Ohio 4-H Youth Development
OSU Extension

How Can Your Members Learn the 4-H Way?

To "Learn the 4-H Way" means to discover and use new knowledge and skills through a series of experiential learning opportunities. Instead of just showing and telling members, you are engaging members in first-hand experiences that they reflect on, generalize and apply.

4-H refers to this as the Experiential Learning Process. 4-H project and club experiences should lead members through this four-step continuous path. Your most important role in this course is to help members become critical thinkers. You can help members discover for themselves…Why did this happen? How will it make a difference? What can I change?

Member's Role

     

Advisor's Role

Do
(Activities)		 Experience
(Knowledge & Skills) 		Focus
(Content Skills & Support)
Question
(Results)		 Reflect
(On Experiences) 		Support
(Goals & Learning)
Connect
(To Self & Others) 		Generalize
(Outcomes)		 Feedback
(Positive, Constructive, On-Going)
Use
(In Life) 		Apply
(Practices)		 Review
(Evaluate What Was Done)

How Can You Succeed in Teaching the 4-H Way?

  1. Prepare for the "learn by doing" activity. Do not wait until the last minute to focus on preparing "hands-on" activities to teach a new skill or information. Contact your County Extension Educator for resources to support your teaching efforts.
  2. 4-H experiences should teach kids how to think not what to think. There is always more than one way to tackle a task, learn a skill, or finish a project.
  3. Involve youth in planning and teaching activities. Encourage members that have mastered skills and knowledge to teach their peers.
  4. Select learning experiences that maximize member involvement. Choose age appropriate activities when working with Cloverbuds, Utilize Cloverbud Curriculums 710 & 711 to assist you in cloverbud activity planning.
    5. Examples of 4-H Learning Activities
    Member’s Involvement Examples of 4-H Learning Activities
    Reading Printed Material (Resource Guides, Project Books, Bulletins, Fact Sheets)
    Hearing CD’s, Lectures, Presentations with out visuals
    Seeing Posters, Displays, Exhibits
    Seeing and Hearing Videos, DVD’s, Power Point, Presentations with visuals
    Seeing, Hearing, Sharing Field Trips, Tours, Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks, Judging Contests
    Seeing, Hearing, Sharing and Doing Skits, Role Playing or Simulations, Games, Quiz Bowls, Camps, Skillathons, Interview Judging, Project Exhibits, Project Work.
  5. Do not do your 4-H members project(s) for them. Remember: 4-H members are more important than 4-H projects. Learning project skills are more valuable than the finished project.
  6. Praise members' effort, progress and accomplishments. Celebrate every member’s success no matter how small or great.

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