HDF 190: FIRST YEAR LEADERS INSPIRED TO EXCELLENCE LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO Rebecca Tenaglia

1. HDF 190: FIRST YEAR LEADERS INSPIRED TO EXCELLENCE LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO Rebecca Tenaglia SPRING 2014 rtenaglia@my.uri.edu

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS Strengths Opening Statement SLIDE #4 Section 1: Self Leadership SLIDE #5 Section 2: Leadership Theories SLIDE #6 Section 3: Inclusive Leadership SLIDE #7 Section 4: Critical Thinking SLIDE #8 Section 5: Interpersonal/Organizational Leadership SLIDE #9

3. Signature Strengths Learner Deliberative Connectedness Input Achiever Values in Action Strengths Spirituality Perseverance Gratitude Hope Bravery M

4. OPENING STATEMENT Through being a peer coach for FLITE I have developed my leadership style, facilitation skills, and I learned how to be effective in the role of a peer mentor. This experience has granted me the opportunity to apply the theories and leadership skills I have learned, making it something real and more than just a head knowledge.

5. SECTION 1 SELF LEADERSHIP Outcome #4 : Student will demonstrate knowledge of stress management skills • Psychology 103: self-understanding • Anticipatory Stress • Managing personal stress • Gauging stress of students

6. SECTION 2 Leadership Theory and Models Outcome #38 Revisions: Through working with my peer leaders and the other student leaders in my group throughout FLITE class I learned to truly value my relationships with others. As I leader I learned the importance of knowing others that you are leading and working with on a personal level. I learned that to be able to lead others you constantly have to try to understand their perspectives. When others in my class complimented me on a personal level through raindrop notes throughout the semester I truly felt felt as a leader, which is one of the greatest feelings. In the future, I can use what I know about being an effective relation leader to evaluate how I interact with others. By focusing on the five key components of the model I can acknowledge how I successfully accomplished those goals. I learned the Relational Leadership Model for the first time in FLITE, however I definitely gained a deeper understanding for the model after leading the activity on Relational Leadership in FLITE. The students were given scenarios of ethical issues and tried to answer the dilemmas within the context of one of the components of the relational leadership model. Hearing their insights and perspectives broadened my understanding of what it means to be relational. One of the things I learned about being relational with my students is that the more I open up and am personal with them, the more they reciprocate the feelings and sentiment. After teaching servant leadership I received a raindrop from a student in the class who was not even in my small group who told me that I had an impact on him. We are always being relational to one and other even if we do not fully realize it at the time. What we say has an impact on others, and when I speak I realize I am not speaking to an audience but to a room full of people who come from all different backgrounds and perspectives.

7. SECTION 3 Inclusive Leadership / Diversity and its application to leadership Outcome #83 : Student will create a personal code of inclusive leadership As a FLITE peer leader I created my own personal code of inclusive leadership. This is something that I really committed to during Day of Discovery. I wanted to make sure that each student felt included and that we would unite as a team. One of the ways I did this was by encouraging every student to participate in our activities and gate keeping ensuring that everyone had a chance to speak. I also practiced active listening so everyone would feel that their opinions and thoughts were heard. I was really focused on my own body language and the messages that body language conveys to students. I wanted to make sure that my body language was open and encouraged participation. Throughout the semester I strived to treat all the students equally and make sure that everyone was included in any group activities. These may seem like simple acts, but it really does not take a lot for someone to feel like they are excluded so simple gestures can also go a long way in making people feel included.

8. SECTION 4 Critical Thinking #88 : Student will show knowledge of principles of critical thinking (logic is used in this minor) According to the “Journal of Biological Education” the eleven main principles of critical thinking are: gather complete information, understand and define all terms, question the methods by which the facts are derived, question the conclusions, look for hidden assumptions and biases, question the source of facts, don’t expect all of the answers, examine the big picture, examine multiple cause and effect, watch for thought stoppers, and understand your own biases and values. www.criticalthinking.org describes critical thinking as a mode of thinking — about any subject, content, or problem — in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing it. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities, as well as a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and socio-centrism. • critical thinking is something that I have to apply as a FLITE. I had to think critically about how to approach and deal with multiple situations. Thinking and being diligent in my response to situations is vital to ensuring a positive outcome. • Sources: Larry Larson, Professor of Biology, Ohio University. Handout from class, 1994. Original source: “Journal of Biological Education (1990

9. SECTION 5 Interpersonal and Organizational Concepts and Skills Outcome #100 : Student will describe examples of using active listening skills During the Day of Discovery I really aimed to display active listening. Many students opened up and shared personal things about themselves and it was a time when we really got to know each other on a deeper level. I have a habit that I have from my childhood of not looking people in the eye when talking. This is something that I am aware that I do so I try my best to work on it, especially in situations like this. I think when people are sharing personal things it is important for them to feel that they are understood and that others hear what they are saying. I could show this simply by my body language and simple acknowledgements. A lot the time when we people talk my mind starts to wonder, but when I am actively listening I can focus on what they are saying and not saying and it really helps me understand better. I also practiced this skill during my one-on-one meetings with the students. I tried to coach each one of them individual and really check-in with how they have been doing both inside and outside of the classroom.