Sample3 Educ5200 Blogselfreflection

1) The document is a self-reflection by Kjirsten Eisentrout on social justice in her professional practice as an educator. She discusses recognizing injustices but needing more practical experience speaking out. 2) She values her identities, community, and security. She is interested in human resources and advocating for feminism. 3) She believes in refining her skills through continued learning to support her values and interests in transformative social justice efforts, such as gender-aware advising to help students overcome barriers after college.

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Sample3 Educ5200 Blogselfreflection

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Running head: SELF-REFLECTION

Section IV: Self-Reflection

Social Justice in Professional Practice
Kjirsten Eisentrout
EDUC 5200
Seattle University
Dr. P. A. Taylor
December 3, 2014

When I think about social justice in professional practice, I think about my values,
interests, and skills. After 10 weeks of social justice theories and historical events as examples
(past and present) I am more confident in recognizing injustices however still have some
practical implications to learn in order to speak out with authority. My social justice issue blog
Feminism and Todays Career Search: Educating future career professionals to overcome gender
stereotypes in the workplace (Eisentrout, 2014) is just the start! For future efforts, I believe that if
I am true to my values and interests, my skills, it will show in the social justice efforts I make in
my personal and professional practice.
Values
I value my identities. Visible or invisible, they are how I am represented in society. I also
recognize they carry privileges and society presents me with challenges. I am an educated,
career-driven, family-oriented, white, woman and I identify as a feminist. Unfortunately I was
raised in an environment where it was looked down upon to identify as a feminist.
I value my community. I hope to surround myself among life-long learners, who advocate
for access and equity. I believe I will know where I belong when I see and hear examples of
gender inclusiveness lived out in the workplace.
I value security. I believe that I should be able to sit at the table with other leaders and not
be afraid to speak my mind. I believe women deserve equal pay, responsibility, and respect as

SELF-REFLECTION

their male colleagues. I also believe we (men and women) all have a responsibility to speak out
for what is unjust when it comes to gender-role stereotypes.
For the last year I have been surrounded by colleagues who discuss injustices on college
campuses and fight to support the students served in that moment. What they fail to address is
how to educate these students for lives outside of college. I work in the field of career services,
advising students to discern their values, interests, and skills, as they pursue opportunities to
support their major to career. It was during two separate advising sessions last year that I was
able to confirm the missing topic. One individual expressed concern for how to address conflict
with her male supervisor. The other found out that her male colleague, who started at the same
time and worked in the same position as she, was making more because he negotiated his salary
agreement. It was time to reframe the career advising lessons and educate beyond the safety net
of the college campus a way of transformation through the lens of social justice.
After reading select portions of Sheryl Sandbergs (2013) narrative encouraging women
to Lean In, I believe I am strong enough to take on challenges rather than let society dictate how
I am meant to live because of my gender. With regard to transformative social justice, it critiques
restorative justice from simply making alterations to creating a movement, a way of change.
Interests
I am interested in the business behind human resources at organizations like institutions
of higher education. A significant percentage of educators and administrators are women in
higher education, however mentors have informed me there are barriers I will have to overcome
in order to become a senior administrator. Even though the numbers of gender representation are
not yet 50/50, I still believe I can sit at the table and make a difference.
I am interested in teaching adult learners new skills so they become more self-directed
and confident as learners in the field they are so interested in.
I am interested in advocating for the word feminist/feminism. I believe the fear exists
because of ignorance. I believe in teaching all genders that it is not a hateful word and that
women or extremists do not solely own it. Instead it is a representation and reminder to check
ourselves at the door and bring open hearts and minds to the conversation with all others.
In the context of higher education, I truly believe we have a professional responsibility to
advocate for others students, fellow colleagues, and peers in order to build their selfconfidence, awareness, and knowledge of individual rights regarding their career. Due to
resource limitations, ideas and projects tend to be ignored or put on the shelf to discuss later. I
would hope that through collaboration with offices like Leadership Development, Office of
Multicultural Affairs, Alumni Relations, and a few others, programs and materials could be
creative and selective to inform the students that transformational change is needed when
moving through the transition like college to career.
If I were to promote any programs on behalf of a Career Services office for example, I
believe a personal check-in with advisors and office culture will also need to be assessed. For
example, when educating for change in student affairs, there is a tendency to victimize the
oppressed and attack the oppressors. Instead of pointing fingers and outing those who wish to
remain anonymous, personal agendas need to be left at the door and prosocial language needs to
be used to create a positive and educational environment. This is where the need to assess skills
comes into play.
Skills
I believe I have the skills and the ability to continue refining my knowledge and
awareness in order to support my values and interests for transformative change.

SELF-REFLECTION

I believe in advocating to practice my skills in a professional setting, seeking out and

teaching professional development skills to promote future learning, and not limited myself
because of fear.
I recognize college campuses are over-programmed, but I also believe in the skills a
diverse group of professionals bring to the educational community. Through individual advising,
community outreach, and strong relationship with employers, career advisors have an
opportunity to transform their skills, provided they have an open mind to continue to
professionally develop their skills like gender-aware advising. Before this project, I was both
unaware of concepts such as gender and feminist-aware advising. I am now thankful for the new
lens of advising and look forward to continue researching various models and offer a lesson for
my staff to apply as they see fit in their work.
From my experience in EDUC 5200, I have gleaned that social justice to me personally
means to live by the platinum rule to treat others, as they want to be treated. This requires a
great deal of patience and leading with inquiry in order to truly gain insight to the colleagues,
clients, and peers I interact with. Through the changes in my approach to written, verbal, and
non-verbal communication, I will be more self-aware of what I say and how I act. That is my
genuine promise.
Social justice to me professionally means living an authentic life in the workplace just as
I would personally. I am a quiet fighter, curious observer, and self-reflecting leader. I need to be
on the balcony as well as on the dance floor to truly live and work genuinely with others.
Through life-long learning environment I have chosen to dedicate my career to, I continue to
affirm that it is important to recognize my triggers in the systems I work in, be aware of how my
privileges help or hinder processes for others different than myself, and again, watch what I do
and say in such a small community of educators.
As a final thought, I also believe the numbers with regard to gender equality in the
workplace will not be 50/50 as Sheryl Sandberg (2013) mentions without the small efforts first.
With tensions still high around the word feminist/feminism, I will not hide behind what I am
proud of but I will not lash out and force others to follow. Instead I will model the way and
challenge the process while encouraging my fellow colleagues to lead with inquiry and promote
self-awareness as their students move through the next phase of their vocation journeys.