Posted by BEN BEAUMONT – Several Clinton School students have created an education policy memo on service learning which was sent this week to local state and federal entities.
Prepared as a project in their education policy class, the students argue that “now is the time” to promote service learning in America’s education system. They recommend that policy makers look for opportunities to implement high quality service learning at all levels.
“With President Obama’s call to service, the increase of applications for national service organizations, and the recent passage of the Serve America Act, there is growing momentum for civic engagement and service,” according to the memo.
Service learning is effective because it integrates practical work with traditional education curriculum, the memo says. The students offer an important distinction between service-learning and community service.
“Whereas community service offers people meaningful opportunities to give back, serve learning takes this engagement and gives it educational value,” the memo says.
Follow the link for the full memo: clinton-school-of-public-service-service-learning-memo.pdf.