department of Psychology, and the project notes of the BEC staff.

* Information compiled from monthly reports; no final report was received
1 schools that accepted grant money from BEC
2 schools that participated in the program 1998-1999

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