Pre-service teachers learning through service-learning in a low SES school

Background and purpose: The purpose of this research was to understand the experiences of pre-service teachers in a service-learning program. The research questions that guided this research were: (1) How does an after-school service-learning program that utilizes pre-service teachers develop students' pedagogy? (2) What are the experiences of pre-service teachers teaching in low SES schools through a service-learning approach? Methods: During the 2016-2017 school year, nine pre-service physical education students took part in a service-learning program. The REACH program was a free after-school physical education and literacy program for 5th and 6th grade students at a low SES school. This program consisted of two-hour sessions, twice per week, for 30-weeks starting in the Fall and ending in the Spring. Data consisted of interviews, pre-service teachers' journals, researcher journals, and researcher field notes. In total, 500 pages of data were analyzed using the constant comparative technique. Two researchers independently coded these data and a peer reviewer then separately reviewed the data and findings. Results: Three themes emerged from the data analysis. Theme 1 - Developing pedagogies in real-world settings. Theme 2 - Connecting with students and learning how to manage behavior. Theme 3 - Teaching in a low SES school: A wake-up call. Conclusions and implications: Pre-service teachers in this study were able to practice their pedagogy in a real-world environment and gain valuable experience in developing classroom and behavior management skills. The REACH program provides a model for a service-learning approach where pre-service students can practice and refine their teaching skills through extended involvement in an after-school program that served students in a low SES community.