Making connections: Service‐learning competencies and beginning teacher standards

Abstract

Service learning is gaining recognition as a powerful tool to promote student learning in K‐12 and higher education classrooms. In an era of standards‐based assessment and accountability, pedagogical strategies must be aligned with a unified vision of effective teaching as defined by the standards. This article discusses the connection of service‐learning competencies to nationally recognized beginning teacher standards, such as Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC). It also provides specific examples of strategies that various teacher education programs have used to infuse the pedagogy of service learning into courses while addressing the INTASC standards.