Organization(s): Youth Service California
Position(s): Service-Learning Director
Work Setting: National/Regional Non-Profit Organization
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What I Do
Workshops/ Presentations
Current Projects
Interest Groups
Spirituality, Leadership Development, Teacher Preparation/ Certification Programs, Faith-Based Service-Learning, Environment/ Sustainability, Democratic Education, 40 Developmental Assets (Search Institute), Professional Learning Communities, Character Education, Juvenile Justice, Philanthropy Education
Where I Work
Urban (large city)
Who I Work With
Community-Based Organizations, Higher Education, K-12
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| | Short Description of My Current Work
I lead service-learning efforts for Youth Service California. That work includes coordinating service-learning Regional Leads for the California Department of Education, developing the program for the annual three day California Service-Learning Leadership Institute, and managing the California Certified Service-Learning program. I also assist YSCAL staff with the design of service-learning curriculum
In addition, I manage the Pacific Region of the Service-Learning Exchange and serve as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Center for Service-Learning in Teacher Education
Professional History
Before becoming involved in service-learning, I taught American History, Government, and Psychology in high school for 27 years. In 1988, I became the Director of a new Professional Development Center at Stanford University in the School of Education. When the Center became primarily engaged in service-learning, I changed its name to the Service-Learning 2000 Center. The Center provided training and technical support for the growing service-learning field for both P-12 and teacher education. We trained thousands of teachers, developed curriculum materials that are used across the nation, and helped form the National Service-Learning Teacher Education Partnership that ultimately led to the creation of the International Center for Service-Learning in Teacher Education.
The 2000 Center partnered with the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC) as the coordinator of the Pacific Region of the Service-Learning Exchange and the local host of the 1999 National Service-Learning Conference in San Jose. I moved the Center from Stanford in 2001 to merge with Youth Service California where I currently work. Youth Service California continues to partner with NYLC and served again as the local host of the National Service-Learning Conference in Long Beach in 2005.
Professional Expertise/ Passions
My expertise is grounded in a love of teaching. What I most enjoy is helping design curriculum and workshops that engage participants in meaningful, productive learning. I have years of experience in most all aspects of professional development as well as the design of institutes and conferences. My early life as a social studies teacher and writing project consultant continues to influence my work. I enjoy creating and helping others create case studies to stimulate youth and adult learning. I focus some of my work on teacher education because I believe that service-learning cannot become mainstream as long as it continues to be peripheral in teacher training.
What I'm Most Excited About in My Current Work
I am very excited about working to help California youth advocate for school changes to decrease the dropout problem. I believe that service-learning is a powerful resource to shift the focus away from test scores to student engagement - and youth can lead the shift. I am also very excited about my international work with teacher education. I believe that teacher education in America needs to become much more global in its focus.
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