Springboard! Session 11: Decisions, Decisions
What is Springboard!? Click here.
Today’s learning outcomes: Examining Values, Creative Problem Solving, Leadership, Participation and Self-Assurance
This session combines the last two… We continue asking the freshman to examine the values within themselves and society which they find important, while also paying attention to what role they play when trying to achieve success within a group.
The class is divided into two groups to have [the same] discussion. Our freshmen are asked to look back on the group role they were identified as playing before, and this time they should try to play a different one. In many cases, freshmen are encouraged to lead more. Those who are comfortable in groups, like Hannah are simply challenged to focus on any other role, like persuading or encouraging. For this activity the coaches are also trying to act in predetermined roles, but some of us are given the interfering behaviors, unknown to the freshman! The point is to see how freshmen work through the distraction, especially considering it’s coming from a coach! At the end of the activity each group member shares who they think possessed which roles, thus, letting each of us know if we were successful. The fun part, of course, is seeing if the freshmen believed the distracting coach or if they were “onto it.”
The activity in question asks us to try to create an ideal community, without being racist, sexist, homophobic, agist, etc.. We must agree to allow only seven of the following to be in the community:
1. Single, 28 year old Caucasian female, degree in elementary education with six years teaching experience. Bisexual preference with no experience with either sex.
2. 36 year old Caucasian male, retail businessman with a serious weight problem. He holds an MBA. Wife is a librarian with bookkeeping skills. They have an 8 year old girl and 14 year old boy who has been heavily involved with drugs.
3. A 58 year old divorced, Caucasian male, general practitioner doctor who lives with a 23 year old general studies college graduate. The doctor has three children from a previous marriage. Two of the three are in college one is still in high school and lives with their mother.
4. A 29 year old African American male lawyer (Law degree from the University of Michigan), married to a 27 year old Caucasian nurse. They have no children.
5. An African American family that includes a 43 year old banker whose 42 year old wife has a degree in Interior Design and is an experienced seamstress. They have three children, ages 2, 4 and 5. The 5 year old has multiple sclerosis. The gentleman’s mother, who is 60 and showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease, also resides with the family.
6. Elderly Asian couple in their late sixties who have two children in other parts of the country. The man is a retired businessman and she is a housewife.
7. A 22 year old African American female who is unemployed, unwed and mother of two children. One child is 4 and the other 18 months. She does hold a high school diploma.
8. A Hispanic male construction worker, age 31, who is divorced. No college degree. Worked since age 18 in full time construction. This man has very traditional male attitudes about gender roles.
9. A 52 year old Caucasian Catholic Priest.
10. 19 year old Caucasian male mechanic. He dropped out of high school at 16 but has been to a 6 month mechanic school and has worked continuously since dropping out of school.
11. A single, 24 year old Native American woman with an undergraduate degree in Indian Arts and Music as well as a teaching certification. She has just received her Masters in Indian Art.
12. Twp Caucasian gay men that are 26 years old and have lived together for 6 years. One is a drug and family counselor, with a Master, and is a carrier of the AIDS virus. The other man has a college degree in Hospitality Management and has worked in hotel management as well as restaurant management.
(Mac Varish, G. & Goldsberry, K.L., 1991; Revised: Goldsberry, 9/92 Published: 1993)
The entire class (both groups) selected numbers 1,5,6 and 7. My group additionally choice 12, 13 and 14 whereas the other group disagreed and selected 2, 4 and 11.
Who would make the cut in your perfect society and WHY?
Today’s learning outcomes: Examining Values, Creative Problem Solving, Leadership, Participation and Self-Assurance
This session combines the last two… We continue asking the freshman to examine the values within themselves and society which they find important, while also paying attention to what role they play when trying to achieve success within a group.
The class is divided into two groups to have [the same] discussion. Our freshmen are asked to look back on the group role they were identified as playing before, and this time they should try to play a different one. In many cases, freshmen are encouraged to lead more. Those who are comfortable in groups, like Hannah are simply challenged to focus on any other role, like persuading or encouraging. For this activity the coaches are also trying to act in predetermined roles, but some of us are given the interfering behaviors, unknown to the freshman! The point is to see how freshmen work through the distraction, especially considering it’s coming from a coach! At the end of the activity each group member shares who they think possessed which roles, thus, letting each of us know if we were successful. The fun part, of course, is seeing if the freshmen believed the distracting coach or if they were “onto it.”
The activity in question asks us to try to create an ideal community, without being racist, sexist, homophobic, agist, etc.. We must agree to allow only seven of the following to be in the community:
1. Single, 28 year old Caucasian female, degree in elementary education with six years teaching experience. Bisexual preference with no experience with either sex.
2. 36 year old Caucasian male, retail businessman with a serious weight problem. He holds an MBA. Wife is a librarian with bookkeeping skills. They have an 8 year old girl and 14 year old boy who has been heavily involved with drugs.
3. A 58 year old divorced, Caucasian male, general practitioner doctor who lives with a 23 year old general studies college graduate. The doctor has three children from a previous marriage. Two of the three are in college one is still in high school and lives with their mother.
4. A 29 year old African American male lawyer (Law degree from the University of Michigan), married to a 27 year old Caucasian nurse. They have no children.
5. An African American family that includes a 43 year old banker whose 42 year old wife has a degree in Interior Design and is an experienced seamstress. They have three children, ages 2, 4 and 5. The 5 year old has multiple sclerosis. The gentleman’s mother, who is 60 and showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease, also resides with the family.
6. Elderly Asian couple in their late sixties who have two children in other parts of the country. The man is a retired businessman and she is a housewife.
7. A 22 year old African American female who is unemployed, unwed and mother of two children. One child is 4 and the other 18 months. She does hold a high school diploma.
8. A Hispanic male construction worker, age 31, who is divorced. No college degree. Worked since age 18 in full time construction. This man has very traditional male attitudes about gender roles.
9. A 52 year old Caucasian Catholic Priest.
10. 19 year old Caucasian male mechanic. He dropped out of high school at 16 but has been to a 6 month mechanic school and has worked continuously since dropping out of school.
11. A single, 24 year old Native American woman with an undergraduate degree in Indian Arts and Music as well as a teaching certification. She has just received her Masters in Indian Art.
12. Twp Caucasian gay men that are 26 years old and have lived together for 6 years. One is a drug and family counselor, with a Master, and is a carrier of the AIDS virus. The other man has a college degree in Hospitality Management and has worked in hotel management as well as restaurant management.
(Mac Varish, G. & Goldsberry, K.L., 1991; Revised: Goldsberry, 9/92 Published: 1993)
The entire class (both groups) selected numbers 1,5,6 and 7. My group additionally choice 12, 13 and 14 whereas the other group disagreed and selected 2, 4 and 11.
Who would make the cut in your perfect society and WHY?
posted by Abby Bollenbacher at
11:14 PM
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