Community Problem Solving Works for Middle Level Students

Jann E. Bohnenberger & Alice W. Terry

More familiar with newspaper articles that report on the destructiveness of youth, society marvels at headlines that show youth making positive contributions to their communities. Headlines in Kerikeri, New Zealand, recently referenced six young students who fought to save two of their country's most historic buildings that were endangered by traffic vibrations and flooding. The determined 10- and 11-year-olds publicized the plight of the historic buildings and procured government funding for most of the cost of moving the current roadway. This rerouting will save the buildings from almost certain destruction and preserve the heritage of the community (Community Problem Solving Final Report, 2000b).

In the last decade, there has been a resurgence of interest in community service throughout the world. In the United States, many school systems now require community service hours for advancement or graduation. The first service learning legislation was passed in November 1990 when President George H. W. Bush signed into law the National and Community Service Act of 1990 creating the Commission on National and Community Service (Conrad & Hedin, 1991a).

The National and Community Service Act of 1990 defined service learning as a method in which students learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences that address actual needs in their community through curriculum integration. Such activities serve to enhance teaching by extending student learning into the community and helping to foster a sense of caring for others (Toole, Conrad & Nelson, 1998).

President Clinton introduced his national service initiative, The National and Community Service Trust Act, on March 1, 1993. Feeling that national service would be America at its best, building community, offering opportunity, and rewarding responsibility, Clinton declared that national service was the American way to change America (Kunin, 1997).

Service learning is a form of experiential education. Experiential education traces its roots to the educational philosophy of John Dewey who in the early part of the twentieth century eloquently espoused the view that education depended upon action. Dewey (1916) remarked, "Schools require for their full efficiency more opportunity for conjoint activities in which those instructed take part, so that they may acquire a social sense of their own powers and of the materials and appliances used" (p. 48).

Almost 70 years after Dewey's remark, Carter (1998), executive director of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, reiterated the importance of providing opportunities for students to take part in their own learning. Carter stressed the importance of active learning to education. He stated that service learning is "really about rethinking education, helping to transform schools from teaching centers to organizations that support active learning. Consequently, educators must shift from a mode of delivering knowledge to a mode of facilitating learning" (p. 2).

Why Is Service Learning Important for Middle Level Students?

Service learning is important for middle level students because they need to be involved in learning something relevant to themselves, something in which they are interested (Terry, 2000b). They must be equipped with skills to become more responsive and effective citizens, as well as those skills that help them to become more confident and compassionate human beings. "By having a passion for their community, students develop com-passion themselves" (Terry & Bohnenberger, 1995, p. 3).

All adolescents are curious, seeking, and wondering about both themselves and the world around them. They are consumed with questions such as Who am I?, Where am I going?, and What's it all about? Conrad and Hedin (1991b) have found that the power of service comes from placing these young people in a context in which their learning is real, having consequences for both themselves and for others.

Recent reports and school reform proposals, acknowledging the fit between the characteristics of this age group and active learning, have pointed out the benefits of community service to young adolescents. These characteristics include the need to test oneself, to experience adult roles, to experiment with new relationships, to be trusted, and to cross the bridge from school and family into the community beyond (Schine, 1996).

Cognitive psychologists emphasize the importance of meaningful knowledge. They promote learning within multiple applied settings so that useful rather than inert knowledge can be created (Knapp, 1994). Strong motivations are at work during service learning experiences. This can lead to higher levels of learning as well as longer lasting learning which can improve student achievement.

As one middle level student involved in a service learning project related, "From CmPS [Community Problem Solving, a component of the Future Problem Solving Program] I've learned skills that I think are more important than what you learn in school like problem solving, organization skills, and teamwork" (Bohnenberger, 1998, p. 1).

