Suggestions for integrating yourself into the orga

Suggestions for Integrating Yourself into the Organization

Open yourself to learning from the community in which you are working.

Orient yourself to the physical and social environments of the organization. It helps to know how the overall organization operates so you are able to understand how your role in the organization is contributing to larger organizational goals.

Get acquainted with as many people as possible, doing so will help you gain a broader perspective on how your organization operates.

Keep your ears and mind open. Be conscious of how you contribute. Listen and be sensitive to the reactions your ideas receive. Be positive; people want solution-givers, not problem-starters.

Observe others at work and offer to help out when you are able.

This journal entry was written by a student enrolled in "American Literacy and Cultural Diversity." This student was having difficulty feeling comfortable at her site and was frustrated that her involvement at the site was inactive; however, this student learned there are many ways that you can successfully solve these uncomfortable situations by taking a proactive role in creating the environment at your site.

Journal Entry # 3
Today was the third time I went to my community site. I am working at a high school helping students with reading and writing. There are about ten students in the class, which isn't a large class at all and you would assume that I would have gotten to know the students in the eight hours I have spent there, but most of the time I just sit in the class and watch the teacher teach. The truth is I am not sure how to get involved or how I can get to know the students at the school. I know I should be more involved but it seems a whole lot easier said then done. The first week I came to the school the teacher introduced me to the class and then for that hour I just sat quietly not knowing what to do and I felt like the students were staring at me trying to figure out what I was doing there.

Three weeks later, I am still not sure what to say or how to start a conversation with the students. I can't help but think that anything I would say to them would make it more obvious that I come from a white middle class background. Truthfully, I feel like the students don't even want to get to know me because most of the time they stare at me. Now that it is the third week nobody even bothers to ask me who I am or what I am doing there so most of the time I am just sitting around and from time to time I will help a student out with a paper and when class is over I leave.