# data[].attributes.body
For this week, I participated by speaking in the introductory conversation. I openly shared with the class aspects of myself and listened openly to the sharing of my classmates.

# data[].attributes.body
When discussing the "classroom guidelines and culture of respect" I listened to the ideas of my peers and bounced off of those and added my own ideas to the guideline.

# data[].attributes.body
Lastly, I also clicked on the link to a WhatsApp group, posted by another student, and joined the group so that in the future I can help my classmates with any questions they may have and contribute to the sharing of ideas and discussions. This will also help answer any future questions I may have, as I can easily ask the question to the group.

# data[].attributes.body
For this week, I participated by carefully reading and reviewing the readings for this week and taking notes for each reading to refresh my memory.

# data[].attributes.body
I tried to bring in knowledge from the reading into the class this week, not only for my own learning, but because I know it may not have been possible for others to complete the readings, and I had the information to help them

# data[].attributes.body
When having a class discussion about the importance of stories in social work, I listened to the ideas of my classmates to form my own opinions and share them with the class.

# data[].attributes.body
This week, I participated by preparing for the class by reading and taking notes on the reading.

# data[].attributes.body
I did not have much previous knowledge on the topic of treaties this week, so I decided to focus more on listening than sharing ideas in this class, for the growth of my own knowledge.

# data[].attributes.body
I found it very helpful to focus on listening rather than sharing as the information was so new to me and I needed time to process it and listen to the ideas of my peers.

# data[].attributes.body
However, I did chose to share my perspective and ideas with the class when discussing the relevance of "land acknowledgements" as this is something that I have reflected on in the past and wanted to share.

# data[].attributes.body
Due to the realization of my lack of knowledge I decided it would be helpful to look into and join the recommended Coursera- Indigenous Canada course.

This course will help me build on my personal knowledge and possibly provide me with information that I can share with my peers in this class.

# data[].attributes.body
I also took time to sign the petition that was shared in the chat.

# data[].attributes.body
This week, I also spent some time organizing information and ideas for the first reflection journal that will be due next week.

Organizing all my ideas and notes for this reflection helped me to feel more prepared for it, as well as being a great review of the information over the past weeks.

# data[].attributes.body
For this week, my in-class participation was more limited in comparison to other weeks. Due to personal reasons, I had felt off and had a lot on my mind this week. Because of this, I felt it would be more beneficial for myself if I were to concentrate on focusing and listening for class this week, rather than sharing ideas and that is exactly what I did.

# data[].attributes.body
In addition to this, the topic this week was not something I was familiar with so focusing on listening rather than participating was very important for me.

# data[].attributes.body
This week, I had a sort of realization that participation is more than simply talking in class. I realized that some weeks will be better than others and it is important that I am able to recognize what I personally need each week, as I did with this one. Participation comes in many forms and sometimes simply actively listening can be more beneficial that outward participation. This is a very important realization to come to because it will not only help me in this class, and others, but it is something that can be helpful in my daily life.

# data[].attributes.body
This weeks class was lead by Ruth Green. For this week, my participation was limited as I was very interested in actively listening to the stories Ruth shared.

# data[].attributes.body
Although I unmuted myself in the Zoom and answered some of Ruth's questions directly in the class, the majority of my participation for this week was done through personal reflection during and after the class.

# data[].attributes.body
During my reflection of this week I felt I had been offered a great amount of different perspectives and decided to reflect on each.

# data[].attributes.body
As an example, a new perspective I  reflected on during this class was the idea and term of "intergenerational trauma". I had previously always known the acknowledgement of intergenerational trauma as a good thing and a step in the right direction for social work. However, during this week, Ruth offered the perspective that using this trauma as an excuse can be extremely harmful and is often used in blaming the individual or their community for circumstances beyond their control. This was something I had never considered before and after reflecting on it, I see how important it is and I will carry this with me to my future practice.

# data[].attributes.body
My participation for this week was much like that of last week. I have been very busy with things in my personal life and so I decided that for this week it would be in my best interest to focus on listening rather than participating. I chose to do this so that I could have a week to recuperate and make sure that I was in the best position I could be going forward.

