Here we are at the end of the path. At this point, I have completed 12 hours of service at the Lydia Home. I have helped several different kids with various homework assignments, played games, had my hair braided by a few of the girls, pushed kids on the swing, and even helped serve dinner and snacks. My time at the Lydia Home has truly been filled with many different activities and many good times to look back on. When looking back on all of my experiences, there are a few themes that seem to recur.
One of these themes is language and the various aspects that make up language. This theme occurred in various events over the course of my 12 hours of service. When trying to help a kid with reading homework, they struggled with their reading skills because they did not have a strong background in the phonetic rules of language. In other instance, I didn't have enough power in my language to keep one of the boys on task. Then, when playing Taboo with some of the parents, they didn't have a wide enough vocabulary to play the game well. In everyday life, all aspects of language have a large role in effective and competent interpersonal communication. Without language in general, communication would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Therefore, having a good understanding of the rules that govern language and having a wide vocabulary is critical to being a competent communicator.
Another theme that presented itself several times while I was at the Lydia Home was perception. Before going to the Lydia Home, I have a perception of what the place would be like and what the children would be like. However, after being at the Lydia Home for a little while, I realized that those perceptions were wrong. Secondly, there were many different ways that the kids could have perceived me and then shaped their behaviors toward me based on those perceptions. If they perceived me as just a stuck-up, rich white person, they may not have been very open or accepting of me. Thankfully, that was not the case. Another way perception played a role in my time there was through my perception of where the kids should be academically. I never really struggled in school and things tended to come pretty naturally. So, I had a perception of what the kids should know based on what grade level they are in. However, most of the kids needed a little extra help, so I had to change that perception and make sure I didn't base my behavior on those perceptions. Then, I was better able to help the kids and be more patient with them when they didn't quite understand something.
With everything I have learned and the different experiences I have had while at the Lydia Home, there are many things I can take with me for the future. One thing that will definitely stick with me is being mindful of the perceptions I have. In future interpersonal interactions, I hope to become more aware of the perceptions I have. I also hope to make sure that if those perceptions aren't quite accurate that I don't behave according to those perception. I definitely need to try utilizing perception checks more often. These small steps will help to decrease the number of misunderstandings and complications that arise from those misunderstandings. Another thing that I will take away from my time at the Lydia Home is how important language. I was always taught to pick the words I use wisely, but there's so much more to language and competent communication than just words. How you put those words together in a sentence also makes a difference. Also, you have to know how to deliver a message effectively based on the context. Without all these things, communication wouldn't be very effective. Therefore, in future interpersonal interactions, I hope to be aware of how I want my message to be received and shape my language based on that. Also, I want to keep expanding my understanding of the various rules that govern language. One way to accomplish this is to read because books tend to have correct grammar. For my future interpersonal interactions, I also want to expand my vocabulary, which will definitely help me become a more competent communicator. However, there are so many other lessons I have learned during my short time at the Lydia Home. The good news, though, is that there is always room for improvement in life!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Lydia Home: Almost to the End
One of my last times at Lydia Home was for a Friday night cookout. This is another program, aside from the homework club, that the Lydia Home is known for. On this particular Friday, they were serving salad, spaghetti, cheesy garlic bread, and gooey brownies. Upon arriving at 5:30, I helped serve dinner to the various families that came in for the meal. After the families had helped themselves to seconds and even thirds, I helped Joyce clean up and package the leftovers for people to take home. While cleaning up, Joyce told me more of what a normal day at the Lydia Home looks like for her. She told me a few stories behind the kids and families that come through the Home. After cleaning up, I was able to talk to some of the families. I even played Taboo with some of the parents.
Through the course of the night, there were many concepts associated with interpersonal communication that manifested themselves through my various interactions. One such concept was disclosure, which is when a person reveals something honest about themselves that is generally unavailable from other sources. It could be telling a secret to your best friend that you haven't told anyone else. It could also be telling a coworker about an experience you had. There are so many different things that could be classified as disclosure. If Joyce had not disclosed information about a normal day for her at the Lydia Home, I would not know the depth of all she does there. From knowing this information, I have a great appreciation for all she does. I also have a lot of respect for her and I find it truly amazing what she does with those kids and families.
