Life Without Limits

I really liked this book because it told of how Nick Vujicic learned to live without limbs, and the struggles he overcame; and sometimes still struggles with. When he was born his mother didn’t want to touch him or hold him when she found out he didn’t have any limbs. He was bullied constantly but he has used his disability to change people’s lives. I liked his personal narratives about how he has travelled around the world telling people his story. He talked about how to live a life without limits and provided a personal action plan. If you have the desire and the passion to do something, and it’s within God’s will you will achieve it. To live without limits you need….

1.      A powerful sense of purpose.

2.      Hope so strong it can’t be destroyed.

3.      Faith in God and the infinite possibilities.

4.      Love and self-acceptance.

5.      Attitude with altitude.

6.      A courageous spirit.

7.      Willingness to change.

8.       A trusting heart.

9.       Hunger for opportunities.

10.   The ability to access risks and to laugh at life.

11.   A mission to serve others first. 

       In life you will hit hard times. You will fall down and feel like it’s not worth getting back up. Life isn’t easy but when we overcome challenges we become stronger and more grateful for opportunities. What’s really important are the lives you touch along the way and how to finish the journey. No matter how grim life may look you can rise above it. To wish for change will change nothing. You have to take action right now. The challenges in life often show us who we are meant to be. Don’t put your life on hold so you can dwell on past hurts. Look for ways to move forward. Maybe there is a better opportunity down the road. Stay focused on your dreams. Do whatever it takes to change your circumstances and go after what you desire. Fill your life with adventure, love, and happiness. There is no reason to stew over a wish that doesn’t happen right away. Just be open-minded to the fact that God may have a different path for you. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t see the way on your own. There are many ways to reach a goal. God helps those who help themselves. It’s up to you to keep striving to the highest purpose. Keep moving ahead because action creates momentum which can crate unanticipated opportunities. You should think you are a stick in the world you pot of stew. You can stir it up.

       When you start to have trust in your talents, knowledge, love you will begin the journey to self-acceptance. When you are unwilling to accept yourself you are less willing to accept others which can lead to isolation and loneliness. When you judge yourself too harshly you put too much pressure on you and become more judgmental. Loving and accepting yourself will open the door to a greater sense of peace and fulfillment. Instead of dwelling on imperfections focus on the contributions you can make. You can define your own version of perfection. We each have some gift, talent, skill, craft that gives us pleasure that often leads to the path of happiness. When you finally find your purpose passion will follow. You will live to pursue it. If you feel your spirits tumbling go to the mirror and look at yourself until you can find a characteristic you love about yourself. It doesn’t have to be physical. Dwell on it for a while, be grateful, and know that your beauty and value comes from the unique person you are.
         Life without meaning has no hope. Life without hope has no meaning. Hope is where dreams begin. It has a voice of purpose, it speaks to you and reassures that it happens to you and doesn’t live within you. You can’t control what happens to you but you can control the response. Trust in Him, keep hope in you, and when faced with the worst do whatever you can to prepare for the best. God know how much you can take. People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is but but when the darkness comes their true beauty is reveled only if there is a light from within. If you don’t shine form within it may because you rely on others to validate you to give you confidence, or feel appreciated. Hope often appears to give us proof of God’s presence. If your suffering is a burden, reach out and ease someone else’s. Lift them up so they can find comfort that they are not alone. Offer compassion when you need it and be a friend when you need friendship.
       Faith is defined as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Faith stands for Full Assurance in the Heart. The key to moving forward in life is to let the vision be not guided by what you can see but what you can imagine. If you can imagine a better future, you can believe it. If you believe it you can achieve it. Live as though you can do anything you dream of doing. When we feel wiped down by a huge challenge, trust that anything is possible. You may feel that the whole world is line up against you. But believe that things can change, solutions will appear, and help can arrive from unexpected places. Look for the best solution and trust that every obstacle serves a purpose. Have faith that your story will unfold and it will be incredible.
       There is no perfect route to long tem happiness but if you give yourself only temporary pleasures you will only get temporary pleasures. Life isn’t about having, it’s about being. God makes no mistakes, but he does make miracles. You are one. Without a positive attitude you can never rise above and make the difference you wish to make. Ask yourself do I want to spend the rest of my life wallowing in misery or do I want to rise above what has happened and pursue my dreams? Change your negative attitude to a positive one.

1.      I will never get over this. – It will pass.

2.      I can’t take this anymore. – I got this far. Better days are ahead.

3.      This is the worst I have ever had it. – Somedays are harder than others.

4.      I’ll never find another job. – One door is closed but another will open.

Take it one day at a time and you will become more than a conqueror. Socrates said “Let him that would move the world, move himself first”. When you can’t catch a break try creating your own. Don’t let fear keep you from chasing your dreams. Treat fear like a smoke detector. Pay attention to when it goes off; look around for any real danger or just the alarm ringing. If there is no real threat put it out of your life. You can’t enjoy life if you fear what might happen one day somewhere. Many fearful people focus on what if when we should be focused on why not?