# data[].attributes.body
This week I had been feeling very burnt out and chose to participate by completing the readings before class and personally reflecting on class afterwards. While this may not be direct and outward participation, it was necessary for me to ensure I can effectively participate in the coming weeks.

# data[].attributes.body
This week was the first week of having this class in-person. I was initially nervous about how this would effect my participation because I am only in second year, meaning I have only done around 2 weeks of in-person school out of two years. Knowing this, I decided to set the goal of pushing myself and branching out of my comfort zone because I have a tendency to be shy in group situations.

# data[].attributes.body
As previously mentioned, I knew participating this week would be a challenge and so I decided to sit right in the front of the class so I could ensure I was paying attention and not getting distracted. As the class went on, I began to get more comfortable with speaking and volunteered some thoughts on The Marrow Thieves and the Medicine Wheel discussed in class.

# data[].attributes.body
While my goal is obviously to continue pushing my limits and actively participating more in class, I believe that this was a step in the right direction. I plan on continuing to push myself each week and participate more and more, stepping out of my comfort zone.

# data[].attributes.body
I also spent some time this week catching up on some readings that were not required but may further my own understanding.

# data[].attributes.body
This week I participated by reading the book Moon of the Crusted Snow to prepare for class. I participated by contributing in the discussion about the book, its characters, and its themes in class. In addition to this, I also shared some ideas in this week's discussion regarding the four questions that were put on the board.

# data[].attributes.body
My participation for this wee consisted of in class participation. I shared by thoughts in the discussion around Indigenous suicide. I also listened to the ideas of my classmates and reflected on some of the points they made.

# data[].attributes.body
At the end of the class we were asked to reflect on our standpoint of harm reduction in relation to substance abuse. This is something that I have never really thought about because the common narrative when discussing this topic is abstinence. After reflecting on my standpoint of harm reduction I have decided that it can be very beneficial. I feel as if the idea of abstinence can discourage individuals because of its difficulty and deter them from receiving services.

# data[].attributes.body
For this week, I participated by reflecting on the implications and harm caused by social work on Indigenous peoples and families.

# data[].attributes.body
I also took the time to sign the petition mentioned in class. I believe that the issue the petition is fighting against is extremely important. This is a clear example of how the Indigenous community in Canada continues to face violence and have their remaining land and culture stripped from them. At the time of signing the petition I noticed that 18,708 of the 25,000 goal has been reached. By signing this petition I hope to contribute to even a small form of positive change.

# data[].attributes.body
This week was the last week of class for this course. That being said, it wasn't based on content but was more of a conversation. This week, I appreciated being able to have an open discussion about the course and I enjoyed hearing what my peers had to say.

# data[].attributes.body
This week my participation was more in the form of personal reflection of this week's topic. The overall theme of this week was the Indian Act. Although have had heard much about the Indian Act over the course of my education, I haven't really taken much time to reflect on its true consequences until now.

# data[].attributes.body
This weeks podcast "From Foster Care to Missing and Murdered" really spoke to me. I felt this podcast was really moving and the emotion and pain behind the issue could be felt which the information was still being delivered in a clear and informative way. This podcast helped my reflection on the Indian Act and I believe the content of this podcast will stay with me into my future social work practice.

# data[].attributes.body
Additionally, I spent some time during the week, before and after class, to work on the final assignment for this course. This assignment truly feels way more personal and less of an academic assignment, which I appreciate. In my opinion, personal reflection assignments like this demonstrate more growth and true knowledge than an analytical essay ever could. In writing this assignment, I found myself opening up and connecting with the course on a level I have never before.

# data[].attributes.body
Overall, I enjoyed this course more than my others. In this course I felt I was able to be a contributor in my education and was able to learn a lot from my peers as well. Additionally, I learned a lot about myself and the type of social worker I want to be in the future. While informative and educational, I felt this course was also personal and emotional. I learned that I appreciate courses like these more than some others and I appreciated every aspect of it.