I have spent the past semester as a service-learner and ethnographer at the Boys and Girls Club in Bloomington, Indiana. I honestly have learned more than I ever thought I would have through this experience, and found that through a critical reading of several articles for class, I was able to draw more knowledge from my time there than I ever would have as a volunteer. I had spent actually a lot of time working in and for organizations that support the growth and development of children before this semester, but I had never taken that step back and thought to analyze my situation for anything other than the status quo. Because I had so much experience working with children going in to the Boys and Girls Club, I often thought back to an mock ethnography we read at the beginning of the semester, "Body Ritual of the Nacirema", by Horace Miner, which can be read here. This is a humorous piece, designed to make us realize the oddity inherent in all cultures and customs, even our own. I often thought of myself as being one of the "Nacirema" while at the Boys and Girls Club, and that I had to constantly check myself from falling into an overly comfortable pattern of being I had known so well from before my days of being a service learner.
As such, I found that I had a very aware, and very informative semester. I am certain that the information I gleaned both in class from readings, and especially from observing as well as serving at the Boys and Girls Club will be useful into the future, as I continue to work with children. However, I do believe that from now on I will always think back to the "Nacirema" every once in awhile as I do so, and I will remember to observe and learn from my surroundings.
Major Projects:
American Girls: Meek and Mild, or Bold and Wild?
A Portrait of Chris Tann: Renaissance Man
Producing Desired Behavior in Children
Maintaining Authority and Making Connections: The Balance Between Controlling Behavior and Making A Difference
Supporting Projects: (in chronological order)
A Short Analysis of "Body Projects"
Visual Representations of the Boys and Girls Club
A Relation of Positive Reinforcement and Strength-Based Discipline
My Difficulties as "Ethnographer" vs. "Insider"
One Last Verbal Snapshot of the BGC
Finally, my three favorite images from the semester:
Chaos
Fierce
Basketball