The Future Problem Solving Program

The creative problem solving process, the process used in Community Problem Solving, was introduced into schools in 1974 when Dr. E. Paul Torrance, world-renowned expert on creativity, adapted the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving Model practiced in business for classroom use. This early effort evolved into the Future Problem Solving Program which emerged as a national program of interscholastic competition and a curriculum project that combined creative problem solving with future studies (Torrance & Torrance, 1978). The International Future Problem Solving Program now consists of four major components: Team Problem Solving, Scenario Writing, Action-based Problem Solving, and Community Problem Solving. Central to each component is the creative problem solving process. Although the process has been revised somewhat for the different components, it is based on the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving Model which includes the following steps:

1. Identifying problems and challenges.
2. Recognizing and stating the important problem.
3. Producing alternative solutions.
4. Evaluating alternative solutions.
5. Planning to put solutions into use. (Torrance, 1995, p. 236)

Torrance developed and piloted Community Problem Solving in Georgia during the 1984-85 school year as a means for students to experience creative problem solving and hands-on learning while addressing real world challenges in the community. Community Problem Solving, a competitive program, has provided an opportunity for students to use the creative problem solving process to identify problems in their communities, develop solutions to these problems, and put their solutions into action, thus making significant contributions to their communities.

The RIPPLES Gang Proves that Kids Can Make a Difference in Their Communities

Sixth graders from Georgia, the RIPPLES Gang, were the first students to win recognition in the Community Problem Solving Program when it was introduced in Georgia in 1984. RIPPLES is an acronym for Royston Involvement Project by Pupils for Lifting Economy and Society. This year-long project led to the restoration of two of the oldest buildings in the downtown area of Royston, Georgia, a professional market study for the community, and a massive clean-up of the downtown area involving 140 students from the elementary school as well as involvement from other individuals and organizations in the community (Terry, 2000b).

On May 22, 1985, a group of sixth-graders and their teacher sat around the same table where they had first discussed the plan to revitalize their town. By now a discount drugstore chain had looked at the city council's survey and decided to open a store in Royston. A supermarket chain was also coming.

"What have you learned from all this?" Alice Terry asked.

"That you have to care enough to do something," replied Julinna. (Henderson, 1987, p. 45)

What else did the RIPPLES Gang learn from participation in their Community Problem Solving project? They learned how to overcome obstacles, became less inhibited, and developed many new understandings. They also learned many school-type, academic skills such as public speaking, computer skills, and writing skills. By designing questions for a market study, the RIPPLES Gang also became quite savvy about marketing (Terry, 2000b).

The RIPPLES Gang received a national Public Service Award from the Department of the Interior, and the group was featured in an article in Reader's Digest as a result of their outstanding service learning project that led to the revitalization of their town.

On September 26, 1986, Alice Terry and her students walked onto the stage of a large auditorium in Washington, D.C., before 300 spectators. Donald P. Hodel, Secretary of the Interior, read a proclamation: "This group of perceptive, energetic young people proved the educational system can make a dynamic contribution to the preservation movement and inspire the teamwork necessary to promote change. For their creativity, ingenuity, and perseverance … the RIPPLES and their inspiring instructor, Alice Terry, are granted the Public Service Award of the Department of the Interior."

When the applause and standing ovation came, so did Alice Terry's tears. Surrounded by her students, she knew that everyone can make a difference. Kids too. We only have to try. (Henderson, 1987, p. 46)

This concluding paragraph of the featured article in Reader's Digest, September 1987, about the RIPPLES Gang seems to make its own proclamation about the importance of Community Problem Solving in the lives of students, teachers, and the community. The notoriety this group received led to more exposure and interest in the Community Problem Solving Program. Since 1984, Community Problem Solving has been expanded to include students from all over the world who have affected thousands of communities.

The SWaMP Kids Tackle Trash in Their Community

Starting out as a simple recycling project, this Community Problem Solving project conducted by the SWaMP Kids lasted for three years and created very dramatic results in their community. The students ultimately wrote a 750-page, state-approved Solid Waste Management Plan for their county that prevented their county landfill that was scheduled to be closed in 1996 from closing. The project earned the group a Presidential Environmental Youth Award, and several of the students were guests on the Phil Donahue Show highlighting kids who have a made a difference.

Phil Donahue was very impressed with what the SWaMP Kids accomplished. When three of the SWaMP Kids appeared on the Donahue Show, he expressed wonderment that a group of teens could prevent the closure of the local landfill.

Think about this! These are teenagers. … Imagine the consciousness now, the awareness at age 14. They'll have it all their lives. These folks are not going to pollute; they're not going to waste. They're going to recycle, and they're going to make a better world, not only for us, but for themselves and their children as well. You have our congratulations! (Wheeler, 1994)

Several years ago, SWaMP Kid, Kat, went head to head with Fieldale Farms Corporation, a large poultry company. She was instrumental in preventing a poultry by-product sludge dumping site from locating in her community. She also has helped another group of citizens near her college fight a regional landfill development plan. Seven years after her service learning project ended, Kat, because of her commitment, continues to advocate for the environment and is pursuing a career in environmental law (Terry, 2000b).

