This special is one of fifteen Service Learning Standards Based Models 
For more Service Learning activities Connecting Classrooms~Communities~Careers
visit bostonteachnet.org or contact  Barbara Locurto  IMPACT II @ School-to-Career, 
Boston Public Schools

Education

Learning Festivals from School to School

Arts, English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies 

Connecting
Classrooms older & younger
Communities neighboring schools & classes
Careers education, media, science, technology
 

What are Learning Festivals?
They are interdisciplinary school-to-school events where high school students host learning centers or stations for their Learning Buddies. If regularly scheduled throughout the year, they offer older students ways to assess their teaching skills. Students prepare for them by organizing learning stations around themes that reflect mutual objectives and interests. Recent themes include: Utopian Communities, Pathways to Peace, A Celebration of Multiple Intelligences and Cultural Journeys. Learning Festivals prepare teenagers for a lifetime of teaching and learning and inspire younger children to value academic success. They also require teacher-to-teacher collaboration that inspires students from different classes to learn to work on projects together. Time management, organization and presentation skills are crucial. Energized by challenging learning environments (safety procedures in the chem lab, video making in the media studio, slide show creation in the computer lab), prospective students not only demystify high schools, but define them as wondrous places to learn. 
Resources Read Aloud Handbook by James Trelease; Students as Teachers, Mollie Gregory
Technology exchange e-mail, create videos & computer slide shows, word process publications
Web Sites  Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators; The Teachers Network 
Community Partners TeachBoston, Future Educators of America, Extras for Education/BPS Recycle Center

Learning Standards Classroom Activities Service Activities
o Contribute to the graduate portfolio through a collaborative project that applies learning to educate others  
 o Form committees & assign organizational responsibilities for theme & design of learning stations 
o Reflect in learning festival journals 		o E-mail learning buddies with schedule & theme of learning festival
o Encourage learning buddies to record reflections in journals
o Make effective presentations (ELA)
o Use telecommunications to share information & ideas (ELA)  
 o Prepare activity for each center depending on time frame of visit 
o Create props with recycled materials		 o E-mail learning buddies invitations to learning festival 
o Use various formats & technology to complete & enhance work (ELA) 
 o Plan lesson presentations & timeline
o Record steps in lesson plan
o Develop Take Home packets for younger children & parents 		 o Continue to update youngsters on theme of learning festival through e-mail correspondence 
o Make effective presentations (ELA) 
  o Role model teacher practice for younger children at home & in neighborhood or after school programs o Describe teaching at a learning festival for school or local newspaper 
o Understand, analyze, evaluate & respond effectively to oral presentations (ELA)
o Incorporate multimedia as appropriate (ELA)  		o Welcome youngsters & describe expectations on day of visit
o Divide scheduled groups to rotate from center to center 
o Create instant computer slide show with younger students
o Write article on group reflections 		 o Videotape learning festival for future evaluation sessions, demonstrations & community presentations 
o Distribute, explain & follow up on Take Home packets
o Send reflections article to local newspapers & SL publications
o Communicate results of observation, questioning & interviewing through oral presentations (S) 
 o View video to analyze teaching techniques & interactions  o Share video & computer slide shows at statewide conference & legislative hearings