"This Institute and ALL the participants have made my task of creating/implementing a service-learning curriculum seem less daunting. The ideas and support that I will be taking back to my school are immeasurable. I feel more secure in accomplishing our endeavor."
Mary Drexler, Hamilton Terrace High School, Shreveport, LA

Blessed with ususally wonderful weather for most of the week, Shelburne Farms—a 1400-acre working farm and nonprofit environmental education center on the shores of Lake Champlain—generously provides a magnificent setting for our work together.

Faculty include: Community Works founder Joe Brooks; Jennifer Cirillo of the Sustainable Schools Project; Pat Haggerty, author of Oral History: Let Their Voices Be Heard; Joey Hoffman, Maryland State Fellow for Service-Learning; Beverly Maddox Moon of Mississippi's Delta State University; Vermont high school teacher Jean Berthiaume; Gregory Sharrow of the Vermont Folklife Center, along with additional workshop presenters..


From Concept to Practice
Symposiums include presentations and discussions with Marc Chabot, Martha Rich, and Joey Hoffman. Marc, a high school physics and chemistry teacher at Thetford Academy, shares his students’ work in problem-solving (designing prototypes to help solve the educational or physical problems of two special needs students at the school).

“Mark Chabot provided many creative and inspiring ideas and insights as to how service-learning can enhance student engagement, learning, and compassion.”
Sue Babcock
Sentinel High School, Missoula, MT

Martha Rich, Head of Thetford Academy, shares insights about site level practices that have helped Thetford become a National Service-learning Leader School, inspiring a thoughtful conversation around Michael Pullan’s statement, “You can’t mandate what matters.”


Human Connection
Faculty members encourage the group to consider the terms coordination, cooperation, and collaboration. We emphasize the “human connection” aspect of service-learning, encouraging participants to recognize and take advantage of opportunities for collaboration that already exist at the site. With Joey Hoffman, the group lookes at levels of student participation and responsibility in service-learning projects. We look at a continuum from teacher-established choices through shared responsibility to students “doing it all” with the teacher as facilitator. In small groups we discuss some of the challenges to full student participation and suggestions for overcoming those challenges, and then share these in the larger group.

"...it was such a great opportunity to have time away together, in an intentional setting, to plan and steep some ideas....
I wish others had the luxury of experiencing this with a co-worker."
Sarah Blythe
YouthBuild Burlington

Workshops
Workshops provide a wide array of additional explorations. Jen Cirillo of Shelburne Farms’ “Education for Sustainability Project” inspires us to think of Sustainability (“Improving the quality of life for all living things for present and future generations”) as an overarching “umbrella” for all service-learning. She encouraged us to remember and keep in balance the three “E’s”: Equity, Environment, and Economics.

"One way I’m impressed is by how the passion inside of me
surged with the education for sustainability workshop."
Angie Barger –Youth Environmental Coalition, Vermont

"Service-learning, under the umbrella of Sustainability, may be the best educational program to produce citizens who regard the worth of every human, every animal, and the environment."
Sue Jenkins –Casady School, Oklahoma City

In other workshops, we share a variety of approaches to service-learning that schools are using around the country, helping the group with site-level challenges. Pat Haggerty introduces her Oral History project, describing how her students’ connection to Veterans helped them hone writing and social skills and explore intergenerational issues. Later, Pat helps us explore a variety of reflection techniques, while

“I plan on using Pat Haggerty’s lesson, “Let their voices be heard” and her simile reflection tool. I’m very excited about incorporating this new unit in my teaching.”
Emily Cause –Park School, Summerville, MA

Greg Sharrow of the Vermont Folklife Center (photo at right) renews our interest in harvesting the stories of our friends, neighbors and community characters as a way to preserve the “experienced past” and enliven our understanding of history. Jim Flint, formerly of the National Gardening Association, offers a rich array of books, ideas and resources to help many of our group who are interested in gardens, food, and sustainability issues.

"I now have the confidence to promote service-learning with faculty and administrators at Goffstown Area High School."
Ray Dumais –Goffstown HS, Goffstown, NH

Study Groups
In smaller study groups, we take turns focusing on each participant’s specific challenges or dilemmas. Pooling our knowledge to offer understanding, experience and resources, we share the weight of this powerful work. By listening to others, each of us broadens our own understanding, and we come away with greater confidence in ourselves and new ideas to take home and try.

"I am confident now that I can go back to my school this year
and apply and practice new ideas and skills, working towards
a successful, happy experience for all."
Cindy Perry –Thetford Academy, VT

A Panel On Learning
In a midweek panel discussion, we have a chance to question experienced faculty and guests and get feedback on ideas we have encountered. One topic of discussion is generally of whether or not a “canned curriculum” can work with service-learning, and why using such curriculum can lead to a missed opportunity for true ownership by all participants.

"The Institute has reinforced my beliefs and provided
much needed time to clarify my place and my vision."
Anne Young –Harvest Program, Leicester, VT

Great Conversations
Having Best Practices for Service-Learning as a center point of discussion helps us understand how many different approaches there are to good service-learning practice.

"The Best Practices For Service-Learning will change my work, since I now have a solid framework or structure to maximize my students’ experiences with service. I feel more confident about connecting service-learning with the academics."
Sherri Glebus –YouthBuild Burlington, VT

"Stopping to reflect and ponder this week has shown me that I will
see clearer. I will not have to rely on stumbling across solutions
but will reach them through slowing down."
Margrethe Horlyck-Romanovsky
Community Food Resource Center, New York City

Perhaps most important of all was having the time for reflection and deep conversation. A faculty member remarks, “As we discovered, having a common language doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a common understanding. Knowing that there are differences didn’t so much create difficulty as it enriched our understanding of what those practices mean from different points of view. This strengthens the educational community at the same time that we are broadening who the stakeholders are. We are a group of people who are daring to change things. This is a messy process.... It’s not going to be perfect, but we can learn to embrace this time of change.”

"When we despair or doubt we must remember that our work is key
to making education more relevant and meaningful to the youth we work with.
In the final analysis, our work will change the landscape of American education."
Kevin Mann –Shoreham-Wading River HS, Middle Island, NY

Community Works Summer Institute
July 24-28, 2007 (Tuesday-Saturday)
Thanks to the rich feedback and suggestions of our recent Institute participants, this year’s Summer Institute on Service-Learning at Shelburne Farms will be further enhanced by rich, multilevel experiences. It will build in additional opportunities to take advantage of the spectacular setting of Shelburne Farms itself as well as the many resources of the greater Burlington area. The Institute continues to serve the needs of educators experienced in service-learning as well as those new to the practice by offering optional workshops at varied levels. Practitioners at multiple levels will continue to benefit from each other’s perspectives in large group conversations and in smaller, intensive study groups. This year's Institute promises to be better than ever so register yourself or your planning team for an unforgettable summer experience. Those already on our waiting list will be guaranteed a place.
2007 Registration Info