Journey of the Heart

Students participating in this advanced level of service learning often experience increased caring, compassion, and perseverance. They exhibit a heightened sense of responsibility for self and others and feel that they can make a difference in the real world (Terry, 2000a). The 1999 Community Problem Solving team from Hildebrandt Intermediate School in Spring, Texas, set out to do something about the boredom and depression that adolescent hospital patients were experiencing in their community. They were alarmed to find that so many children were severely ill. Many were bedridden, crippled, and had no energy. According to the Texas group,

These … [children] look at the same thing every day, the four bare walls of their hospital room. Many are experiencing hours of separation from their friends and family. Some are in great pain and experiencing mental anguish. … We knew we must persevere and find ways to brighten their days. We wanted to help. (Bohnenberger, Bomis, & Reinhardt, 1999, p. 12)

And help they did! The students created and delivered what they called Boredom Busting Kits. These kits contained folders filled with educational and recreational activities. The smiles these kits generated caused the students to look beyond the boundaries of their community. The impact of the "Journey of the Heart" project extended well beyond the initial focus of the immediate community to touch the hearts of needy patients as far away as Eastern Europe. The project also had a positive impact on others in the school and community who were recruited to help create the kits and translate the materials into the Spanish, Arabic, Czech, and Polish languages. This project was exemplary because of the deep compassion and commitment demonstrated by the students as they overcame obstacle after obstacle.

As the demand for the Boredom Busting Kits grew, the class reorganized its efforts to work on the kits by specific hospital. They began an assembly line type of production, worked as often as possible before school, and depended on different clubs, classes, and school departments for help. From students in the ESL class translating games and art directions into Spanish to the art class donating paintings and the cheerleaders collecting and decorating hats for the cancer patients, the spirit to help became contagious and ultimately united the community. According to the generous, concerned students, "Our idea started like the flicker of a small candle but grew into a glorious fireworks display with brilliant bursts of love, enthusiasm, and appreciation illuminating our ‘Journey of the Heart'" (Bohnenberger, Bomis, Reinhardt, 1999, p. 17).

From "Beetle Busters" to "P.E.E.R.S."

Under the auspices of a three-year grant awarded by the Annenberg Foundation, students in six inner-city schools in the Chicago area were introduced to creative problem solving and community action through participation in Action-based Problem Solving. The creative problem solving process was used in content areas from reading class to science to enhance understanding and help the subject matter come alive for all students in kindergarten through sixth grade. As the students became more skilled in the process, some moved on to participate in the competitive Community Problem Solving component. Student teams in two of those schools, Alcott School and Decatur Classical School, became so accomplished in Community Problem Solving that they succeeded in representing Illinois at the 1999, 2000, and 2001 International Future Problem Solving Conference.

In 1999, the students at Decatur Classical School were alarmed to find that an infestation of the Asian long horned beetle was causing the city to cut down many of the local trees.

We were shocked that Chicago's government seemed not to be taking this problem seriously. Just the thought of having no shade, fresh air, or beauty surrounding us made us wince. We knew that we had to put our heads together and take action. (Community Problem Solving Final Report, 1999, p. 1)

The "Beetle Busters," researched the problem on the Internet, interviewed experts, created educational packets and videos, developed a curriculum unit, and spoke to many civic organizations in order to increase awareness of alternative methods. The teachers provided support and guidance but the students took the action.

Encouraged by the personal and community success of the "Beetle Busters, " the 2000 Community Problem Solving team at Decatur Classical School organized to form P.E.E.R.S., People Encouraging Everyone to do the Right Stuff. The students realized that they could serve as examples to encourage others to become involved in the community. They felt that positive peer pressure and community action could encourage a sense of belonging and a positive self-image in students thus reducing the likelihood of future hate crimes. The team hoped that the students exposed to the PEERS program would then become positive influences on others (Community Problem Solving Final Report, 2000a). These inner city fifth and sixth graders clearly learned the power of problem solving to effect change in their community and in the lives of others. Their enthusiasm and sense of empowerment has resulted in the PEERS program spreading well beyond the confines of just one school.

