Final ALE Reflection

Within your final reflection, the concepts illustrated below must be reflected with in
submission (one page minimum). The reflection will then be submitted into chalk
and wire and on your portfolio no later than April 25th 2015.

Within the Discipline

This experience as a Resident Leader has honed my interpersonal and
leadership skills, skills which will be exceedingly necessary later in my
working life. Interestingly, this experience has corresponded in time with my
studying of general psychology and social psychology, as well as occurring
after I studied communications. The psychology courses have contributed to
my abilities to understand the dynamics within my hall and the relationships
between its residents, while communications gave me an academic idea of
how to go about talking to residents about the issues which the afore
mentioned subjects gave me insight into, be they personal or interpersonal.
The experience of having to deal with these as a part of leading my hall has
allowed me to see how I will have to use interpersonal interaction skills,
communication, and critical thinking to deal with people in all of my future
endeavors.

Beyond the Discipline

I was the Resident Leader of a Learning Community. This means that my
experience in the subjects that my residents were studying aided me in my
interactions with them, by allowing me to help them with academics, and to
understand their sources of frustration or trouble. Be it biology, chemistry, or
mathematics, I had taken all of the classes that my residents were taking.
This facet of tutoring and discussing these subjects helped both my own
knowledge of the subjects and my ability to communicate difficult concepts to
others, which I will do much of in my future work as a doctor.

Beyond Academics
Having been a leader in several other contexts, such as in various
organizations like the Pre-Vet Club, as well as my experience as a martial arts
instructor gave me a base of leadership skills that I was able to draw on and
build upon in my time as a resident leader this year.

Interconnectedness

Being in the position mostly aided me with my interpersonal skills, something

that I have lacked at times in the past. The skills that I had gained from my
experiences in academics and previous leadership positions were able to
come to the forefront as I learned to get over my social inhibitions and
interact. This is primarily what brought these skills together, and the

experience that I gained will better allow for the knowledge I will learn to do
the same.

Global Awareness
I am not generally a judgmental person, but in my time as a college student I
had developed a generally negative view of members of greek organizations.
Several of my residents joined sororities, however, and I was thrust into
interactions with sorority members which I would not have had otherwise.
This helped me to find that some of my pre-conceived notions about their
party habits were not universal.

Broader Implications
College is an important time in the lives of those fortunate enough to go. It is
the first taste of freedom for many young people. Thus, it must be both
tempered and facilitated. This becomes the duty of the Resident Leader, to
keep order but also ensure a positive experience for college students as they
find themselves in their freedom and education. This is an important
position, as if it is done well it can aid people in staying in college and
completing their education, producing a more informed, more successful
populace.

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact Barbara Barnhart via
email at Barnhart@tarleton.edu or via phone at (254) 968-0728