Community-based Learning: Awakening the Mission of Public Schools

To fully prepare K-12 students for life and career, connect with your community!

 

A successful community-based learning program is a triple win―for students, schools, and the entire community. Curriculum becomes more meaningful and relevant, students are more engaged, and schools and districts benefit from new advocates.

 

Authors Prast and Viegut show how to move beyond guest speakers and field trips to creating a vibrant program that promotes academic achievement and future career skills. In this second acclaimed book in The Clarity Series, readers will learn how to

• Forge rewarding partnerships with local partners, from major employers to small businesses and community groups
• Implement a high-quality, sustainable initiative that bridges disciplines
• Recognize and overcome barriers to effectiveness
• Apply best practices from today’s most-effective programs

 

Turn to this helpful guide to tap the limitless opportunities and potential offered by community-based learning.

"Community-based learning, as described in this series, just might be the missing piece we are looking for on our competency-based, personalized learning quest for our students. If we can bring this work together―if we can connect them to their passion (personalize), move them along when they are ready (competency-based) and ground them in real life experience (community-based), perhaps we can truly give them the roots and the wings we have only been theorizing about for fifty years."

―Dr. Sandra Dop, Program Consultant

Iowa Department of Education

 

Don Viegut has served as a classroom teacher, building principal,director of curriculum, deputy superintendent, and superintendent and currently serves as agency administrator of a regional service delivery agency serving twenty-seven school districts. Don has served as president of Wisconsin ASCD and served on the Board of Directors for ASCD, and Chair of the Board of North Central Technical College. Don also served as the chair of the PK-18 Council for the University of Wisconsin-Steven’s Point. Don co-authored Common Formative Assessments, a million dollar Corwin publication. Don has presented nationally and networked extensively while studying throughout the world. Don earned his doctorate from Western Michigan University.

Holly Rottier, PhD candidate at Cardinal Stritch University is doing her doctoral dissertation on Community Based Learning. Holly is on track to defend her dissertation in the summer of 2014. Holly has served as a teacher, building principal, and at the district office level with leadership responsibilities in assessment, school improvement, english as a second language, strategic planning, community engagement, director of administration, and currently holds the position of Assistant Superintendent in Kimberly, Wisconsin. Holly has also served on the graduate advisory board for Silver Lake College. Holly has presented nationally and in her home state of Wisconsin on the Community Based Learning approach to education.