Service Learning in the Middle Grades: Learning by Doing and Caring

Abstract: Although service learning has been documented as a promising pedagogy for middle grades learners, it remains the exception rather than the rule in many middle schools. This qualitative study examined fifth grade students’ experience of a service-learning class. Using the tenets of service learning and experiential learning theory as the theoretical framework, we describe the findings of the study, identifying the importance of a culture of “doing” and problem solving; an integrated curriculum that was based in caring for others; a joyful environment in which to learn; and opportunities for competence and independence. We present the findings in relation to the theoretical framework and discuss the implications of this research for middle grades practice, teacher education, and future research.

Narrative: A successful middle grades experience is critical to young adolescents’ later life outcomes (Balfanz, 2009; McCallumore & Sparapani, 2010; Payne & Edwards, Citation2010), yet laying the groundwork for that experience can pose challenges to contemporary educators. For example, bullying, substance abuse, and other risky behaviors often begin in middle school (U.S. News and World Report, 2011; United States Department of Health and Human Services, Citation2017), at the same time that parent involvement tends to wane (Lam & Ducreux, 2013). Similarly, academic and behavioral engagement often declines in the middle grades as students experience a mismatch between their developmental needs and the structures of schools (Eccles & Midgley, 1989; Eccles & Roeser, 2011; Wang & Fredricks, 2014).

As educators search for effective approaches to teaching in this age group, some have proposed service learning as a promising pedagogy (Billig, 2000; Chung & McBride, 2015; Warren, 2012). Service learning is a curricular approach in which students explore problems in their school or community and develop plans to solve them (Kids Involved Doing Service Learning [KIDS] Consortium, 2013). Indeed, research suggests that service learning has the potential to be a good fit for the nature and needs of young adolescents. Middle grades students who participated in extended service learning projects with accompanying reflective work demonstrated both increased personal growth and increased levels of parental communication (Scales, Blyth, Berkas, & Kielsmeier, 2000). Students also reported that participating in service learning encouraged them to become interested in other classes (Curtis, 2001), suggesting a possible influence on engagement. Additionally, students in service learning experiences engage in tasks that offer opportunities for the development of responsibility and competence, two key components for young adolescent self-efficacy (Stevenson & Bishop, 2012).

Despite this potential, however, research on high-quality service learning programs at the middle level is limited, at best (Wang & Fredricks, 2014). One reason is because service learning opportunities remain an exception rather than the rule in the middle grades (Richards et al., 2013), making it challenging to study. Further, inconsistencies in the quality of service learning programs have led to a wide variance in student outcomes in the research that does exist (Billig, 2000; Eyler & Giles, 1999; Furco, 2003).

The purpose of this research was to describe and analyze fifth grade students’ experience of a service learning class. We discuss the tenets of service learning and experiential learning theory that comprise theoretical framework for the research and then describe the methodology employed in this qualitative study. Next, we present the findings and highlight the roles that doing, problem solving, curriculum integration, caring, joy, competence, and independence played in students’ experience. We discuss these findings in relation to the theoretical framework, and we conclude with implications of this research for middle grades practice, teacher education, and future research.

The full paper has been published in the journal Research in Middle Level Education: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19404476.2017.1415600