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Developing Self-Determination through Service-Learning
by Monica Hochstedler

Transitioning from school to work is an important rite of passage for all young people. For some students, transitioning from school to work and full community membership can be especially challenging. Young people may find the work place intimidating and may have difficulties relating to fellow co-workers. Compounding this, young people with disabilities may have a difficult time deciding on a career path.

Raising students’ levels of self-determination is, therefore, an important preparatory step for transition. Self-determination, as defined by Martin and Huber-Marshall in 1995 includes seven elements (www.ncset.org/topics/sdpse/faqs.asp?topic=7):

* Self-awareness
* Self-advocacy
* Self-efficacy or self-confidence
* Decision-making skills
* Independent performance through implementation of self-management strategies
* Self-evaluation
* Adjusting or revising goals and plans to improve performance

High levels of self-determination can help students with disabilities advocate for themselves in higher education or in the community, set and achieve goals and make logical decisions. Schools can help students acquire these levels of self-determination by covering topics such as choice-making, decision-making, problem-solving, goal setting and attainment, independence, risk-taking and safety, self-observation, self-evaluation and self-reinforcement, self-instruction, self-advocacy and leadership skills (www.thearc.org/faqs/qa-idea-transition.html). Many of these self-determination skills can be directly developed through participation in service-learning projects.

For example, when selecting a service-learning project, students need to take leadership in expressing what issues are important to them and recognizing what issues are important in the community. By taking responsibility for choosing the project, students also foster decision-making skills. While working on these activities, students will independently and collaboratively set goals, evaluate progress and reflect on what they are learning, all of which are skills needed for healthy self-determination. Perhaps most importantly, interaction with the community through service-learning fosters independence and raise levels of self-confidence and social skills.

At the Craig Academy in Pittsburgh, a school for emotional support youth, students have participated in service-learning projects for several years. Teachers and transition coordinators have found that students take ownership in service-learning activities and are highly motivated to do school work that connects with service-learning. In addition, service-learning projects raise the students’ competency to work in the community.

For example, students at Craig Academy are primary caretakers of a community garden. In the fall of each year, students clean up the garden and in the spring they plant the garden. Through this project, students’ pride in the community has increased and leadership skills have been improved. Most importantly, according to Mike Mastorovich, Transition Coordinator at Craig Academy, the students' social skills have radically improved.

Another project that increased social skills, independence, self-advocacy and self-evaluation skills, focused on studying World War II and interviewing veterans. To document what the students learned and to preserve history, students created a video and burned a compact disc. Carla Sproul, technology teacher and supervisor, noted two areas of the project that positively impacted students: interviewing the veterans and producing the video. Though students studied World War II for three weeks before interviewing veterans, the reality of the war did not set in until the students heard stories from the veterans. In response to the riveting real-life stories, one student responded, “He (the veteran) almost died on Christmas Eve!”. For the students, who often do not have much adult interaction beyond their teachers and parents, spending time with the veterans helped them deal with the generational gap between the two groups.

The production of the video utilized the talents and input of the students and teachers. Through the negotiation process among the participants concerning the content and layout of the video, students recognized their individual strengths and learned the self-observation and self-evaluation skills that were needed. Students also increased independence skills through expressing their own opinions and also practiced social skills through negotiating decisions.

Self-determination and being self-aware, confident, independent and comfortable with problem solving, are skills that must be developed for smooth transitions to occur. Service-learning is one way to help increase self-determination while also increasing interest in learning and interest in the cmmunity.