         You never know what is around the next corner. It could be the answer you’re looking for. Edison said “Every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward”. There is no shame in tripping, screwing up, or striking out. It’s only shame if you don’t use the motivation from your misses to try harder and stay in the game. God will often make you work harder for goals putting stumbling blocks in the path. He is preparing you for bigger and better days so that we will grow. Challenges are often thrown in our way and we are more prepared for then we realize. God will give us a nudge that allows us to take the giant leap.  Keep in mind that this is new. It will be strange. You will need to stay calm, not panic, and be patient. It will all work out for the best. Give yourself some slack and time to adjust. It helps prepare you for the unexpected jolts. Taking responsibility is the only way to master the conditions along the journey. You made the leap now you have to grow in the environment. The progress may be stressful but the personal growth is worth it. Growing pains are a sign that you are stretching and reaching new heights. I encourage you to embrace the change that elevates your life and be the force of change that uplifts the lives of others. One of my favorite bible verses is ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door shall be opened Matthew 7:7-8. Often times the reason why people miss opportunities is when it comes knocking they are out looking for a 4 leaf clover. Invest in your future by preparing, dedicating to your goals, and knowing when to make the leap. If you feel like you never get a shot it may be because you aren’t ready to fire. Break a sweat, get your hands dirty, and hit the books. But not every opportunity is worth it. You have to be true to yourself and think of the impact you want to make long-term. Developing lasting relationships is key to have a fruitful life. Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up Ecclesiastes 4:9. Even after you have built up a life with purpose you can’t just wait around for something to happen. Seize every thread and weave a rope to climb. Sometimes that boulder that fell in your path is actually an opening that takes you to a higher place. But you have to have the courage to make the decent. Take it one step at time, build momentum, and create the life you love. The choices you make determine the quality of the life you lead. Be thoughtful in developing high standards and strict criteria for evaluating how you invest your time and energy. Base your choices on not how you feel in the moment but on what best serves your ultimate goals.
          Every living person should try to commit to doing something ridiculous every day. Helen Keller said “There is no such thing as a secure life. It doesn’t exist in nature. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing”. Risk is the place between your comfort zone and your dream is where it takes place. It’s has high anxiety but it’s often where you discover who you are. But you should never take a risk where you lose more than you win. An ancient African proverb says that no one tests the depth of the river with both feet. Enjoy the ride, embrace the blessings, and not just to live but to enjoy life to the fullest.
            When you step outside yourself and reach out to others it will change you. Everything you can do to better someone else’s life better makes your life more meaningful.

The 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of A.A

 I found this book to be very insightful to the thought process of someone who is addicted to alcohol. A.A was created in 1935 by Dr. Bob and Bill W. The first text for the group was published in 1939. In 1950 they had a conference and in 2009 A.A was in over 180 countries.

     The 12 Steps are critical to the recovery of the addict.
      Step 1 We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and our lives have become unmanageable. This is the step when the user admits complete defeat and humiliation. They realize that their disease is a mental obsession and a physical allergy. They have to admit hopelessness, desire happiness and purpose, need self confidence, become open-minded, and have a willingness to listen. This often leads to revolt. But this is the first step toward liberation and strength.
       Step 2 We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. The user thought they were better than everyone else, have defied God blaming Him for not having the good things in life, and felt deserted. This is the step where a journey and a transformation has to happen for the user to continue on to the next steps. They must experience true humility, honesty, tolerance, ambition, be hard working, show fairness, and decency. They must take stock of themselves, make amends, and freely give.
      Step 3 Made a decision to turn over our will over to the care of God as we understood Him. Action equals cutting away the self that blocked God. The most important things in this step are willingness and will power. The dependence on God leads to a true independence. The user must try to find someone they can depend on.
     Step 4 Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Instincts are necessary for the human existence; procreation, social companionship, emotional security, but too much can lead to domination or revulsion; which is unhealthy. This is a subtle, dominating, rule of power. The user experiences self-loathing, guilt, resentment, blame, unwanted pride, self-pity, fear, and disturbances. They often ask themselves how did my personality change when I was using? What type of coping skills did I use? Great assets can turn into habits and they discover who they are.
      Step 5 Admitted to God, to ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. The user doesn't like to talk, experience a high degree of loneliness, and have a feeling of non-belonging. But they can be forgiven. This is made possible by accepting defeats, being honest, taking advice, holding back nothing, and accepting direction. By knowing who they are they attempt to become who they desire. The road to straight thinking creates a honest and genuine humility. The hardest thing in this step is finding someone who they can confide in.
      Step 6 Were tiredly ready to have God remove all these defects of character. This is when the user grows in the image and likeness in God. They want to remove the mania, come to grips with the most horrible defeats, desire self-preservation, and want to discover God's will for them. Delay is dangerous, rebellion can be fatal, but don't give up, beware of the 7 deadly sins, and aim to perfection. The difference is between being a boy/girl to becoming a man/woman.
      Step 7 Humbly ask Him to remove our shortcomings. They drank into oblivion and it was never enough. They never thought that being honest, having tolerance, and true love for man and God could be the basis of living. They must consider what humility is and the benefits are. "True humility" is

•  Submitting that God is the legitimate authority
• Recognizing virtues and talents that others possess, giving due honor and obedience
• Recognizing the limits of one's talents, ability, or authority; and, not reaching for what is beyond one's grasp

"False humility" is deprecating one's own sanctity, gifts, talents, and accomplishments for the sake of receiving praise from others. This involves the courage to summon their faith when symptoms arise. Shaping one's own destiny is possible if done right with God's purpose. Gaining a new perspective can help them get something they really wanted rather than something they MUST have.
      Step 8 Make a list of all persons we have harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all. This step involves repairing, cleaning away the past, and opening old wounds. Forgiveness, peace, partnership, and brotherhood is key. They must mend what they can, avoid extreme judgement, and this must be received on both sides. This really begins the end of isolation.
      Step 9 Make direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. This step involves good discretion, great timing, courage, and prudence. Prudence is learning from experience and having an open mind. The user needs to make sure that they are completely ready, take responsibility for the welfare others, try not to evade the issue at hand, and make sure their loved ones know they are serious. Seeking authority, being quick witted, having the ability to discipline, and seeing ahead to the possibility of a positive future is key.
      Step 10 Continue to take personal inventory and when we are wrong promptly admit it. The learning and growing process continues. Self-searching will become a habit, admit and accept what they find, and persistently try to correct this wrong. Look for progress not perfection, practice self-restraint, have a honest analysis of what's involved, display a willingness to admit when it's their fault, and the equal willingness to forgive. The user can't act in good purpose until self-restraint is automatic. Know their true motives, having gratitude, displaying kindness, having courtesy, and not making unreasonable demands is key. Trying for a better tomorrow and searching their heart with no fear or favor is the goal.
       Step 11 Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. Prayer and meditation is a direct link to God. This gives peace, love, harmony, forgiveness, truth, hope, joy, comfort, and understanding. Constructive imagination brings emotional balance, peace of mind, wisdom, and strength.
       Step 12 Having a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, We tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. The joy of living, giving, helping others, giving advice, demonstrating faith, having leadership, freeing ambition, and walking humbly with God is key. This leads to being well grounded, realizing that they don't need to dominate to gain importance and they don't need to seek fame and honor to be praised. With the right attitudes and the right action is the key to good living.
   
