Last week, during our Bonner Meeting, we engaged in activity entitled, "Fishbowl Discussions" in order to define our own communities. Prior to the discussion, we established the definition and description of what a community encompasses.
"A community can be any group of individuals or families working toward a common goal. A community may include, but is not limited to, a town, a city, a neighborhood, an office, an industry, a profession, a school, a religion, a corporation, a geographic or a political entity. People live in communities. But the real importance of 'living in community' is that people - and groups of people - develop the ways and means to care for each other, to nurture the talents and leadership that enhance the quality of community life, and to tackle the problems that threaten the community and the opportunities which can help it."
The fishbowl exercise allowed us the opportunity to look deep inside a community that we may not find ourselves a part of. We are on the outside looking in. Often times this causes mis-understandings and mis-interpretations. Yet after getting a deeper look into the community you may have found yourself opening up your minds and changing your opinions on how you will choose to act towards that particular community. With our discussion in mind, I ask that you reflect and answer two of the following questions:
1. What, if anything, will you change about yourself because of the fishbowl activity?
2. Do you ever wish you did not belong to a community of which you are a member? Why?
3. What did you learn by listening to those who were discussing their communities?
4. For those who discussed their communities, what was the hardest part about sharing your experience?
Everyone Answer: As a Bonner you most likely will be placed into an entirely new community of people who might seem like an unlikely match. Please explain the community at your service site...explain your mis-understandings of that community...and explain the various ways which you can relate and continue to relate to your particular community.
11 comments:
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I have many leather bound books, and my apt. smells of rich mahogany.
1. Because of the fishbowl experience, I will try to fit it to more communities than I am already a part of. I don't want to limit myself to the communities that I feel comfortable in. I believe that growth can more readily occur in situations where someone is uncomfortable. Usually this uncomfortableness comes from the fact that someone may be interacting with others who are outside of their regular community.
I experienced this concept first hand by working at WADE. I have experienced a ton of growth through working with these kids. I have learned how to interact with a whole different type of people, have learned how to teach, and learned how to deal with situations that I was previously unaccustomed to dealing with. Sometimes, it takes an awkward or uncomfortable situation to initiate growth within a person. Staying stagnant, content, and comfortable in a safe community won't lead to growth.
1. What, if anything, will you change about yourself because of the fishbowl activity?
I will try my best not to clump members of a community together under one title. The entire community should not be held responsible for the actions of one or two people, but unfortunately, that's how it happens a lot of times.
3. What did you learn by listening to those who were discussing their communities?
I learned that many communities are very misunderstood. One person can ruin the reputation of a community for the entire group.
When I started at my site, I had very misconstrued ideas about the students. I just assumed that they didn't like school or were bad kids, but I was so wrong. I am very different from the students I work with, but the more time I spend with them, the more I realize how great they all are. They do try hard in school and most of them are great kids, but are greatly misunderstood. Being close to their age, I can relate to them on more personal ways than the older instructors. I had to learn to work through my misconceptions of Second Chance, which was difficult at first, but now I have a much better understanding of the whole situation.
1. Well, I don't think I would change anything because at the moment I can't remember what we talked about.
2. Sometimes I wish that I wasn't a member of the theatre community. I would never really leave the theatre community but it is sometimes really hard to juggle everything when the plays take some much of your schedule. It's a hard knock life. If I could figure out somehow to fit everything else with theatre, it sure would make my life brighter again.
3. Nothing, I don't remember what we talked about.
5. Well at the theatre dept., sometimes I feel really out of place. I don't understand why a lot of people like to sing Wicked all the time.
It was really interesting to hear people describe a community that I am not a part of. I liked to learn how they described themselves and compare how they really are to the judgements and perceptions people on the outside have of them. This activity helped me to realize that the preconceived notions I had about others are not always accurate.
2. No, i tend to choose the communities that i am in very carefully. I try to influence the communities that i am not and not just be a follower.
3. i learned that there are misconceptions about almost every community.
23 1/2. the community at my site are high school athletes. some of the mis - understandings of this community include that athletes are not smart. they get into a lot of trouble. i have not started here yet so i don't know much about it. i can relate to my community because i am an athlete, and i went through high school.
1. As a result of this exerices I will start to become more open to others and their communities and start listening to others and their ideas.
2, No i enjoy the communities I belong too.
By the fishbowl discussion we all got to hear an insight on what communities are about, who's in them and the common misconceptions.
At my sites, I will be working at the wade center and with mickey pellillo with the trails. I expect to learn and meet new people, to form new relationships. At the wade center I will be helping serve dinner to the children, due to my strange schledule serving will be at odd times.
Though listening to what others have said about their communities I have been able to gain insight on what is at work within the community. What bonners are doing to be a part of the greater community.We all have the one basic goal, to serve, to serve in the community.
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