Reflective writing

Description

This assignment assesses awareness of attitudes and beliefs and evaluates worldview. To complete this assignment, reflect on an experience you have had in your life that has involved a cross-cultural experience (positive or negative) associated with at least one of the dimensions of diversity. Identify an incident that had significance for you. The event may have made you stop and think or it raised questions for you about your beliefs, attitudes, values or behavior. It is either a time you felt a great sense of belonging or an uneasiness.

Reflection

· Write a narrative in the first person as the storyteller. Describe the situation you experienced in detail as the events occurred in a sequence indicating what, when, where, how and why the events occurred. Describe events, actions, conversations, and/or dialogue without trying to interpret it and include details that may seem like they are trivial or inconsequential.
· List the cultural characteristics of the person(s) involved in the situation giving their relationship to one another. Use objective language, identify own assumptions and perspectives at the time of the event.
· Specify how you reacted or handled the situation. What did you feel at the time (fear, anger, hatred, compassion, etc.) Be descriptive about body language, physiological experiences, etc. Be kind to yourself and do not judge or blame. Simply share the details of your reaction, and explain what experiences or knowledge influenced your reaction.
· Explain the ‘dimensions of diversity’ associated explicitly and implicitly with the situation and cross-cultural issues that occurred.
Action

· Describe why the situation was handled well or how it could have been handled better.
· How might your reaction and emotions mirror others in the community?
· What knowledge and skills are needed to improve empathy and compassion in our community?