The 12 Traditions

1. Our common welfare should come 1st; personal recovery depends upon A.A unity.
    Unity is most important, they are a small part of a whole, no personal sacrifice is too great, and they can have freedom but they have to work as a group.
2. For our group purpose there is 1 ultimate authority, a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience our leaders are but trusted servants; they don't govern. There is no one person that governs the A.A.
3. The only requirement of A.A is the desire to stop drinking. The ability to be free to choose to go to group or not.
4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A as a whole. The whole group can't be threatened.
5. Each group has 1 primary purpose to carry it's message to the alcoholic who still suffers. The message of A.A must be passed to other alcoholics and they should help any way we can.
6. An A.A group ought to never endorse,finance, or lend the A.A name to lest problems of money, property, or prestige divert us from our primary purpose. 
7. Every A.A group ought to be full self-supporting declining outside contributions. 
8. A.A should remain forever non-professional but our service centers may employ special workers. 
9. A.A, as such ought, never be
 organized but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible for those we serve. 
   They must be avoid the dangers of too much wealth, prestige, and entrenched power to tempt them.
10.  A.A has no opinion on outside issues; hence the name shall never be drawn into public controversy. 
  They must remain neutral.
11. Our public relations is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of the press, radio, and film.
  Personal ambition has no place and they must act as a guardian.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. They must make sacrifices and have a high confidence in their future.

ACCORD Stuffed Animal Drive

Allegany County Community Opportunities and Rural Development (ACCORD) is a grant-funded community action agency, originally formed in 1972 as the Housing Action Corporation. It was established to fight poverty in Allegany County by a group of concerned citizens who recognized the need to improve housing conditions for low to moderate income individuals and families.

Today, ACCORD, due to its growth and expansion over the years, and because of rising needs in the community, now provides a multitude of different services.

The part of the organization that I would be working with is the Community Action Angels program. This program is devoted to providing hope to people experiencing any difficult circumstance. This program includes a holiday gift program for children, holiday food boxes, clothing/furniture collection and distribution, nursing home projects, services for the elderly, highway clean up, fundraisers, coat drives for children, disaster and emergency relief, transportation,  financial assistance for medical co-pays, utilities and car repairs, purchasing of  household goods, furniture and/or appliances, minor home repairs, baby and toddler clothing and/or supplies, and food drives for distribution.

My project was working with these Angels to host a stuffed animal drive to give to traumatized children for the book to buddy program.  I had cardboard boxes in the SLC to collect the materials.

I advertised the event with posters, student announcement, poster on Pioneer Link and the cable channel, and created a Facebook event.  The event was very successful and I donated three garbage bags of stuffed animals for the organization.  

Allegany County Community Opportunities and Rural Development (ACCORD) is a grant-funded community action agency, originally formed in 1972 as the Housing Action Corporation. It was established to fight poverty in Allegany County by a group of concerned citizens who recognized the need to improve housing conditions for low to moderate income individuals and families.

Today, ACCORD, due to its growth and expansion over the years, and because of rising needs in the community, now provides a multitude of different services.

The part of the organization that I would be working with is the Community Action Angels program. This program is devoted to providing hope to people experiencing any difficult circumstance. This program includes a holiday gift program for children, holiday food boxes, clothing/furniture collection and distribution, nursing home projects, services for the elderly, highway clean up, fundraisers, coat drives for children, disaster and emergency relief, transportation,  financial assistance for medical co-pays, utilities and car repairs, purchasing of  household goods, furniture and/or appliances, minor home repairs, baby and toddler clothing and/or supplies, and food drives for distribution.

My project was working with these Angels to host a stuffed animal drive to give to traumatized children for the book to buddy program.  I had cardboard boxes in the SLC to collect the materials.

I advertised the event with posters, student announcement, poster on Pioneer Link and the cable channel, and created a Facebook event.  The event was very successful and I donated three garbage bags of stuffed animals for the organization.

 

Farwell Alfred

I am feeling very sad while writing this editorial because I do not want to say goodbye to Alfred State College. The experiences and opportunities I have had in my three years here have shaped who I am. The maturity, personal growth, and intelligence I have gained has been fantastic to experience. My first time coming here I was not sure what my goals were, but I now know what I want in my life. I have achieved being a leader, being comfortable in my own skin, confidence in myself, gained many close friends I can rely on, learned how to find resources to be “in the know,” feel connected with the college and community members, found my inner passions, gained confidence talking to people without pressure or fear, finding out who I really am, and what makes me truly happy. Becoming editor of the Tor Echo has improved my writing skills, fulfilled a bucket list moment, and I cannot thank Dr. Quinn enough for this amazing opportunity. I will be graduating from Alfred State College knowing that it is a place that I consider my home away from home.

