Director of Music Education in Boise State’s Music Department, Lori Gray, celebrated a successful service-learning partnership with Maple Grove Elementary. Lori’s students from MUS 372 General Music Methods and Materials, created and conducted music lessons with second graders, leading to an applauded concert for families. This was Lori’s fifth year teaching with service-learning (SL) and she is eager to share why she feels strongly about SL experiences for her students, even when it adds complexity to the class. Lori’s insights discussed here answer questions many faculty ask:
What is service-learning and what is involved?
SL is a high impact form of experiential learning. Annually at Boise State University, more than 80 faculty and 2,500 students work with community partners to strengthen our community. Service-Learning involves taking content from class (concepts and skills) and helping students see how they can apply that in a real life setting. Students work with a community organization, like a school or nonprofit, to practice skills while providing a service to the organization and helping the community in some way.
Lori Gray developed her SL project in collaboration with Maple Grove Elementary’s master teacher, Amy Wickstrom. Over time Lori and her community partners have built a relationship and refined a project that matched their needs and the students’ capacities. Faculty like Lori start by consulting with the SL staff, who help faculty connect with community partners, design the project, then integrate the experience into their class using experiential learning best practices.
Why is SL so valuable?
SL can fill gaps in degree programs
Gray says, “Music Education is a big degree program for our students to try to get through, but there are always gaps. I asked myself, what are our students missing in their degree program? What are they not getting? How can we fill that gap? Service-learning gives students first-hand experiences in their chosen field. In the case of our first partner school, Taft Elementary, SL helped students get into a Title 1 school, helped them understand what that means, and understand what that population might need. In the case of our second partner school, Maple Grove Elementary, SL allows students to work with a master teacher who has a master’s degree in Special Education. Mrs. Wickstrom assists our students with practicing music specific strategies for working with students who qualify for special education services.”
SL gives students confidence that they can be successful
According to Lori, SL projects are not easy for students, but they feel extremely rewarded from the process and the experience. Many have shared that they feel more confident as a result of the SL. One student commented, “I feel like I could teach — and I never thought I would.” Another student said: “I absolutely loved general music methods. This was my favorite class ever. I loved all the projects we did, and I absolutely loved the service-learning project. It made my heart explode when I was with those little kids … [it] made me want to teach music. ”
What are the keys to SL successful SL?
Invest in building and sustaining long term partnerships
Gray spent time talking with Amy Wickstrom about what her college students would be able to commit to given their full schedules, and negotiated what project would be mutually beneficial.
Develop the partnership with leadership at the organization where your students serve
As Lori Gray points out, It took not only the partner teacher to make this project successful for everyone involved, but the whole school such as the principal and support staff– that made her students feel like they were seen as teachers and being part of the school. Her students were excited to visit Maple Grove Elementary every time, because they knew they would be welcomed. In turn, the second graders got excited to see them too.
Set up alternative projects
Distance students and students with scheduling conflicts (e.g., during COVID) might have had difficulties participating in the project. Gray suggests involving students in designing alternative projects and asking them for their ideas: What can you do in your community (distance students or students who need alternative projects) that will meet the needs of that community and also support your growth as a music educator? Faculty need to provide parameters and use a proposal process.
Integrate structured reflection at multiple times during the semester
Early in the semester
Professor Gray provides background content about the community in which students will serve, the course concepts students will apply, and the activities students will do. She then asks students to reflect on what they might gain, what challenges they might encounter, and how they might prepare themselves for success.
Throughout the semester
Reflection questions are assigned that have students think about how their experiences went: What surprised them, what do they want to address for next time, what did they notice about the population? In addition, she asks them about their interactions and the physical service space such as the school environment.
At the end of the semester
Students complete a final portfolio including a SL post-reflection that asks students what they learned about specific course concepts, about themselves, and about how they will take their learning into their first teaching job.
Establish a set routine for the SL activities
Gray assures faculty: “It takes a lot of planning and communication, but once you get a set routine and you figure out the partnership, the next year will run much smoother and easier”.
Schedule the service during the college class period
This avoids having to look at all of the students’ schedules. If they had gone out on their own to the school, the project would have looked different than the entire class working together. If you want to learn more about teaching with service-learning at Boise State, visit the Service Learning website and email the Director of Service-Learning at KaraBrascia@boisestate.edu. Do you want to learn about other service-learning projects on campus and hear the students’ perspective? Visit the Spring 2023 Service-Learning Exhibition (SLx) on April 27th.