Another concept that presented itself during the night was the use of language. If you have ever played Taboo, you know that trying to describe the word at the top of the card without using the words below it is very difficult. It becomes even more difficult if you don't have a wide vocabulary. This was very evident while playing Taboo with a few of the parents that night. You could tell that they struggled occasionally to find the write words to describe it. While people don't normally play Taboo on a daily basis, vocabulary and language still play a large role in effective communication. It's important to have a large vocabulary in order to effectively communicate your thoughts and feelings. Without it, many misinterpretations and misunderstandings can occur. And, those misunderstandings can sometimes have large repercussions in your interpersonal relationships, sometimes causing deterioration of that relationship.
After learning about disclosure and language through these interactions, I hope to make some changes that will help in future interactions. I am going to try to be more willing to disclose information about myself, especially with people that truly care about me. I see now, thanks to Joyce, how important disclosure can be and how it can impact a relationship. This impact, in the case with Joyce, was definitely positive. Also, I am going to try to broaden my vocabulary to be a more effective communicator. There are several ways I could make this change. I could sign up for one of those Word-Of-The-Day services. I could also read more books, especially if they were at a more challenging reading level than I am used to. I hope through all of the interactions I have had at the Lydia Home that I will grow to be a more competent communicator by learning from these experiences.
Through the course of the night, there were many concepts associated with interpersonal communication that manifested themselves through my various interactions. One such concept was disclosure, which is when a person reveals something honest about themselves that is generally unavailable from other sources. It could be telling a secret to your best friend that you haven't told anyone else. It could also be telling a coworker about an experience you had. There are so many different things that could be classified as disclosure. If Joyce had not disclosed information about a normal day for her at the Lydia Home, I would not know the depth of all she does there. From knowing this information, I have a great appreciation for all she does. I also have a lot of respect for her and I find it truly amazing what she does with those kids and families.
Another concept that presented itself during the night was the use of language. If you have ever played Taboo, you know that trying to describe the word at the top of the card without using the words below it is very difficult. It becomes even more difficult if you don't have a wide vocabulary. This was very evident while playing Taboo with a few of the parents that night. You could tell that they struggled occasionally to find the write words to describe it. While people don't normally play Taboo on a daily basis, vocabulary and language still play a large role in effective communication. It's important to have a large vocabulary in order to effectively communicate your thoughts and feelings. Without it, many misinterpretations and misunderstandings can occur. And, those misunderstandings can sometimes have large repercussions in your interpersonal relationships, sometimes causing deterioration of that relationship.
After learning about disclosure and language through these interactions, I hope to make some changes that will help in future interactions. I am going to try to be more willing to disclose information about myself, especially with people that truly care about me. I see now, thanks to Joyce, how important disclosure can be and how it can impact a relationship. This impact, in the case with Joyce, was definitely positive. Also, I am going to try to broaden my vocabulary to be a more effective communicator. There are several ways I could make this change. I could sign up for one of those Word-Of-The-Day services. I could also read more books, especially if they were at a more challenging reading level than I am used to. I hope through all of the interactions I have had at the Lydia Home that I will grow to be a more competent communicator by learning from these experiences.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Lydia Home: Continuing on the Journey
My second week at Lydia Home was much like the first week. Again, I helped the kids with their homework after they had a snack. After the kids finished their homework, they were able to play until it was time to go home. On Thursday, there was something that really stood out to me. I was helping a little boy with his homework and I took him into a separate room away from the whole group. Robert and the boy he was helping were also in this room. The boy I was working with kept getting distracted with the other boy's homework, even though he was supposed to be doing his own. I would try to guide him back to his homework by trying to be patient with him and not have an aggressive tone of voice. Unfortunately, this approach wasn't quite working, but thankfully Robert was able to get him back on track by having a firm tone of voice.
This situation illustrates how power used in language is important for getting points across and how powerless speech mannerisms can cause ineffective communication. By not putting power in my communication and not being firm with the child, I was not able to keep him on task. For example, think of someone that you view as an authoritative figure. Does he or she try to be polite by being hesitant and beating around the bush? Or does he or she confidently state the message that he or she is trying to get across? You would most likely say that he or she does the latter because we see that as more confident and powerful.