Get Real with It Seeking Opportunities While at Alfred

Get Real with It is a new program started by Taquon Middletown and Nickie Hockenberry. The program’s goal is to inspire minority students to be successful and take advantage of opportunities while at Alfred by hearing the inspirational stories of guest speakers. The first session was held on February 26^th and is a bi-weekly program. Taquon was one of the first speakers because he is one of the cofounders of the program. When Taquon came to Alfred he made partying, drinking, and illegal activities his main priority. He got arrested often and did not focus on academics. Kim Williams noticed his behavior and encouraged him to get his life turned around. He started going to counseling sessions, made goals and priorities, and keeps a positive attitude. He has a new mindset. He has worked really hard, got his grades up, got a job on campus, and received scholarships to spend a semester abroad.

Another guest speaker at this event was Thomas Daniels. Thomas grew up in the Bronx. His mother was a single parent and the mother of seven children. His dad was not involved in his life because he was incarcerated. To protect his family, Thomas joined a gang. When he was 16 his friend was shot in the back of the head and as he lay dying he asked “why me?” Thomas watched his friend die and became angry because he felt that the world lost a really good person. He was encouraged to go to college and came to Alfred. When he first arrived, he was very angry, not expressive, and did not open up. He then decided to make changes when he started counseling. He started working, volunteering, and excelling.

Alfred provides many opportunities for college students. Talking to people, joining clubs, and getting your name out there can be the best opportunities to accomplish dreams. There are people here who truly care about the students. Discover who you are, vent feelings, and take full advantage of the opportunities here like Taquon and Daniel. “I believe that anything is possible, believing starts within yourself. The opinions of others have no value, just believe. You have to want success as much as your next breath,” Taquon commented. 

Son of Holocaust Survivor’s Talk

Murray Deutsch recently visited Alfred State College and did a presentation about his family’s experiences during WWII. His parents were born in Czechoslovakia, which is known today as Ukraine. His dad was a traveling teacher and his mother was rich, spoiled, owned property and lived on a farm. After graduating high school his mother went to Budapest to attend college and worked as a wig maker. She was a social butterfly and networked with many people. As time passed it became common knowledge that an event, later known as the Holocaust, was occurring. The Holocaust began because Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Third Reich, had convinced the German populace that they were a superior race. The goal of the Holocaust was to target and methodically irradiate mass numbers of Jewish descendents to create a superior race. This irradiation would create expanded opportunities for German leadership and living regions for the new German race. The Holocaust occurred predominately during WWII, from 1941-1945. This genocide became known as the largest in modern history.

 It became obvious to his mother and father that the Jewish population was being targeted. They feared that they would be transported by freight train to specially built extermination camps where, if they survived the journey, they would be systematically killed in gas chambers. His mother and father needed to become creative to be able to survive. Because of her social connections his mother was saved because others assisted her to become a nun in disguise. She worked in a hospital that fronted as providing health care, but actually took in people that were Jewish to hide them from the Nazi’s control and extermination. His dad however was captured and placed in a labor concentration camp and was continuously in fear that he would die. He noticed a huge pile of trash in the middle of the camp and he decided to crawl underneath it and hide for three days and nights. After hearing that the fighting and yelling had ceased, he crawled out and slipped out of the camp and headed towards Budapest. He eventually escaped to the refugee hospital where he met his future wife, the nun. They fell in love and were married a short time later.

After the war ended they traveled back to her childhood home but found it occupied by another family and were told to leave. This was not uncommon for survivors to not be able to recover their own personal property after surviving the war. They had nowhere to live, but they heard about survivor refugee camps located in Turio, Italy, where his parents relocated and lived for a few years. During their time there they had two children, his brother and himself. During their time in Italy they repeatedly applied for paperwork to move the United States and eventually arrived in the States.    

“It’s On Us” Campaign Movement on Alfred State Campus

Alfred State College began partnering with the White House and The Generation Project last semester for the campaign entitled “It’s On Us.” The goal of this campaign is to “promote being an empowered bystander and sending the message that it is truly on all of us to help eradicate sexual violence on college campuses,” according to Nikkie Hockenberry, coordinator of Equity, Inclusion, and Title IX located at Alfred State. The college recently showed the film It Happened Here during Ally week. The film was followed by a question and answer session with the producer Marjorie Schwartz Nielsen and one of the subjects of the documentary, Sarah O'Brien. The movie explored sexual assault on campuses through the personal testimonials of five survivors from three schools along with testimonials from college administrators, educators, mental health experts and legal scholars. The video featured many students, faculty, and staff talking about how the rape culture needs to end. The students described surviving a sexual assault and how that when they reported the crime, people’s reactions were disbelief, blame, and encouraged them to forgive and forget.

Sarah is a Vanderbilt University student athlete who has mobilized other survivors and activists at staged events, such as Take Back the Night and The Clothesline Project. She presented a list of demands to Vanderbilt deans that have led to a revision of Vanderbilt’s policies. Sarah said that the purpose of releasing the film was to change intervention strategies at college campuses, empower people to tell their stories and make change.

These students went to college excited and ready to find their independence. It is a time in a student’s life where they seek new experiences, make lasting friendships, find out where they belong, and discover their passions. Experiencing a sexual assault robs them of enjoying college to the fullest. As a result of the attack they had panic attacks, did not feel safe, experienced anxiety, felt isolated, had difficulty concentrating, and their grades dropped. 85% of rape incidents are committed by perpetrators that the people know. “The worst part is knowing that my friend did it,” said Erica Daniels.  

“It’s On Us”, hence the name of the campaign, seeks to create a safe environment for people who have been victim to sexual assaults on college campuses and offer them support. It is on us to not blame the victim, not to look the other way, step in, help someone get home safely, and take responsibility. According to assaults that have been reported, 1 in 5 college students are sexually assaulted. This is not just a woman’s issue because men can be assaulted as well. 100% of the time it is not the victim’s fault. Rape victims are the highest percentage of victims that experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), more than any other group.

