Narrative and Critical Reflection for Addictions Practitioners by Kathy Lay. 

This exercise is contributed by Kathy Lay, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Indiana University-Indianapolis.  The purpose of this writing exercise is to promote students’ self awareness and critical thinking skills as it relates to addiction. 

Explanation of the assignment as follows:

Experiences we have whether they are personal or professional with regard to substance abuse and dependence continuously shape the lens with which we view addiction and have implications for our practices with clients. Some experiences foster personal growth and development by challenging narrow viewpoints that do not allow us to see the complexity of addictive disorders. Other experiences allow us to continue seeing addiction through a constricted lens that not only filters new learning, but actually serves to crystallize negative experiences. It is for this reason, that critical reflection is necessary as a life-long learning principle. However, it is necessary to have a guide for critical reflection. This exercise provides a guide for reflection on experiences with substance abuse/dependence. 

The student is asked to write the narrative of the experience, externalize the experience by naming it and responding to the specific questions. The exercise allows the learner to acknowledge the power of the experience, reflect for the purpose of deconstruction of the story, and to open space
for new learning through reflection on a preferred way of being.

Guidelines for the exercise are as follows:

a.. Students are asked to write a brief narrative of an experience they have had either personally or professionally (self, family member, client; please keep personal information confidential) with alcohol abuse and/or dependence. “Think of an experience you have had personally or professionally with addiction. Write the narrative/story of the experience.”

b. Name the experience. For example, the title might be, “Oh, no, not again!”

c. The following questions should be completed pertaining to your narrative. In each of the blank spaces in the question, insert the title of your narrative and then answer the questions. 

Assignment: Experience Reflection Paper

Name the experience___________________________________________________. 

• If __________ could talk to you, what would it say?
• What are the main themes related to __________ embedded in the narrative?
• What would or does __________ have you thinking about addiction?
• What would __________ have you doing about or in relation to addiction?
• Does __________ encourage particular values about addiction? Particular ethics?
• Are these values/ethics in any way in conflict with your preferred values and ethics?
• If you could change (re-write) the narrative of __________ in any way, what would you change?
• What do you think would have to happen in order for that change to take place?
• How does the narrative of __________ influence you personally and professionally? 
• What are the socio-political implications of __________

Now, reflect on your answers and write a reflective summary statement.

IV. Final Project details: ** TYPED, DOUBLE SPACED, FONT 12. Select a style of jazz that you

enjoy. Make your choice based on the categories that we cover in the text. Select two artists that
represent the style you have chosen. (Both artists must be from the same style period.) These should be
artists discussed in class, your textbook, or artists that you have discovered on your own through active
listening. Do make sure you select artists who have been recognized by wide jazz community as valuable
assets to this art form – your instructor will double check and make recommendations accordingly. Write
a paper on your chosen style (footnotes permitted), focusing on the recorded music of the two selected
artists. The body of your paper must be at least five pages in length, the sixth page is the Listening
guide for two chosen songs, and then a seventh page must include five varied sources. The sources
must include your class textbook, one credible online resource such as Wikipedia or e-book, and one
independent source, such as official artist’s website or an article from a periodical or a jazz magazine
online.
The following elements must be present in your paper in this order:

Pages 1-5 (At least 5 pages)
1. Biographical information of both artists.
2. Information about the composer/s of the music if different from the artists themselves.
3. The social and historical context relevant to the style of Jazz you chose focusing on topics as studied in
class.
4. An analysis of the music focusing on the differences and similarities of the two selected artists. This
analysis is to be an intelligent, informed discussion using concepts and terminology that you have learned
in this class (about one and half pages long). Suggested areas of discussion may include: a. Melody b.
Harmony c. Instrumentation d. Degree of improvisation e. Style of improvisation f. Composition
techniques g. Rhythm styles used by the ensemble h. Rhythm elements in the composition i. Rhythm
styles used by the soloists j. Ostinato/Sequence/Repetition/Cadence k. Articulation l. Idiomatic expression
m. Meter n. Syncopation o. Form p. Dynamics q. Cultural and world influences r. Commercial vs. artistic
focus s. Recording and production t. Other
5. Your personal comments on the music of each artist including why their music appeals to you.
Page 6:
Listening Guide: Select two songs and analyze using the Listening Guide that we use in class. (One song
from each artist)
Page 7:
The last page: your

My Ideal Society: Detailed Outline

Overview

As a starting point for creating a comprehensive paper on your ideal society, you will develop a detailed outline. An outline allows you to evaluate your content, organize the information, create a flow, and integrate sources. A skeleton outline (i.e., a few words for each heading and subheading) does not meet the objective of this outline. Content should be more in-depth than just a few keywords and should include references to sources consulted. Once you complete this step, you will have a good start for the final paper.