How Community Problem Solving Differs from Other Service Learning Initiatives

The Future Problem Solving Program's Community Problem Solving component provides benefits that other service learning initiatives do not. It offers its participants structure, support, and an opportunity for celebration. The Community Problem Solving Program provides the structure necessary to organize an effective community project by clarifying the real-world application of the creative problem solving process and combining it with guidelines for organizing and implementing a project. Both technical and service support are offered to the teachers and students through instructional guidelines, books, and other materials; regional training workshops; and progress reports, which provide expert feedback to individual teams. Each team also has the opportunity to receive consultant assistance directly from the Community Problem Solving coordinator. In addition, this component offers participants a unique opportunity for celebration through its affiliate-level and international competitions.

According to the National Service-Learning Cooperative's Essential Elements of Service-Learning (Toole, Conrad, & Nelson, 1998), celebration is a critical component of service learning that supports both learning and service. Celebration refers to opportunities that "recognize the positive contributions of youth to the community" (Toole, Conrad, & Nelson, 1998, p. 19). Many involved in service learning view celebration as just giving students a pizza party or a certificate for their contribution. This is important to do; however, higher levels of celebration can be paramount in enhancing student development.

Students participating in the Community Problem Solving activities at the Future Problem Solving International Conference experience a heightened level of celebration, unavailable through most service learning initiatives. Students from all over the world assemble to display their projects, share their experiences, and celebrate the power of students to make a difference in the world. At the international conference, the teams participate in personal interviews to explain their projects to specially trained evaluators as well as to present their project to the thousands of guests attending the Community Problem Solving Fair. The positive reinforcement and recognition for their work is a very meaningful experience for students, which often outweighs the competitive results.

A feeling of fellowship and respect for what other students have accomplished through their projects also contributes to the richness of the celebration experience offered through the Community Problem Solving competition. When asked what they liked best about the 1999 International Conference, one eighth grade community problem solver from Virginia wrote:

The atmosphere—which was especially evident during the CmPS [Community Problem Solving] events. Looking at the other projects, I never thought, "Wow! I hope we beat them," or, "I hope they don't do so well." It was simply, "Those guys have an awesome team. Now why don't I go over and try to do the best job I can do. It was so noncompetitive and friendly, it was awesome." (Bohnenberger, Bomis, & Reinhardt, 1999, p. 7)

Participation in the Community Problem Solving events at the International Conference also gives students a meaningful opportunity to hone their communication and presentation skills as well as to gain self-respect for what they have accomplished. After the 2000 International Conference, a coach from Ohio wrote:

"Wow! What a truly exciting weekend for my students! They felt so good about the project after the interview and [Community Problem Solving] Fair! What a wonderful format for students to share and learn to speak. … Thank you for the wonderful opportunity this program provides students!" (K. Swisher, personal communication, June 17, 2000)

The Future Problem Solving Program has judiciously recognized that students need both a structural process as well as support services in order to effectively implement service learning projects. It has also realized that in order to gain the most from their service learning projects, students need exposure to the 3 R's of celebration: recognition, respect, and reward.

Community Problem Solving: Taking Students Beyond

Direct exposure to other teams' projects at the International Conference often makes students more aware of what they are capable of accomplishing. It also expands their horizons and creates desire in the students to go beyond their perceived limits.

One Community Problem Solver's mother reflected on the positive experience of her son during the International Conference.

He was real impressed to have seen kids from everywhere … he enjoyed meeting them and seeing them with their work. … I think there was a group from Australia that he was very impressed with, the presentation that they had. You know, he was like, "Wow! This was just so good. … These are kids our age and they did this; … they're doing these things that are so far beyond even what we are doing right now, you know, but that we could." You know, it was a very positive experience with [sic] him. (Terry, 2000a, p. 199)

Community Problem Solving can help to create Beyonders. Although not in the dictionary, the word, Beyonder, was coined by Paul Torrance as a result of his creativity research. It refers to those who outdistance the others so far that they are not even on the same scale. During his longitudinal study of creative achievement, Torrance found that Beyonders were statistically more passionately in love with their work, more persistent, more likely to be guided by a clear purpose in life, and more open to change when compared to other successful people (Torrance, 1995). Beyonders are the difference makers in society.

