Reflecting and Framing Your Break

Hey all,

We hope that you are getting excited to go on your trips! We want you to reflect in this blog about the "potential volunteer problems" that might come up on your trip.

These include: being bored, tired, snowed out, or discouraged about the type of the work you are doing. How might these questions apply to your site and how might you deal with these issues?

Tonights blog only needs to be 200 words.

We can't wait to hear all about your trips. Please be in touch (via email at albreaks@ku.edu) if you are planning on live-blogging your trip and we'll figure out logistics. If you are planning on this option, please be in touch before Stop Day.

Thanks,
Julia and Stephanie

Diversity Training

Can't wait to hear what you thought of yesterday's presentation. In your post, please try to connect Cody's presentation with your own break and the issues you'll encounter.

Difficult Discussions

Here's their website http://www.diversity.ku.edu/events/dialogues.shtml. We participated in their session titled "The N-Word." I thought that the activity was thoroughly thought-provoking. Let's process today's class together. Can't wait to read your reflections!

Panels

Hello, friends!

Why don't we post this week about panels. Please write about the panel from this week or last week that touched on the issues you'll be working with. Let us all know what the panelists said, what questions they answered for you, what questions they left for you, etc.

Can't wait to hear what you thought!
Stephanie and Julia

Volunteerism

Hello!

We hope you enjoyed your panels today. We'd like to focus the class discussion, however, on the first fifteen minutes of class. Please respond to Ivan Illich's essay "To Hell With Good Intentions" and to the brief conversation we had in class. You might also talk about the other reading we sent out in your email yesterday or any of the Recommended Readings under the "Volunteerism" section.

We are very impressed with the degree of maturity and understanding you displayed in class today, and can't wait to continue to the discussion on the blog.

Julia and Stephanie

The Non-Profit Industry and the Volunteer Contribution

Today we heard from Dr. Kala Stroup about a brief history of the non-profit industry, the volunteer impact, and potential careers in the field of non-profit work. Comment briefly on her presentation, on Erin Fleming's story, or
on the reading from Shelly Cryer's Nonprofit Career Guide.

In 2010, almost 63 million people volunteered their time in the United States. Wow!

We hope you had fun in class today, we sure did!

-Julia, Stephanie, Max and Hannah

Welcome to the Winter AB Blog!

Hello, Breakers!

This week we would like you to create an account and post with your name, year, hometown, major, and site. Can't wait to discuss these issues with you this semester.

Stephanie, Julia, Max and Hannah

Blog 6: Your call

For the last blog of the spring class, reflect on one or more of the following:

• Mini Break
• Independent Volunteer Project
• Your overall class experience
• How you envision your break going
• Suggestions for sites or issues Alternative Breaks should be involved with in the future
• More thoughts on one of our speakers from a past class

As always, blogs should be 300 words long and posted by 5 pm Sunday for full credit.

Blog 5: AIDS

This week, Olivia Burchett from the Douglas County AIDS Project spoke about HIV awareness, education and support. Some of the topics she touched on included HIV testing, client support, sexual health, volunteer support and more.

Post a 300-500 word reflective response to either her presentation, an article that you've read recently (include citation) or any of these HIV-related themes:

• Past and Present
• U.S. versus other countries
• Stereotypes/ Myths
• The Ryan White Care Act
• Funding
• Confidentiality
• Medication
• Volunteer support
• HIV testing procedures
• Sexual Health, safe sex, etc

Blog 4: Sustainable Agriculture

This week, Daniel Dermitzel spoke about sustainable and urban agriculture. Some of the topics he touched on included the history of agriculture, the current state of the American food system, and urban agriculture.

Post a 300-500 word reflective response to either his presentation, an article that you've read recently (include citation) or any of these sustainability-related themes:

• Food and Fuel Prices
• Food Shortages
• "Complex Farming Systems"
• Permiculture
• Organic foods
• Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes (CPULS)

If you're interested in learning more about food issues in American culture, we highly recommend you check out Mark Bittman or Michael Pollan at the New York Times. Michael Pollan has also written some good books if you're into reading.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/author/mark-bittman/ 
http://pollan.blogs.nytimes.com/author/michael-pollan/

Blog 3: Health and Disabilities

This week, Jim Sherman and Jan Sheldon from the Applied Behavioral Science Department spoke about disabilities and autism. Some of the topics they discussed included the history of institutions, sterilizations, hospitalizations and other forms of abuse, discrimination, government policies related to people with disabilities, how to be "politically correct" when speaking about people with disabilities, autism, community awareness programs, etc.


Post a 300-500 word reflective response to either their presentation, an article that you've read recently (include citation) or any of these health/disability related themes:

• Autism
• Hearing
• Blindness
• Children with disabilities versus Adults with disabilities
• Disabilities and the education system
• History of disability treatment
• Stereotypes of people with disabilities
• Tips to working with people with disabilities
• Current state or federal policies concerning disabilities

Blog 2: Education

This week, Dean Rick Ginsberg from the School of Education spoke about education issues. Some of the topics he discussed included No Child Left Behind, school funding, testing, etc.



Post a 300-500 word reflective response to either his presentation, an article that you've read recently (include citation) or any of these education themes:

• Standardized Testing
• Federal Policies
• Charter Schools and Voucher Systems
• Teacher Salaries
• Budget Crisis
• Arts and Humanities in schools
• Rural and Inner City Schools

Blog 1: LGBTQ

This past week, Rachel Gadd-Nelson, Education Outreach Coordinator for Queers and Allies came to speak about LGBTQ issues. Some of the topics she covered included vocabulary, stereotypes, and working with youth, among other issues.


Post a 300-500 word reflective response to either her presentation, an article that you've read recently (include citation) or any of these LGBTQ themes:

•  Don't Ask Don't Tell
• Gay Marriage
• Media portrayal
• LGBTQ Youth
• Education programs 
• Common stereotypes
• Personal experiences