GU 299 week 2 assignment 2 Reflection Journal

Reflection Journal

Name

Institution

Tutor

Course

Date

What, if anything, did you find surprising, particularly challenging, or interesting? (10pts)

Working with community organizations was difficult because of the schedule with school. Even after volunteering in those various organizations, it was difficult for them to motive the volunteers and appreciate their good work. As students we have different schedules for both school and work, trying to make them both work was hectic. There was also a barrier in terms of culture with the community. As stated by (Prentice, 2011), mingling and adjusting to that barrier was very challenging. There were also some students who were reluctant to work with the community organization and participate in volunteer work.

It was also challenging to match up the volunteers with their areas of expertise. The volunteers are passionate in assisting the community and some of them had areas they wanted to work in mind but their areas of specifications could not be met. Trying to establish a mutual understanding between the volunteers and the community and matching up their needs with responsibilities was also challenging.

From what you know about this course so far, what connections can you make to previous learning experiences, and how do you think this course will help you as you move forward in your college and professional life? (10pts)

One of the connections I have made from this course with the previous learning experiences is that it works on improving my decision making and leadership skills. (Gerston, 2014), emphasizes that the community organization allocated me in a work position that allows me to make important decisions for the organization. It has also given me an opportunity to put into practice my leadership skills by following up on some projects. Thus through this, the course assists me to be a good decision maker and leader either in my college or professional work.

According to (Ferrari & Chapman, 2014), working with a community organization improves my knowledge such that the lessons I get from them is good for my academics and skills I acquire from them build up my professional life. After college, the community organization can offer me a job also, thus a way of building up my professional life. This course also gives teachers more individual time with students academically in that when some students are participating in volunteer work, the teacher get extra time with a student. Thus helping me get the academic attention I need from the teacher.

How do the course outcomes (listed above) for this week apply to your experience so far?(10pts)

Critical thinking was applied while I was undergoing training as a volunteer and in my experience through making important decisions on the projects in the organization. Those projects required keen evaluation because we had to prioritize depending on the need of the community. I managed to interact and work well with my fellow volunteers and workmates in the organization for the better of the community.

We were able to interact with the community members very well and also adjust to their different values. We worked together with them in order to deliver the goals of the organization. We respected their diverse culture through thinking critically and also used ethics as a guide to achieving those. We were able to work with the community and deliver our professional requirements as we make sure that whatever we delivered or worked on was ethical.

What specific ideas did you learn from the Starbucks book this week that you could use in your every life or future career? (10 pts)

The Starbucks book this week encourages on Entrepreneurship. I learnt that growth becomes inevitable when there are conflicting ideas, cultures and personalities in a company. I also learnt that it is a good trait to be hardworking, ambitious and confident in myself because through that I can have other people or companies believe in me like they did to Schultz and get certain preferential treatments.Schultz was determined, patient and passionate in his business thus it is an essential trait as it will be a driving force for me towards achieving my goals.

I also learnt that for a business to grow a driving force in terms of capital and moral support is essential. Having good investors is essential. These investors might decide to give a loan or have a form of ownership in the shares of the company. It is most important when investors are confident in me because they are more likely to invest in me and not the business. Partnership is also essential when there is need for expanding the business. An additional partner would make the business grow and make more profits.

What questions do you still need answered?(10pts)

I would like to know how the schedules of students can be achieved so they can participate in community service, also how well the needs of the community can be achieved and how well we can work with the community to achieve community service. I would Malel like to know how best we can achieve our responsibilities towards making the community better.

I would also like to know how we can add on the opportunities offered in the community, also how to maintain these opportunities for a period of time. A defined responsibility on what volunteers are expected to do is essential. An answer on what the community should do for them to be cooperative with the volunteers should also be a priority in community service.

Reference

M Prentice, (2011), Civic engagement among community college students through service

learning

JR Ferrari, JG Chapman, (2014), Community-based service learning, Educating students to

make a difference,

LN Gerston, (2014), A guide to civic engagement, Public policy making in a democratic

society