Reading (Self & Other), Reflecting, Discerning, and Then Acting: Strengthening Faith-Based Service Learning

Alabama Possible: Annual Lifetime of Learning Conference

DR. NADJWA E. L. NORTON TRANSFORMATIVE LITERACY PROGRAM CITY COLLEGE, CUNY

NOVEMBER 1, 2012

Not My Last Breath: Collected Spirit in Print

Magnificent Meditation
131 How do I choose to be magnificent? How do I chose to challenge myself? What challenges will exist in faith-based service

learning?

How do I meet those challenges head on?

Challenging My Mind, Body, and Spirit

Make a list of things that can challenge your mind,

body, and spirit when doing faith-based service learning- (1 minute)

Share with partner (2 minutes)

Active Reading
To make meaning of a text Read cognitive, social, emotional, physical,

behavioral, spiritual, cultural aspects, and contexts

Read microlevel and macrolevel structures and

political contexts

Reading Structures Activity

Pick a place that you have completed a service-learning

initiative in.

Read microlevel and macrolevel structures and political

contexts (2 min)

Identify three of those structures or contexts that you

might have paid more attention to in a way that would have allowed you to serve that community even more effectively. (1 min)

Share with 2 other people (Groups of Three) (6 min)

Meeting the Challenge

Reading Ourselves Reading Others

Reading Not in Deficit

Reading Not Through Savior- God-Hero Syndrome

How must we read?

We must gather multiple sources Read at different times of day and on different days Read for strengths and weaknesses Read for gems, gaps, and push furthers Successes and failures For problems and solutions To see what things are working well and should be expanded Observe and understand the culture and knowledges of the people present

In The Service of Gods Vision

126

Faith is socially constructed. Faith occurs in and varies from contexts and cultures. Faith and issues of faith are connected to race, class, sex, sexuality, and other aspects of culture.

People are disabled by peoples reactions to their lack of resources or perceived lack of resources.

 Spiritual Marginalization Chart Activity ( 3 minutes) Groups of three (10 min)

Reflecting on Self and Other

What could I have done to better prepare myself for working in the

community or in this service learning initiative?

What can I learn? What can I teach? What can I share? Where can I lead?

Where can I follow?

When is the best time?

Laughing at Mere Mortals

111 Gods Sense of Humor p. 57

Why might God laugh at us?

Where is our humility?

Reflection Should Lead to

Increased understanding of who we are as faith-based

people and service providers.

Increased dialogue and communication with the

communities we serve.
Increased dialogue and communication with other faith-

based people.

Discerning
God You Made Me 104 Dear God, II 78

Discerning and Action Should Lead to the

Gathering of additional resources for self and other.

Creation of new documents, initiatives, projects, and

etc.
Examination and review of overall objectives and goals.

Action

There is No God Like The God I Know 69 I Submitted 46

The lived experiences and cultural narratives of faithbased people should challenge stigmatization and static identity construction.

Your Gift is in Tune With The People

134