About Learning For Life
| Our Mission: The mission of Learning for Life is "to serve others by helping to instill values of good character, participating in citizenship and personal fitness in young people, and in other ways to prepare them to make ethical choices in their lifetime for achieving their full potential." |
*** Learning For Life Conference: Promoting Positive Classroom Behaviors will be held on Tuesday, November 11th 2008. ***
Since the founding of the Boy Scouts of America in 1910, it has had the mission of developing the youth of this country through its programs. Over the decades new and innovative ways have been added to meet the needs of a changing society while remaining firmly grounded in the principles of the Scout Oath and Law.
In the fall of 1993, the Great Trail Council began the Special Programs Division. It strives to bring Scouting to people who might not be reached by a typical Scout unit. They are Learning for Life, Scouting for Youth with Special Needs and In-School Scouting.
Learning for Life, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), has been developed to meet the needs of our nation's schools and communities. It is designed to support schools in their efforts toward preparing students to handle the complexities of society and to enhance students' self-confidence, motivation, and self-esteem. Learning for Life also helps develop social and life skills, assist in character development, and help students formulate positive personal values.
Learning for Life is a classroom-based, action-learning process. It features age-appropriate and grade-specific lesson plans to enhance and support the core curriculum. Speakers are then brought in to further the students' experience, as well as some field trips. Many teachers also come up with their own topics based upon student interest in their particular classroom. Teaching techniques such as role playing, small-group discussions, reflective and moral dilemma exercises, and hands-on activities are used to optimum effectiveness and memory retention.
The curriculum for each grade level consists of fifty lesson plans designed to reinforce social, ethical and academic skills in areas such as:
Lesson plans are written on themes such as:
Safety
Experience with these topics instills in youth the importance of respecting the rights of all people and help prepare them to participate in and give leadership to American society.
See also the National Learning for Life page or contact:
Kelly Moyer, Learning for Life Executive
Great Trail Council
1601 S. Main St.
P.O. Box 68
Akron, OH 44309-0068
(330) 773-0415 ext.230
Fax: (330) 773-4084