Family & Community Alternative Education
Community Service Learning

Annual Service–Learning Higher Education Partner for pre-service Teacher Education Leader Award

The Community Service-Learning (CSL) Advisory Council to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is pleased to announce the Annual Massachusetts Service-Learning Higher Education Partner Leader Award for Pre-Service Teacher Education. This honor provides recognition to a representative(s) from institutions of higher education who develop future service-learning teachers and who partner with public schools in order to promote service-learning, civic engagement and community improvement.

The CSL Advisory Council will present one award to a faculty member, department or a Massachusetts university or college dedicated to CSL as an important instructional strategy for educating students at the Annual Statewide Service-Learning Conference on May 7, 2009 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass.

Nomination Process
A Superintendent, Principal, Teacher, Curriculum/CSL Coordinator, Faculty Member or Student (K-12 or post-secondary) is asked to submit a letter of recommendation addressing the following criteria. Although the emphasis for this award is focused on exemplary practice as described in section A, please provide comments on the additional sections when applicable to your candidate.

A. How the nominee supports service-learning as a teaching methodology through pre-service teacher education, public schools and on their own campus. Include a brief description of where/how service-learning is taught to pre-service teachers as an instructional methodology.

B. How the nominee supports service-learning in public schools (K-12) and on their own campus. Include a brief description of current CSL programming on campus that highlights: number of faculty and students engaged in CSL, community partners involved, etc.

C. How the nominee supports community, school and higher education partnerships. Include at least one example of such a partnership.

D. How the nominee contributes to the broader field of service-learning.

E. How the nominee acknowledges individuals responsible for program success.

Nominations received no later than 5pm on March 3, 2009 will be eligible for review by the CSL Advisory Committee. Please submit nomination to Kristen McKinnon, Community Service-Learning Specialist via email: kmckinnon@doe.mass.edu

For more information, contact Kristen McKinnon at (781) 338-6306 or kmckinnon@doe.mass.edu.