Alfred State shows support for the “It’s on Us” campaign through activities such as Take Back the Night. This year during Take Back the Night the Chief of University Police Leslie Kachurek talked about the free services that the campus police offer to all Alfred State students. They offer referrals, change of room assignments, escort services, counseling on and off campus, judicial affairs actions, arrests, and order of protections. During the event the “It’s on Us” Alfred State video was shown.

There are many things that a person can do to stand up against sexual assault; obtain clear, verbal consent, respect a person’s right to say no, sign a pledge to commit to intervene, educate yourself and others on the issues, advocate for more rape prevention education programs, youth violence prevention programs, participate in a Take Back the Night march, and avoid blaming the victim. Their experiences showed how they turned their tragedy into a springboard for change.

Exam 1

1   1.  Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the associates in Human Services practicum and the bachelor’s in Human Services Management practicum in terms of roles and expectations.

In the 104 practicum it was all very basic level. It was a lot of observing and taking notes, not a lot of action involved. In the 400 hour internship people are more open to a person doing their own thing, learning more skills, receiving more leadership positions, and more power but in a good way. I feel like I can really take the reins in the 400 hour internship. In my 104 internship I found it boring because I wasn’t doing too much.

2  2. Compare and contrast the roles and expectations of teachers and students in the traditional classroom and seminar models of learning.

The traditional classroom model includes the instructor has the most to contribute, there are many students/one instructor, students and instructor blame each other when things go wrong, and the group is a collection of individuals.

The seminar model includes everyone has something to contribute, all are instructors, all are learners, students and instructors have collective responsibility, and the group is necessary to the accomplishment of learning goals.

3 3. Personal reflection is a key activity in experiential education. Describe Kolb’s Experiential Leaning Cycle and what tools you are using to incorporate reflection in your practicum learning experience.

Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle has 4 steps concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. Concrete conceptualization is having a specific experience in an internship. Reflective observation is reflecting on the experience. Reflection is what connects and integrates the service to learning. Reflection helps a person grow, have success, learn, and develop. The tools a person would use would be observation, and documentation in a journal to learn from it or challenge them to solve a problem. Abstract conceptualization is to form generalizations or principles based on the experience and reflection. Active experimentation is to test the principle in a new situation.

44. We were introduced to Kiser’s Integrative Processing Model in the associate’s practicum seminar and the Kiser model is cited once again in our current text. As a manager conducting in-service training for your staff, how would you describe the Kiser Model and suggest applications in your agency setting?

The Kiser processing model is important in training and future endeavors in this agency. Step one is gathering data from a past experience, step 2 is reflecting, step 3 is seeking out knowledge to help you understand, step 4 examine conflict, step 5 what did you learn, and step 6 develop a plan. These are excellent skills for trying to figure out how to solve a problem and keeping future hardships from happening.

55. Our text identifies five sources of personal power that are essentials for empowerment. Again, as a manager leading your staff, how would you describe the five sources of personal empowerment and identify ways of applying them in your agency setting?

The power of expectations will be helpful in this agency because of the specific guidelines of your job.

I expect you to be hard working, follow through on commitments in a timely manner, have a positive attitude, and do the best job possible.  

The power of perspective is how we look at things. We are all unique and seeking to understand something in its full context before becoming judgmental and discovering blind spots in your schema can help prevent disagreements.

The power of discussion can bring out concerns with the manager about issue you may have at the agency. Talking reasonably with the manger can help create realistic solutions to issues.

The power of humor can help us cope, get through stress, and make us feel uplifted, encouraged, and empowered. This makes us better workers and helpers in all ways. This helps us keep an open mind to new experience.  

The power of language helps someone have an open mind when reflecting on an experience. A bad experience can help learn certain skills and help us see how we deal with people. This can help us understand that constructive criticism is effective.

The power of mindfulness is being fully aware of what we are doing and doing it well. This is a hard concept to do in this world especially if one is not really good with time management but can be developed over time.

66.  The Developmental Stage Model of an Internship includes five developmental stages. Reflecting on your agency, cite the five stages and select two associated concerns and response strategies that you see as most relevant to your setting, and state your reasoning for selecting them.

The four stages of internship are anticipation, exploration, competence, and culmination. Two concerns that I had for the anticipation stage was my internship hours and what I could do with it. How I responded to this was by calling Tricia before the start of the internship and discussing it. She reassured me about I could do and I now know that the hours are not a concern anymore.

Two concerns I have with the exploration stage is staying on track with the learning goals, and seeking feedback. How I responded to staying on track is check my goals daily. How I can respond to seeking feedback is taking the extra effort to talk to Tricia and check in. She encourages me when she sees me and this is how I know if I meet her expectations.

I don’t have any concerns about the competence stage because I am well matured in all the areas. I continue to grow in all the areas. I trust myself, and supervisor, I see myself as a professional, I have a solid platform from what I expect from myself, I don’t really feel any pressure from meeting commitments, I seek quality,  and I feel empowered by working hard and completing objectives. I raise the bar by challenging myself in my internship.

Two concerns I have with the culmination stage is ending the internship and leaving Alfred. I love my internship, the experiences I have had at Alfred and the personal growth in myself I have achieved.  I will miss leaving the international students, friends, and connections I have made. I will respond to this my savoring every moment and saying farewell.  Leaving Alfred will be very hard for me because even though I see myself as a professional I still don’t think I am ready to leave yet. I think I could mature so much more than I have and I don’t feel ready. I am just starting to feel competent is my skills, connections, and social experiences. I don’t really know how I will responded to this but I will have to try to make the best of it and graduate.

77. Weinstein has developed a sentence completion technique to help us identify our own reaction patterns.  The sentence is:

Whenever I’m in a situation where I feel angry about a friend, I usually experience feelings of anxiety and self-doubt. The things I tell myself are take it easy. It’s not that bad. There is probably a good explanation and besides you don’t want to upset him. What I typically do is smile, joke, or protest very weakly. Afterwards, I feel as if I let us both down. What I wish I could do instead is find a clear, respectful way to tell my friend what is upsetting me.

