Discussion Sessions
You will meet with other participants at three points during the semester in a discussion format guided by the CBL Coordinator.  These discussion sessions will be arranged after we consult your schedule (as described in your learning agreement and application).

Essays
All participants will respond to three discussion topics over the course of the semester. You will be expected to write a reflective essay for each, responding by email within one week of the delivery date.  The essays do not have a mandatory length but must meet the following criteria to complete the 4th Credit Option for Social Action requirement.

Essay criteria

• Provide a thoughtful, critical analysis of all pieces of the discussion topics (some will have several parts.)
• Consider multiple points of view.
• Focus and comment upon the real and potential links between university and community. 
• Explore and question your existing values and the values exhibited by those around you - reflect upon changes in your understanding of these constructs. 
• Question authority but always bring to light possible action steps or solutions. Ask, why is this? Does it really have to be this way? What if we...?

Here is an overview of the questions you will be sent at appropriate times during the semester.

First Essay

Please state your name, course, and community site/type.
Considering your first impressions, in what areas in the
community do you feel you know less than those around you, what could you learn more about, what do those around you know that is unfamiliar to you?

In your application, you spoke about possible links between academics and community work.  Now, what are your first impressions between your work in the community and your learning in the classroom? Will you be able to bring information from one to another? How might one learning environment influence or assist the other?

You are essentially working in two different learning environments (classroom and community site). Think about who is "educating" you: what are some differences and commonalties in these educators' backgrounds, resources, and messages to you? How could their collaboration with each other improve their ability to inform you? What is your responsibility as a learner in each area?

Second Essay

Please state your name, course, and community site/type.
Race, social class, and gender can create social distinctions among people. These in turn can create negative or positive stereotypes. What are some unfamiliar behaviors, actions, ways of speaking, or ways of relating to others that you have seen or experienced? Did any of these make you uncomfortable or indeed begin to create stereotypes in your mind. Were there any that you admired or aspire to? Were any of a discriminatory nature-if so, did you feel you could play a part in dispelling the unfairness or injustice inherent in that? In these behaviors, can you see root causes due to economics, different cultures, lifestyles, life situations? In the end, what do you find to be common ground with those with whom you interact? Drawing from your experiences both inside and outside of the classroom, what have you learned about diversity and social justice?

Third Essay

Read the following speech by Georgetown University President John J.
DeGioia.

http://president.georgetown.edu/speeches/jjd08242003.html

Drawing from the work in your course, respond to these questions:

• Where do those individuals served by your community work fit within the statistics Dr. DeGioia mentioned in the speech?
• Where do you fit within those statistics?
• What do you have because of your place in the global figures?
• Why are these statistics significant at present?
• Which of the categories do you think can change? Which cannot?
• What would it take to create global changes?
• To what degree is real individual as well as global change possible? 
• What factors hold change back?
• If giving enough to some meant taking from others, what would you be willing to give up or not to give up?
• Does the community work you have experienced this semester with individuals or communities of need and/or with social justice related issues make you more willing to work for change?
• Do you think change necessitates personal/communal sacrifice or merely the elimination of excessive greed?