Artifact #6: Service Learning Reflection
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Focus: Integration, Experiential Learning, and Personalized Educational Program
Description: In this class, we delved deeper into the concepts we learned in SOC 101, specifically that the system we live in causes many issues that we have in the United States. The class specifically focused on poverty and what structures the United States has to combat the issue. For our experiential learning, we visited Open Doors, a traveling homeless shelter in the Harrisonburg area. At the shelter, we helped serve food to the homeless, but the main focus was sitting down with them and having conversations. This paper examined our expectation, the role of the shelter, and our reflections after the experience.
Reflection: This experience opened my eyes to the issues that we suffer from as a country, specifically the issue of poverty in our nation. I realized how I had judged those who were poor and this was unfair for me to do. Each person I spoke with had a story as to why they were in poverty and almost all of the stories led to a structural cause. I was completely humbled by the experience and it changed my perspective of the poor.
Proficiencies: recognizing integration of cultures, empathy for other people groups, perspective-taking, cultural competence, self-awareness
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Artifact #6: