PSJS 250: Social Change through Service
WRITTEN REFLECTION ASSIGNMENT (30%)
Please submit the Written Reflections in-class.
Please submit below if you will need to miss class.
Directions:
This assignment is designed to provide an opportunity to reflect on and learn from the course readings and in-class discussions and to connect academic concepts to your CEL experience. Reflection enables you to think critically about social justice issues and consider your perspectives and the perspectives of others.
There will be 6 journey entries on the primary course concepts (poverty, trauma, hidden bias, etc.) and they will be graded two at a time (#1/2; #3/4; #5/6) with the following questions:
Expectations:
Please submit the Written Reflections in-class.
Please submit below if you will need to miss class.
Directions:
This assignment is designed to provide an opportunity to reflect on and learn from the course readings and in-class discussions and to connect academic concepts to your CEL experience. Reflection enables you to think critically about social justice issues and consider your perspectives and the perspectives of others.
There will be 6 journey entries on the primary course concepts (poverty, trauma, hidden bias, etc.) and they will be graded two at a time (#1/2; #3/4; #5/6) with the following questions:
- Summarize the key points of the article and if relevant, key points of the lecture (what is the thesis, take-away main points).
- Document the facts to support these key points (evidence stated by the author, lecturer to prove the main point)
- Describe your personal beliefs about the issues (based on your experiences, informed opinions, etc.)
- Describe the connections between these issues and your CEL work (what concepts you observe during implanting the Seeds program, what you’ve learned that help you develop a deeper understanding of what you’re experiencing, what skills have helped you succeed, etc.).
Expectations:
- Reflection entries should be brought to class on the date indicated on the syllabus.
- Each entries needs to address the questions in 2-3 pages, double spaced. Review the questions to make sure they are answered completely.
- Provide quotes and examples from the course reading (using quotations and page numbers where appropriate) as evidence of thoughtful conclusions drawn from the course readings. Use APA citation to reference the author and location of the source.
- Provide descriptions of your Seeds of Success work where asked including descriptive words and specific examples so the reader can visualize the action.
- Use well-organized paragraphs with topic sentences and well-written prose. Use appropriate grammar and spelling.
CRITICAL REFLECTION GRADING RUBRIC
For all entries, please reference the reading specifically using quotes and paraphrases (citing page # and author) to support your argument, and then interpret the reading in your own words.
REFLECTION #1: POVERTY
Referencing the reading on poverty (Doherty, Jensen, independent article), describe your understanding of poverty in Rochester (who, what, where) What seems to be some of the causes of poverty? What are some of your personal beliefs about poverty? What new realizations or insights do you now have?
REFLECTION #2: TRAUMA INFORMED EDUCATION
Referencing the readings on trauma (Putnum, Jensen), what is the impact of trauma on children? What facts are provided to support this? How can behaviors be explained through the lens of trauma? What's your opinion? Last, how will your understanding of poverty, trauma, and resiliency help you understand and work effectively with the children and adults?
REFLECTION #1: POVERTY
Referencing the reading on poverty (Doherty, Jensen, independent article), describe your understanding of poverty in Rochester (who, what, where) What seems to be some of the causes of poverty? What are some of your personal beliefs about poverty? What new realizations or insights do you now have?
REFLECTION #2: TRAUMA INFORMED EDUCATION
Referencing the readings on trauma (Putnum, Jensen), what is the impact of trauma on children? What facts are provided to support this? How can behaviors be explained through the lens of trauma? What's your opinion? Last, how will your understanding of poverty, trauma, and resiliency help you understand and work effectively with the children and adults?
REFLECTION #3: EMPATHY
According to Rosenberg, what is empathy? How can empathy be developed and practiced? What facts are presented? What's your opinion? What have you learned about empathy that can be applied to your next visit on-site? What strategies will you use?
REFLECTION #4: IMPLICIT BIAS AND PRIVILEGE
Summarize your understanding of Implicit Bias and Privilege as presented in the readings (Johnson, Cress, Collier, and Reitenauer). What facts are presented? What's your opinion? How has implicit bias and privilege played a role in your interactions with the children (you with them and they with you)?
According to Rosenberg, what is empathy? How can empathy be developed and practiced? What facts are presented? What's your opinion? What have you learned about empathy that can be applied to your next visit on-site? What strategies will you use?
REFLECTION #4: IMPLICIT BIAS AND PRIVILEGE
Summarize your understanding of Implicit Bias and Privilege as presented in the readings (Johnson, Cress, Collier, and Reitenauer). What facts are presented? What's your opinion? How has implicit bias and privilege played a role in your interactions with the children (you with them and they with you)?
REFLECTION #5: WEALTH OF THE POOR
- In the Wealth of the Poor, the author Larry James talks about the negative consequences of charity. What are some of these? As a result of this insight, what was his “better form of charity” instead of his church’s traditional Christmas give-away?
- What is a new paradigm and principle of community development that he posed? What is Upstream Thinking?
- Did your community-engaged learning work through the Seeds program feel like a “better form of charity”? How has it used principles of Upstream Thinking?
REFLECTION #6: FINAL REFLECTION
- What experiences have made you feel especially optimistic, energized, and/or hopeful about our community? What experiences made you feel pessimistic and/or hopeless? Why?
- What about your community involvement has been an eye opening experience? What is different than what you expected?
- What have you learned about (or changed in the way you think about) yourself and the issues the individuals you worked with and/or our community face? What would you like to learn more about?
- What professional, academic, or personal skills have you developed? Use specific examples from the text and service-learning work when answering this question.
Please submit the Written Reflections #5 & #6 using the submission form below.
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