Black Sheep --COE Week 6
Community
Headline: Black Sheep
This week one community member said something to me that
shocked me at one hand but at the other hand didn’t surprise me at all. After
attending our weekly table topics he said “it seems like we are the black sheep
of the group.” I asked why he felt that way and his excuse was that all the
other groups have similar majors and plus we are so far away from the
communities. He said that he felt like our group was all the left overs that
didn’t fit in a particular group so they just grouped us all together.
I was surprised at this comment because it felt like this
member didn’t enjoy being in our group, but that wasn’t the case at all. He was
simply giving his observation and then hypothesis of why we are this way. My
answer to him and to all the other people who might see us as the black sheep
of the Living Learning Communities is that we are and we are proud of it!!
The black sheep describe an odd or disreputable member of a
group. The way the phrase is described gives a negative feeling to the black
sheep, but really it just means different from the rest. The idea of a black
sheep came because it was harder to dye the black sheep’s wool than the white
sheep’s; making these sheep less valuable. Yet the old nurseries rhyme “Ba Ba
black sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir three bags fool,” just shows
that the black sheep is very valuable as it produces more wool, or in our case
more diversity.
My community is full of diversity and I believe that is why
we flow together so well. Though we are different than a traditional community
we are not afraid to embrace our diversity and show the others that we are here
just like the rest, to achieve our goals and become a valuable member of society.
The COE community may be the black sheep of the group but we say “There is
nothing wrong with that!”
>Brittney<
Brittney, your community is very different currently. Your theme is that of education, and that theme has been taken broadly by your FIR and by me. Since it is in its first year, the education community wasn't as well known, thus the applications weren't as high -- until people started to meet Stan at orientations. Dr. Steiner is a true educator and recognized that there is strength in diversity. I remember him also saying that "well, even if they aren't majoring in education, they have ALL experienced education" and there is something very powerful to be said for that. While the other communities have a common theme of major to bond them, I encourage everyone to think about the one thing they do have in common - EXPERIENCING EDUCATION - and how each of their similar but very different experiences with it has constructed parts of who they are.... Interesting reflection. As I think about your reflection, I think about the white sheep representing dominant culture and the dark sheep representing people that aren't represented by the dominant culture. What things do we need to examine about our current processes and procedures that will feel more inclusive to your group? Let's think more about this....
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