Last day

I cant believe that this semester is already over. I have learned a lot from this class on how to work with families and different ways that a family may function. I enjoyed coming to this class because it was always interesting. I really enjoyed talking about adoption because i can relate to that since i am adopted by my aunt and uncle. They never really went through that whole entire process because they already had guardian ship over me. But good luck everyone on the exam today!

Last class!!!

I cannot believe my first year of college is over.  This was by far my favorite class that I have taken so far in my college career, because I felt that the information was so important to my future career and it was presented in such an interesting way that always kept my attention.  I hope to teach first grade when I graduate and the knowledge that I take with me from this class is going to come in great handy.  I will be working will all sorts of different people young and old in my career and its good to know how to react in certain situations.  This class has provided me with the knowledge I need to be successful not only in a job but everyday life.

The end is only the beginning of the next stage.

I received my evaluation from the therapist I was shadowing at the mission. One of the written statements he made said that he thought I would one day make an awesome therapist because I already was a good listener, but also that I seemed to have a knack for asking the right questions and/or was able to restate what the client had told me in such a way that they felt I was really hearing them. The content vs. process discussions have truly helped me in thinking things through. Much of what I have learned in this class will go far in shaping me into the therapist I want to be.

Into the Real World

So now that I have all of this great information about families it's time to start thinking about how to use it. I will be graduating in December with a degree in child, youth, and family studies and I have no idea what I want to do for a career. I really couldn't see myself being a therapist, but I do want to work with families in some way. After Chris's presentation I would rather help children before they hit rock bottom. It's great that there are programs like SOS, but it is also important to try to start children on the right path at a young age. I would love to work with young children in foster care families and make sure that they have a strong support system.

I hope that I can use everything that I've learned from this class at some point in my life. I've become aware of the way I respond to people and I'm trying to become a more active listener. One of the best things for a child is knowing that someone cares about what happens to them. As a professional it's important not to judge people on what they've done, but instead to help them to figure out how to deal with a problematic situation. It's all about HOW we resolve things, and not WHAT has happened.

This has been a great class! Good luck to everyone on the final!

Final Blog

I was really impressed with this class. I felt I learned how to apply concepts to everyday life. The realization that process over content is probably the most valuable thing I learned. It is very easy for families to get caught up in the "why" they are fighting. Knowing the "why" is not as important as the "how" will help me as a professional talk people through their problems.

After sitting through the final lecture I thought to myself about how I listen and react to people. Sometimes I will shout out a response with out thinking it through when I am with my friends or family, but when I am with strangers or teachers, I try to think things through first. Also, by viewing the movie clip, I saw that it is very important to listen to people and how they react. Just do not hear them while they are speaking, but to think about what they are really trying to say or get off their chest. All people respond differently and people need to know when it is the right time to be sarcastic and the right time to be serious. I have learned a few things in this class and had a great time listening to each lecture.

Blog 13 - traditional responses

I liked our final lecture on traditional responses. I thought it was really helpful, especially because I want to be a therapist someday. It has never really dawned on me before that as a therapist I might need to listen and respond in a different way than I would when not in a session. I will be careful with my responses to people in the future. Also, I thought the movie clips did a great job showing his point. All in all, I enjoyed this lecture as well the class as a whole.