           Complete the sentence and then identify what you believe to be the sources of your reaction patterns.

The source of my reaction patterns stem from maturity. When I was younger my reactions were very in mature and not really reflective on what really was happening. Now that I have matured way more than I was in high school my reactions are slower, more thoughtful, and I don’t jump to conclusions. I let people know how I feel that is appropriate.

88. Our personal cultural identity is constructed from many sources including family, peer group, community, religion, and nation. Describe at least two work settings when that cultural identity may be an asset and two where it may present challenges.

My cultural identity might be an asset is white privilege in getting a promotion, and I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.

My cultural identity may cause challenges in being a women receiving less pay than a man for the same work. Another one is the stereotype of being a women only wanting to be in a women related field like nursing.

99. Our bachelor’s learning contract introduces an additional dimension to professional development to include civic development. What are civic development goals? Give examples of civic learning objectives to meet civic learning goals in academic learning, democratic citizenship learning, and diversity learning.

     

Civic development goals are goals that make someone a more responsible, and contributing member of a community regardless of where someone lives and what their profession is. Some examples for academic learning include understanding root cause of social problems, and developing active learning skills. Some examples for democratic citizenship learning becoming familiar with different aspects of citizenship, and developing competency in the community. Some examples of diversity learning is understanding individuals as “isms”, and developing cross cultural communication skills. Some examples of political learning is learning about citizen groups that have effected change, and developing advocacy skills. Some examples leadership learning is understanding the social change model, and developing the skills that facilitate sharing leadership skills.

110.   In Chapter 6, discussing situational leadership and supervision (may be applied both to interns and employees), Hersey Blanchard, and Johnson identify two dimensions of supervision that can be combined in four different ways. What are the dimensions and combinations? They go on to say that the key factor in selecting the appropriate combination is the maturity level of the supervisee. They define four different levels of maturity based on a combination of willingness and ability. What are the four maturity levels and the appropriate matching style of supervision?

The 2 dimensions of supervision that can be combined in 4 ways are direction and support. Direction is clear, specific, directions, close supervision, and frequent feedback. Support is a non-directive approach using listening, talking, and high levels of emotional support. The combinations of these two dimensions of supervision high support/low direction, high support/high direction, low support/high direction, and low support/low direction.

The first level of maturity is the intern is not willing or able to do it. This requires high direction and high support. The second level of maturity is the intern may be unable but willing to try a task. This requires high direction and support. The third level of maturity is the intern has the skills but feels uncertain. This requires low direction and high support. The fourth level of maturity is the intern has the skills and the willingness. This requires low direction and support.

111.  Identify three adjustments that you have made in coping with your agency setting? What are the behaviors and challenges presented by each adjustment you made? 

A hurtle in my internship is communication between my supervisor and me on projects. Sometimes it can be hard to understand what needs to be accomplished in certain project I am assigned because my supervisor has a hard time communicating to me well enough. But a way that I deal with that issue is meeting with me daily or every other day and discussing and asking question on what specific she needs accomplished. I communicate well but sometimes I don’t think that she fully remembers what I tell her. She is very busy and she has trouble with organizing and accomplishing all of her tasks because she can be pulled in a hundred directions. So I understand why she might become flustered in communicating to the best of her ability.

I have always had trouble with thinking on my feet and this has been one of my biggest challenges during my internship. If I get too much information at once I can get confused and it is difficult for my brain to be able to process information quickly. I have always felt that my thinking processes take longer and I am more efficient when I am given one or two directives at a time. It can be difficult for me to interrupt my train of thought, switch gears and do a different task that may be asked of me. I desire to finish my thoughts and then do what has been asked, however this is not always possible. I realize that this slower step process is not what the real work world expects. Multi-tasking has never been my strong suit, but a month into my internship I am finding that I am developing this skill. I realize that this is a skill I need to develop to be able to prepare for my future work career. I only have had 2 adjustments.

Journal #12 Dependability

I consider myself to be a very dependable person. I arrive on time and oftentimes I come earlier than my scheduled time. I did not leave early and I never called in. Tricia was very accommodating to my flexible schedule because I have two part time jobs where I have fluctuating hours. She even came in earlier than her scheduled time to make sure I received 30+ hours per week. It was exhausting at times trying to balance my schedule: getting up very early, working jobs, and participating in six clubs, and having very long days sometimes. But I stayed committed and I am very happy with the outcomes of my internship as a whole. I will miss Alfred and the new international friends I have made, but I am happy knowing that I can leave Alfred with the assurance that I am as ready as I can be to face endless possibilities. 

Hula Hoop Dancing

Hula hooping is a new hobby that I started recently that I thought I would never learn. I always felt embarrassed hooping in gym class in front of everybody because I could never get the hang of it. Hooping dates back to 500 BCE when Egyptian chil-dren made them out of dried grapevines. Great Britain used the hoops during the 14th century to medically treat dislocated backs and heart attacks. Native Americans in the 1400’s used hoops to signify the circle of life. The term "hula hoop" came from sailors that had been to the Hawaiian Islands and thought the body motion was similar to their dance style. The most re-cent trend was the craze of the 1950’s. Childhood friends Knerr & Melin recreated the hoops and sold over 20,000 per day @ $1.98 each for the Wham-O Company. Buying a hula hoop today averages $14.99 each. Learning new skills can be liberating, fun and joyful. College has made me more confident and I do not really care what people think be-cause I want to experience everything that college life has to offer. I owe a big thanks to Ben Berry for reintroducing me to this hobby by recently offering a workshop about the technique of how to hula hoop. When anyone has an enthusiastic teacher it makes learning so much easier. He taught the basics but also how to do tricks while hula danc-ing, but I mostly prefer to do the basics. Hula hooping can be lots of fun and it can be a form of exercise.