In my future interactions with the kids at the Lydia Home (and kids in general), I hope to not use powerless speech mannerisms as much. Along with that, it would be helpful to have a firm tone of voice and, through my communication, come across as more confident and authoritative. These skills will also help immensely when giving presentations or during a job interview.
This situation illustrates how power used in language is important for getting points across and how powerless speech mannerisms can cause ineffective communication. By not putting power in my communication and not being firm with the child, I was not able to keep him on task. For example, think of someone that you view as an authoritative figure. Does he or she try to be polite by being hesitant and beating around the bush? Or does he or she confidently state the message that he or she is trying to get across? You would most likely say that he or she does the latter because we see that as more confident and powerful.
In my future interactions with the kids at the Lydia Home (and kids in general), I hope to not use powerless speech mannerisms as much. Along with that, it would be helpful to have a firm tone of voice and, through my communication, come across as more confident and authoritative. These skills will also help immensely when giving presentations or during a job interview.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Lydia Home: The First Steps
In my first few hours at the Lydia Home, I had quite the time. First, I helped a girl research facts about Louisiana for her Social Studies homework. Once she was done with that, I also helped her with some reading sheets assigned by the leaders of the Lydia Home's after-school program. These sheets were meant to reinforce what the kids were learning in school. After all the kids were done with homework, they were able to play for the last half hour they were there. During that time, I played different games with some of the kids. In one of the games, the boys didn't explain the rules to me and I lost the game in every round we played. The next day I was there, I worked with another girl on different sheets, again assigned by the leaders of the after-school program. After homework time, the kids went outside to play. After being asked, I pushed a few kids on the swings. After pushing these few kids, I was now the designated person to push all of the other kids on the swings as they took turns on the swing set.
After being at the Lydia Home for about four hours at this point, it seems like a good time to reassess some of the assumptions I had before starting my time there. One of my first assumptions was that the children had very different life experiences than I did, and from what I can tell, they have had different experiences. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing and creates the diversity we see in this world. One of my other assumptions was that they may not get enough to eat in a day or they may not have clothes that fit them quite right. This assumption I had did not hold to be true. The kids seemed to be well-nourished and most of the kids had clothes that fit them correctly. Some of the girls' clothes were even cuter than some of my clothes! Lastly, I assumed that, like other kids, they would love having someone's attention. This was definitely the case! The kids had no problem asking if I wanted to play with them or if I would help them with their schoolwork. One girl even wanted me to just sit with her while she worked on homework because she was lonely. These kids love attention just like any other kid!
Through the events of the four hours I was at the Lydia Home, many concepts covered in class have emerged. One such concept recurred several times in those few hours. This concept was language and the phonetic rules that govern our use of language. One of the greatest struggles for the kids at the Lydia Home is reading. Without a strong foundation in the phonetic rules of the English language, it becomes hard to read, especially when coming across words they weren't familiar with. This illustrates how, if you don't know in great depth the rules that govern language, it makes communication very difficult. Another concept that emerged was listening. This tended to be a big problem for the kids, as it does with most kids. Most kids tend to hear things, but they don't really listen to what is being said to them. As a consequence, the kids didn't follow directions.
For the future interactions I have with the kids at the Lydia Home, I'm going to try to learn the phonetic rules to better guide them in their readings because, while I know how to read, I don't really remember all of the phonetic rules that are taught in elementary school. I think this will help me to be of better help to these kids. Secondly, I hope to be able to get their attention and make sure they are listening to me when I give them directions to avoid issues.
After being at the Lydia Home for about four hours at this point, it seems like a good time to reassess some of the assumptions I had before starting my time there. One of my first assumptions was that the children had very different life experiences than I did, and from what I can tell, they have had different experiences. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing and creates the diversity we see in this world. One of my other assumptions was that they may not get enough to eat in a day or they may not have clothes that fit them quite right. This assumption I had did not hold to be true. The kids seemed to be well-nourished and most of the kids had clothes that fit them correctly. Some of the girls' clothes were even cuter than some of my clothes! Lastly, I assumed that, like other kids, they would love having someone's attention. This was definitely the case! The kids had no problem asking if I wanted to play with them or if I would help them with their schoolwork. One girl even wanted me to just sit with her while she worked on homework because she was lonely. These kids love attention just like any other kid!
