Preflection on Motivation
July 13, 2012
Purpose:
The purpose of this preflection is to help prepare Bonners for
Target Bonner Class:
This activity is geared toward first year/ first time Bonners. It might prove most effective during some sort of orientation or introduction to the Program.
Materials:
Basic art materials like unlined paper, pencils, pens, etc.
Estimated Allotted Time:
This activity will take approximately 30 minutes
Desired Outcomes:
After completing this preflection, we hope every participant will have a better idea of why it is they serve. The Bonner Program has built a strong reputation since it was established over 20 years ago. Because of its clout and replicable nature on campuses all over the United States,
Additional Information:
Visit www.civicyouth.org
To read the report (mentioned later)
Like The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement on Facebook
Follow @CivicYouth on Twitter
This activity can either be self-guided or facilitated.
Welcome new Bonners!
This is sure to be an exciting program for you! You have already been given a breakdown of the program logistics and are at least familiar with what you will be doing on paper. Although this is an incredible opportunity for you during your undergraduate career, it still comes with a number of challenges. One of those comes in the form of your peers.
Many people have minimal understanding of the inner workings of the Bonner Program. Why it was started, the process you underwent to become a Bonner, what roles and responsibilities as a Bonner, etc. They see many of us receive monetary compensation for our efforts and think we have a mindset similar to the one below:
What they say we think:
If you must have motivation, think of your paycheck on Friday.
~Noel Coward
Because they are not as well-versed about the Program, they believe we are only involved in the program for the financial benefits. They fail to see that many of us would agree with the following statement:
What we actually think:
“Money is not required to buy one necessity of the soul.”
~Henry David Thoreau
For this portion of orientation, we challenge you to be more prepared to defend your character if necessary. Now, do not assume that there is blatant animosity; most of the tension arises as humorous comments from complete strangers, even good friends. On top of being able to expound upon the program, it might be prove helpful to appeal to the critics with your own service testimony.
Whether it was a major turning point or a small happening in your life, many of us have some moment(s) we can refer to that marked the beginning of our journey in service work. Reflect on that for a few moments. Consider question like: How did you feel? Were you frustrated? Excited? Did you realize that moment’s importance while it was happening or did it take a while to realize?
Now, take a few moments and record this however you’d like. You can write, draw, or use whatever media you feel most comfortable.
Inspiration behind this preflection:
In a fact sheet published in 2002, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement found some startling news about, as the title suggests, “Youth Attitudes Towards Civic Education and Community Service Requirements.” Of all the data analyzed, one of the most intriguing pieces suggests that consistently more than fifty percent of all people do not favor required service to receive a high school diploma for every group measured (by age, race/ethnicity and gender, political knowledge, and level of educational success). At the same time, though, an overwhelming majority of people measured in every group support the idea of, “[O]ffering every young person a chance to earn money for college by doing community service or national service.” Is there a discrepancy in opinion here? Why are so many people against mandatory service for a diploma, but so heavily in favor of financial reward for service toward college?
What a lot of this debate seems to boil down to is where the motivation for service lies. To what extent is non-profit work still considered service when there is an actual foreseeable payoff, whether it is for the sake of attaining another level of education or monetary in the near future (if college bound)? Ultimately, we just want to spark some interest in finding out the root of every Bonner’s motivation in the service work they do.
Just for laughs…