Heightening Awareness of Multiculturalism

When living in the United States citizens experience multiple cultures and belief systems. Heightening awareness of the acceptance of others is important. Since the events of 9/11, a Gallup Poll found that Middle Eastern people had more racial profiling than any other group and tighter security checks at airports. The theory of Shooter Bias Paradigm is when people respond to a threatening situation quickly; people will be more likely to be aggressive toward minorities. In addition, Section 44902 of the Federal Aviation Act states that flight attendants have the right to refuse the transport of a passenger due to a threat to safety. A 2007 Zogby Poll of Arab Muslims, ages 18-29, found that 31% reported discrimination based on ethnicity and 76% reported discrimination based on ethnic background (Tehranian, 2009).  

So what are some of the characteristics of Islamic culture? Islam is derived from the Arabic root "Salema" meaning peace, purity, submission and obedience. A Muslim is someone who follows Islam. In a religious way Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law. Islam has many of the same principles of Christianity such as: one God, prophets, angels, holy books, God’s will and the afterlife. Muslims strive to live righteously and follow the Golden Rule (Rippin 2012).  

There are 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide and only 20% of Muslims are Arab. More than ¾ of American Muslims are U.S. citizens and stereotypical behavior fails to recognize diversity. Islamophobia is the dread and dislike of Muslim people, discrimination, social exclusion, verbal/physical harassment, and hate crimes (Bryfonski 2013 and Rippin, 2012). Some Americans think that Muslims are terrorists, religious fanatics, irreligious, unenlightened and hijackers. Many believe that Islam is threatening, aggressive, and supportive of terrorism. Some have their beliefs because of experiencing feelings of fear, insecurity and suspicion in reference to foreign people. Other factors include ignorance, media portrayal of Muslim’s religion, and that Muslims are inherently violent and historically have participated in never ending conflicts (Bryfonski, 2013). 9/11 enhanced preconceived stereotypes and stimulated increased levels of paranoia towards Muslim people. Statistics indicate that following the event of 9/11, hate crimes against Muslims increased and thousands of American Muslims were arrested (Marvasti, 2004). Contrary to the perception that Muslims support acts of terrorism, most do not participate. In conclusion, taking time to understand others before judging could decrease the barriers to acceptance.

 

 Bryfonski, D. (2013). Islamophobia. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press.

 

Marvasti, A. (2004). Middle Eastern Lives in America Perspectives on a Multiracial Series. Boulder, CO: Rowan and Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Retrieved 3 12, 2015

 

Rippin, A. (2012). Muslims Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. New York: Rouledge.

 

Tehranian, J. (2009). White Washed America's Invisible Middle Eastern Minority. New York: New York University Press.

 

 

Exam 2

 1.      On page 265 of our text begins a discussion of an expanded eight step problem solving model. From your internship, identify a management problem and apply all the eight steps to lead to a desired change outcome. The change may or may not have happened; it may be hypothetical for the purposes of illustrating your understanding of the model.

a.      Say it out loud; I hate being disconnected from the community, my peers, and left out of the loop.

b.      Name the problem; the problem is finding resources. 

c.       Expand your thinking; throughout my educational process I have been encouraged to seek outside sources to enhance my learning experience. I have had difficulty seeking out and utilizing outside sources, but since I started my internship I am finding it much easier.

d.      Consider the causes; I have never really know who to talk to find out information. I have felt isolated and left out most of my life.

e.       Focus your attention; seeking out people who know how to access information I don’t know.

f.       Determine your goals; my goals for solving this problem is to become smarter, more mature, and more “in the know” by being a liaison between different clubs.

g.      Identify the strategies; I think that this skill is improving due to having Nickie Hockenberry in the same office where I do my internship. She many times will discuss with me about all the different people she interacts with and their variety of experiences and knowledge. Sharing this information has enhanced my overall experience. I have connected with her intern and Taquon Middleton, who also work for her.

h.      Create the change; I have heightened my understanding that outside sources can help me find more information and therefore get projects done more efficiently. I feel that I have grown personally by I am informed about important informational activities and activities that students need to know prior to the release date. My internship has allowed me to feel more confident to reach out to a variety of other people. This experience has been positive for me because I can feel my growth while meeting my own personal internship goals.

 2.      A. What does the phrase: “Choose your companion: Excellence or Perfection?” mean to you?  Reflect on any movement that you have found in yourself in regard to this phrase. I always strive to excellence and perfection in everything I do. If it lacks my standards of excellence I am disappointed and feel embarrassed and ashamed and wish I had done better.

 B. Identify a person (you do not need to use their actual name) you have encountered in your practicum that you see as a true human services professional. Describe the qualities you see this person modeling that exemplifies a professional.

Some qualities that a person that I have encountered in my internship that I see as an human service professional are a great attitude, enthusiastic about the job, ethical goal focused, a great listener, she suspends her own personal agenda for others, persistent, self-confident, and self-discipline.

 It is impossible to limit the list to just 10, and so here are 25 more that represent my second tier: 

 C.  In Human Services, the descriptor “practice wisdom” is often heard. What is the difference between intelligence and wisdom?

      Intelligence is the capacity for learning reasoning understanding, and similar forms of mental activity, high mental capacity, knowledge of an event, or circumstance, and the gathering or the distribution of information.

      Wisdom is having the power of discerning judgment to what is right or wrong with good discretion, scholarly knowledge, and being in the know.

3.      On page 339, our text identifies attributes of a sense of fulfillment in work and life, using the three major categories, identify aspects of your practicum that contribute (or not) to feelings of fulfillment.