The Community Problem Solving Program also provides a fertile environment for creative growth. According to Torrance and Safter (1990):

For creative thinking to occur and to continue to occur, there must be ample opportunity for one thing to lead to another and to do something with the information encountered. Therefore, it is inevitable that any genuine encouragement of creative thinking in schools and colleges must take students beyond the classroom, textbook, and the teacher. (p. 11)

Participation in a community project relies on many styles of working, thinking, and acting; students are not limited to expressing their creative drive through pen and pencil tasks. Whether brainstorming new ideas, designing promotional materials, developing a community presentation, generating multiple approaches to overcome an unexpected obstacle, or reflecting on the desired outcome, students are encouraged to be open-minded and to take creative risks.

Students often become so committed to a project that they continue their work for a second or third year even if they move to a new level or school. An inquiry from a coach whose team participated in the 2000 International Conference asked if the team could enter a continuation of the project in 2001. The students saved a one-room schoolhouse built in the 1860s from demolition. The building had been used to teach the children of former slaves who arrived in the area via the Underground Railroad. The students' expanded plan involves moving the schoolhouse to a new site and restoring it as a living history museum. The teacher related that the students decided, "The project must continue as we aren't done. … We will continue this whether or not we use it as an entry for CmPS [the Community Problem Solving competition]" (K. Swisher, personal communication, June 17, 2000).

Service Learning Connections through the Future Problem Solving Program

According to former United States Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley (1995),

In the United States, we have a pressing need to reconnect our families with their schools, and our schools with their communities. We must reinvent a sense of community if we want our schools to achieve their full potential, bringing together adults, children, teachers, and other members of the community in an effort to improve student learning, responsibility, and citizenship. (Kinsley & McPherson, 1995, p. viii)

With service learning enjoying the spotlight in education, it is imperative that educators turn to service learning initiatives with a proven record, those that provide needed structure, support, and opportunities for celebration. Since 1984, the Future Problem Solving Program has been very successful in providing and rewarding an advanced level of service learning through its Community Problem Solving component. This type of service learning experience is important for both the future of our communities and that of our children. It establishes a connection between the students, school, and community that benefits all.

References

Bohnenberger, J. E. (1998, January). Results of CmPS Survey administered at IC 1997. Paper presented at the meeting of the International Future Problem Solving Program's Board of Trustees, Ann Arbor, MI.

Bohnenberger, J. E., Bomis, B.S. & Reinhardt, K. C. (1999). 1999 International conference CmPS champions. Ann Arbor, MI: Future Problem Solving Program.

Carter, G. R. (1998). Service learning: The community as a classroom. Education Update, 40(6), 2.

Community Problem Solving Final Report. (1999). Community Problem Solving team: Decatur Classical School, Chicago, IL. (Available from the International Future Problem Solving Program, P. O. Box 23720, Lexington, KY 40523-7230)

Community Problem Solving Final Report. (2000a). Community Problem Solving team: Decatur Classical School, Chicago, IL. (Available from the International Future Problem Solving Program, P. O. Box 23720, Lexington, KY 40523-7230)

Community Problem Solving Final Report. (2000b). Community Problem Solving team: Kerkeri Primary School, Kerikeri, NZ. (Available from the International Future Problem Solving Program, P. O. Box 23720, Lexington, KY 40523-7230)

Conrad, D., & Hedin, D. (1991a). School-based community service: What we know from research and theory. Phi Delta Kappan, 72(10), 743-749.

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Terry, A. W. (2000a). A case study of community action service learning on young, gifted adolescents and their community. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia, Athens.

Terry, A. W. (2000b). An early glimpse: Service learning from an adolescent perspective. The Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 11(3), 115-134.

Terry, A. W., & Bohnenberger, J. E. (1995). The complete how-to book for community act-i-on projects. Knoxville, TN: ABLE Press.

Toole, P., Conrad, D., & Nelson, R. (1998, April). Essential elements of service-learning. (Available from the National Youth Leadership Council, 1910 W. County Rd B., St. Paul, MN 55108).

Torrance, E. P. (1995). Why fly? Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation.

Torrance, E. P., & Safter, H. T. (1990). The incubation model of teaching: Getting beyond the aha! Buffalo, NY: Bearly Limited.

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Jann E. Bohnenberger is the executive director of the Action Based Learning in Education (ABLE) Program, Knoxville, Tennessee. E-mail: ablejb@aol.com

Alice W. Terry is an assistant professor of secondary and middle grades education at Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia. E-mail: aterry@kennesaw.edu