June 18 -- 21, 1999 Seattle

WORK ADDRESS: CEHS 374 Millett Hall

CITY/STATE/ZIP: Dayton, OH 45435-0001

OFFICE/HOME: 937-775-4472 937-433-2611 FAX: 937-775-3301

Institution:: Wright State University Early Childhood Ed. Program

WORK ADDRESS: CEHS 355 Millett Hall

CITY/STATE/ZIP: Dayton, OH 45435-0001

OFFICE/HOME: 937-775-4582 513-779-9994 FAX: 937-775-3301

Co-Organizer: Dr. Donna Cole (NNER Fellow) Director WSU PDS Programs

Institution: Wright State University, CEHS 374 Millett Hall, Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Office/Home: 937-775-3276 FAX: 937-775-3301 dcole@wright.edu

Co-Organizer: Mrs. Gerri Brown (Holmes Scholar) Graduate Assistant

Institution: Wright State University CEHS 357 Millett Hall, Dayton, OH 45435-0001

Office/Home: 937-775-4472 937-434-7572 FAX: 937-775-3301

Type of Session: Conversation

Focus: Local policy issues

Session presentation: Panel discussion

Service Learning

School-To Work initiatives.

Mentorship

Abstract:

Wright State University, Dayton, OH

Dr. Ronald G. Helms, Dr. Colleen Finegan, Dr. Donna Cole, Mrs. Gerri Brown

The goal of this conversation is to offer several views of local policy issues and education. Several dimensions of community/university collaboration will be reviewed. Service Learning, School-To Work initiatives, volunteerism, mentorship, further immerse the pre-service teachers in community service as they respond to the needs of the children as members of a larger family.

These experiences assist the pre-service teacher to view the child in a more holistic manner and in the context of the family. The pre-service teachers have experienced the love and caring attitude that most parents have for their children and how parents express love and care in terms of their own specific family dynamic.

Those involved in this Service Learning Program and School-to-Work Program have experienced first hand that the world is the child's classroom, with the family as the primary teacher. Interactions with Starting Point, as a member of the Montgomery County Early Intervention Consortium, will help the pre-service teachers to be more aware of the availability and interconnectedness of community agencies, including primary/secondary health care.

University faculty have met with the community agencies, and have collaborated with agencies to design this Service-Learning program and School-to-Work Program. Vital components of this Service Learning Program and School-to-Work Program are the orientation and reflective aspects of the experience. Pre-service teachers will be carefully introduced to this project, mentored, and debriefed following the experiences.

Pre-service teacher education students were introduced to the project and provided an overview of

S-T-W concepts, principles, practices and handouts.  Included in this unit was a discussion of the SCANS general (information processing, computer usage, technology usage, researching, oral communications, written communications, reading, mathematics usage, and systems usage) and interpersonal (leadership, group dynamics, problem solving, responsibility, self confidence, self management, sociability, integrity, and personal identification) competencies.

Pre-service teacher education students were introduced to a range of career assessment inventories.  These inventories surveyed aptitude, interests, skill preferences, work values, and personality preferences related to the world of work. 

Pre-service teacher education students were placed in an eight hour externship at a Miami Valley employment site.  SCANS employability competencies were discussed prior to the externship.  A group debriefing session was conducted with the participants at the conclusion of the externship. Structured discussion regarding S-T-W elements was conducted throughout the project.   

Each quarter, pre-service teacher education students return to campus at the conclusion of their professional field experience (student teaching) for a summary discussion of their experience. Approximately 350 students complete this course each calendar year.  These students are provided a two hour overview of S- T-W concepts, principles, practices and materials