 

 Doing worthwhile work

·         Works with students from 11 different countries

·         Collaborate with other clubs/organizations with cultural themed events and activities and serve as a liaison/ resource with civic engagement

·         Serves in management and leadership roles

·         Worked on a project to promote Islamic beliefs; Alfred State is a campus that has .001% of Muslims and is seeing an increase in enrollment of that faith

·         Develop a better cultural competency

·         Obtained over 400 hours of supervised practicum experience 

  Developing responsible relationships

·         International students

·         Tricia Herritt

·         Nickie Hockenberry

·         Taquon Middleton

 

Self-defined success

·         Tunnel of Oppression project

·         Obtained more leadership opportunities

·         More confidence

·         Stronger resource development

·        Networking

·         Multiple options to work independently

·         Learn new skills

·         Make more decisions in positive ways
·         The tools to be more “in the know” of what is happening at Alfred State
·         Improving my abilities to be a better editor for the school paper
·         Has expanded my abilities for networking
·         More mature in my thinking

 

4.  Part of developing as a civic professional and having feelings of fulfillment is to have a sense of how your agency contributes to the community well-being. Using the criteria on p. 352, discuss the public relevance of the work done by your practicum agency.

This agency is involved in the community by having trips and hosting cultural events. The international students are very involved.

 

5.      Managers are faced with making difficult decisions that often require adherence to a number of possibly conflicting rules and concepts. The first step in sorting through all the requirements is to know what the terms mean in the Human Service field.

 

Define the following terms as they relate to your internship, and the text:

 

a.       Values are respect of worth, excellence, usefulness, or importance. Some values of my agency is involvement, belonging, dependability, efficiency, hard work, and professionalism.

b.      Morals are the conduct between right and wrong. Tricia always makes through everything is done in the right way.

c.       Ethics is a system of moral principles. Ethics are followed at my internship.

d.      Privacy is the state of being alone. Whenever there is a conversation that Tricia has that needs to be private she closes her door so no one can hear or disturb her.

e.       Privileged communication is privacy and confidentiality.  Everything is kept confidential in my agency.

f.       Confidentiality is the spoken, written, acted on in strict privacy or secrecy; secret:  Everything is kept confidential in my agency.

g.      Guidelines are indication of future actions. Tricia and discussed the good and the bad of the cultural showcase and how it can be improved for next year. I typed up a list of due dates for information to be submitted for next year.

h.      Standards are a rule or principle that is used as a basis for judgment. I have high standard of how things should be done and I make sure that it’s done to my satisfaction the best that I can.

i.        Regulations are a law, rule, or other order prescribed by authority, especially to regulate conduct. There are many regulations for international students for studying at Alfred State and Tricia always makes sure these regulations are followed and helps out the best she can if they need help.

j.        Policy is a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc.  There are many policies for international students for studying at Alfred State and Tricia always makes sure these regulations are followed and helps out the best she can if they need help.

k.      Principles are a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived. There are many laws for international students for studying at Alfred State and Tricia always makes sure these regulations are followed and helps out the best she can if they need help.

l.        Code is a system for communication. Tricia and the international club use email and social media to distribute communication.

m.    Autonomy is independence or freedom, as of the will or one's actions. This is displayed by giving me complete control over my projects, trusting me to do it in a timely manner, and not hovering.

n.      Beneficence is the doing of good; active goodness or kindness; charity. This is displayed by the agency being a human service agency.

o.      Justice is the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness. This is displayed by being an advocate for her international students.

p.      Non maleficence is the doing of evil or harm. There is no maleficence is my agency.

q.      Fidelity is loyalty. Tricia is loyal to her students.

r.        Veracity is conformity to truth or fact; accuracy. The truth and accuracy are done to the best of ability.

s.       Negligence is to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight. There is no negligence in my internship site. 

t.        Malpractice is render proper services through reprehensible ignorance or negligence or through criminal intent, especially when injury or loss follows. There is no malpractice in my internship site. 

u.      Liability is something disadvantageous. I can’t think of any.

a.       Vicarious liability is something that is performed, exercised, received, or suffered in place of another. I can’t think of any.

v.      Plaintiff is a person who brings suit in a court. This doesn’t really apply.

w.    Defendant is a person, company, etc., against whom a claim or charge is brought in a court. This doesn’t really apply. 

 6.      Using the 10 step model for resolving ethical dilemmas outlined on pp. 386-389, illustrate the process for resolving the following management dilemma: You are a program manager at an agency that has a personnel policy forbidding anyone in the administrative chain of command with having a relationship with someone under their supervision. This includes blood relatives, relatives by marriage, and intimate relationships outside of marriage. You have personal knowledge totally derived outside of the workplace that two people in the supervisory chain of command have an intimate relationship. A relative of yours owns the house that the couple is renting at some distance from the workplace and the couple is unaware of your relationship to the landlord, and is unaware that you know about them.  Your relative incidentally told you their names and where they worked, and does not realize you work at the same agency.  No one at work has any suspicion about this relationship. It is highly likely that one or both of the partners will lose their job if administration learns about this relationship, and there are few jobs available outside your agency. What choices does the decision making model lead to, and how do you arrive at a decision?

Name the Problem: Should you tell the administration about the relationship?

Narrow the Focus: Find out as much as I can about the situation and observe the people who I know are involved.

Consult the Codes: Dual Roles

 Consider the Laws: Lose their jobs/license

Consult with Colleagues: Ask people what they know of similar instances in the past. Has the agency dealt with this before?

Determine the Goals: Tell the couple to break it off.

Brainstorm the Strategies: Approach couple, tell them to break it off or find a new job.

Consider the consequences: Should I tell? What happens to me if I do? What will happen to the couple?

Consult the Checklist: Is this action in the best interest of the client? Does the action violate the rights of another person? Is it legal? Does it create more harm than good? Does the action violate existing policies, regulations, or procedures?