Through the events of the four hours I was at the Lydia Home, many concepts covered in class have emerged. One such concept recurred several times in those few hours. This concept was language and the phonetic rules that govern our use of language. One of the greatest struggles for the kids at the Lydia Home is reading. Without a strong foundation in the phonetic rules of the English language, it becomes hard to read, especially when coming across words they weren't familiar with. This illustrates how, if you don't know in great depth the rules that govern language, it makes communication very difficult. Another concept that emerged was listening. This tended to be a big problem for the kids, as it does with most kids. Most kids tend to hear things, but they don't really listen to what is being said to them. As a consequence, the kids didn't follow directions.
For the future interactions I have with the kids at the Lydia Home, I'm going to try to learn the phonetic rules to better guide them in their readings because, while I know how to read, I don't really remember all of the phonetic rules that are taught in elementary school. I think this will help me to be of better help to these kids. Secondly, I hope to be able to get their attention and make sure they are listening to me when I give them directions to avoid issues.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
The Beginning of the Journey
1. What are your hopes for the service-learning project?
For this service-learning project at the Lydia Home, I have several hopes. First, I hope to have a positive impact on at least one person's life that I will come in contact with at the Lydia Home. I also hope to make the time I have there truly matter. Thirdly, I'd like to gain better communication skills with people that may not have much in common with me. Along with this, I'd also like to be a more open communicator and not be so shy around people I don't know.
2. What are your assumptions about your service-learning site?
At the Lydia Home, I assume that it will be a positive environment where under-privileged children can come to just have a good time and get help with schoolwork. I assume that the people there love working with kids and really want to make a difference in these kids' lives.
3. What do you already know or assume about the work they do?
I know that they do an after-school program for under-privileged children. I assume that they have different activities planned to do with the kids, at times. I also assume that they help the kids with any schoolwork they may have.
4. What do you know or assume about the population they serve?
I know that at the Lydia Home they serve under-privileged children. Based on this, I know they have had a much different experience in life than I have. I assume that they may not always get enough to eat during the day. I assume that they may not have clothes or shoes that fit them properly either. However, based on other kids I have been around, I also assume that they will be glad to have someone's attention.
5. What connections/interests/passions do you have for this site or the population it serves?
For starters, I think any organization that helps to build up a strong generation of kids is a worth-while investment of your time and energy. After all, the kids are the leaders of tomorrow. Secondly, I really enjoy working with kids and I hope to work with disabled children after graduation.
For this service-learning project at the Lydia Home, I have several hopes. First, I hope to have a positive impact on at least one person's life that I will come in contact with at the Lydia Home. I also hope to make the time I have there truly matter. Thirdly, I'd like to gain better communication skills with people that may not have much in common with me. Along with this, I'd also like to be a more open communicator and not be so shy around people I don't know.
2. What are your assumptions about your service-learning site?
At the Lydia Home, I assume that it will be a positive environment where under-privileged children can come to just have a good time and get help with schoolwork. I assume that the people there love working with kids and really want to make a difference in these kids' lives.
3. What do you already know or assume about the work they do?
I know that they do an after-school program for under-privileged children. I assume that they have different activities planned to do with the kids, at times. I also assume that they help the kids with any schoolwork they may have.
4. What do you know or assume about the population they serve?
I know that at the Lydia Home they serve under-privileged children. Based on this, I know they have had a much different experience in life than I have. I assume that they may not always get enough to eat during the day. I assume that they may not have clothes or shoes that fit them properly either. However, based on other kids I have been around, I also assume that they will be glad to have someone's attention.
5. What connections/interests/passions do you have for this site or the population it serves?
For starters, I think any organization that helps to build up a strong generation of kids is a worth-while investment of your time and energy. After all, the kids are the leaders of tomorrow. Secondly, I really enjoy working with kids and I hope to work with disabled children after graduation.
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