Using Service-Learning Field Placements to Radically Transform Teacher Education From the Inside Out

Abstract

The current educational landscape is more complex and demanding than ever. The integration of service-learning into teacher education programs increase opportunities for intersectionality of curriculum, the development of cultural humility, use of contact theory, and hands-on learning. The partnership between an urban liberal arts university and suburban school district resulted in the College Pals model. The College Pals model acknowledges that pre-service teachers need to learn how to navigate systems that are familiar to their students in order to positively impact student learning and educational experiences. Service-learning as a pedagogical approach enhances instructional readiness through earlier opportunities to work in and connect to classrooms prior to their matriculated field experiences and provide an effective integration of community-oriented approaches to teacher education.