2. Group Observation Reaction Paper Students will be asked to attend two different small group meetings within their community. Students have the choice to attend any type of group such as a support group, growth groups, a 12-step recovery meeting, a therapy group, or a counseling group (type of groups may overlap depending on the group). Your choice of a group is not limited to these but your group of choice should exhibit/demonstrate the concepts studied in this course. Some examples of groups that you can attend include: Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, grief group (sometimes done at hospitals), divorce recovery groups, or other groups that are open to your attendance. Typically, larger churches are a significant source for group experiences. You can also contact local professional mental health organizations for group opportunities. However, be mindful that some group leaders and/or members may be hesitant to let “outsiders” to observe their group. You must attend a different type group for each observation (e.g., don’t attend two 12-step recovery groups). A suggestion is to attend two different groups on two different weeks to allow time to process one group observation before attending another group. For the purposes of this course, Bible study groups, church cell groups, Sunday school, etc. will not fit the criteria for group observation.  If you have questions about what groups you can attend, please email the professor well in advance of due dates.  Students are to write a 5 page paper of the experiences using the criteria outlined below, Students are to use APA format (no abstract required) and submit the reaction paper on the due date indicated on the course schedule.  This “Group Observation Reaction Paper” will be composed of three sections with separate headings. The first two sections are summary reports of the groups you attended (e.g., one section for each attended group). These two sections should each include the following elements: name of group, type of

group, objective of the group, number of members present, group stage you believe the group to be in, structured or unstructured group, group discussion topic, one facilitator or co-facilitators, your perception of the group leader/s (i.e. – leadership style), your perception of group members, roles evident among group members, observed group norms and ground rules. The final section of your paper will include a compare and contrast section of the two groups and your personal reaction in attending each of these groups. In other words, what were the similarities and differences of the two groups sessions and your experience of the group process and what you learned by attending both groups. The reaction portion of your paper should focus on your feelings, thoughts, and growth as a result of attending/participating in the group experiences. Some questions that may help answer your personal reaction can include, but are not limited to: Were you comfortable? Why or why not? Did you share? How did it feel to share or not share? How did others’ sharing affect you? If you were facilitating, what would you do differently?  This paper should focus on the dynamics and process of each group, not necessarily what was said in the groups. Refer to your textbook and PowerPoint’s to understand the dynamics of group process.