Instructions

1. Create a detailed outline as shown in the example that meets the following requirements:
   • Include specific information/content for the topic.
   • Organize the essay by Roman numerals (main headers) and capital letters (subheadings).
   • Create flow by making sure the content provided is logical and easy to follow.
   • Sources and citations are required for this outline and must be cited in APA Style. Integrate several sources throughout the essay. (At least five sources are required.)

   Example of detailed outline:

   1. Over and over again, families are left without their loved ones due to acts of suicide. The social problem of suicide includes not only those who have died, but also those who have attempted suicide. Although there are warning signs as well as suicide prevention programs, suicide continues to be a leading cause of death.
      1. Suicide carries social and moral meaning in most societies. At both the individual and population levels, the suicide rate has long been understood to correlate with cultural, social, political, and economic forces (Smith & Brown, year of publication).
      2. Given its unique nature, research on suicide faces a series of obstacles that limit progress in the understanding, prevention, and treatment of the problem.
   2. Suicide is not something new; rather, it is something that is part of civilization’s history.
      1. The history of suicide dates back to Egypt, Greece, and Rome, where suicide was used as part of ritual (Anderson, year of publication).
         1. Suicide in ancient Egypt was viewed as a neutral event because death was merely a passage from one form of existence to another. It was a means of avoiding disgrace, abandonment, guilt, cowardice, or the experience of the loss of a loved one (Anderson, year of publication).
         2. Cleopatra committed suicide as part of a ritual.

   ReferencesAnderson, A. B. (year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. City, State: Publisher.Smith, C., & Brown, D. E. (year of publication). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pp. x-x.*These references are included to demonstrate basic APA Style rules regarding references and in-text citations. Please refer to the CCCOnline APA Citation Toolkit for more information about APA Style.

What legal issues have impacted your institution?

True understanding of the law is in its application. Analyzing how laws or regulations have been applied in case studies deepens your ability to use them to support your own institution. Legal matters and case studies—topics frequently addressed in professional newsletters—can help you become more versed in this important area.

This week’s Assignment is designed to expand your legal expertise on a campus that is already somewhat familiar by analyzing what could have been done to avoid or mitigate a potentially litigious situation before it escalated.

Research an employment-related legal issue that occurred recently at your institution or one similar to yours. Prepare a brief summary of the issue, describing how it was resolved. Additionally, describe what additional steps the managers and leaders involved could have done to avoid or mitigate the situation.

(Assignment length: 2–3 pages)

Learning Resources

Required Media

Investigative Assignment #1 – Learn about culture and educational success (Week 4)

Part A – Talk with three people (anyone you have access to in your home and through phone, email, etc.) about their perspective on educational success and culture.

The goal is to learn about people’s viewpoints on whether or not there is a connection between one’s cultural background and educational success. Even those who say they do not “have culture” often draw on cultural aspects of their lives to navigate education. Ask them the following questions. Feel free to ask others.  

1)  When you hear the word culture, what does that word mean for you? Would you say you have a culture? Please explain.

2)   Do you think there’s a connection between someone’s culture and educational success (e.g., good grades in school, going to college, etc.)? Why or why not? What about any connection between culture and economic success (e.g., good career/job, high salary, owning a home, etc.)?

3)   Think about your own educational experiences, do you think there’s a culture in schools? Why or why not?

4)   If they say yes to #3 ask: Can you tell me a little about the school culture in some of the schools you’ve attended (think of a school that stands out for you)?  Do you think school culture can influence whether or not students are successful in school? Why or why not?    

Part B – Submit on Canvas via Turnitin no later than Saturday, April 23 by 11:59PM 

In approximately 4-5 double-spaced pages with 1-inch margins, answer the following. You must use the following format.

Section #1 – In approximately 1 ½ -2 pages, describe who you talked to (no names, use friend, co-worker, mother, cousin, husband, partner, etc.) and a little about their background (if you know anything), then summarize your conversation with each person. You do not need to transcribe the interviews word-for-word.

Section #2 –  In approximately 1 ½ -2 pages, use your interviews and material from week 2 (readings and/or lecture), and one reading from either week 3 or week 4 to discuss what you learned about perceptions of culture and educational success. You must refer to specific points in Sections #1. You must refer to specific points from the material in week 2. You must refer to specific points regarding the main research results discussed in the week 3 or week 4 reading. Think about any connections between the Chinese culture and the interviews. Think about whether or not the interviews seem similar or contradictory to the class material.