Encountering the Other | Encountering the Self

One | Describe the Experience

If you’ve experienced Service, Service-learning, or if you have ever volunteered or offered what you could describe as humanitarian aid or support, I invite you to describe the experience(s) in writing.

If you have not had such an experience, I invite you to describe in writing an experience in or with an unfamiliar place or a memorable encounter with unfamiliar people.

This is a stream-of-consciousness writing experience where the writer puts pen to paper and writes on theme, non-stop, for five (5) minutes.

Two | The Place and the People

Now, I invite you to write for another five (5) minutes, in the style of a stream-of-consciousness, about what you learned about the place and the people you are encountering.

Three | Yourself and Your World

For a third time, I invite you to write for five (5) minutes, in the style of a stream-of-consciousness, about what you learned about yourself and the world that you come from because of the encounter you are experiencing.

Four | Of Your Many Dispositions

Individuals have dispositions — character traits — certain regularities about themselves. For example, any given person might be talkative, humble, receptive to new ideas, rigid, empathetic, aggressive, nervous, shy, outgoing, funny, serious. Dispositions may also include attributes that are more obviously socialized such as being religious or tolerant, racist or sexist. Of your many dispositions, which were affected by, in play, or challenged during or because of the experience(s)/encounter(s) that you have been discussing?

Please write on this prompt, in the style of stream-of-consciousness, non-stop for five (5) minutes.

Reading:  

Santiago-Ortiz, A. (2019). From Critical to Decolonizing Service-Learning: Limits and Possibilities of Social Justice-Based Approaches to Community Service-Learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 25(1), 43–54.

Latta, M., Kruger, T. M., Payne, L., Weaver, L., & VanSickle, J. L. (2018). Approaching Critical Service-Learning: A Model for Reflection on Positionality and Possibility. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 22(2), 31–55.

Mitton-Kükner, J., Nelson, C., and Desrochers, C. (2010). Narrative inquiry in service learning contexts: Possibilities for learning about diversity in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(5), 1162-1169.

Cairney, K., & Breen, A. V. (2017). Listening to Their Lives: Learning through Narrative in an Undergraduate Practicum Course. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 8(3), n3.

O’Meara, C. (2017). “I Reassessed Who I Am.” Critical Questions in Education, 8(3), 261–274.

Mitchell, T. D. (2008). Traditional vs. critical service learning: Engaging the literature to differentiate 2models. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 14, 50– 65.

Pompa, L. (2002). Service-learning as crucible: Reflections on immersion, context, power, and transformation. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 9(1), 67-76.