From Comfort Zone to Growth Zone

3 circles to demonstrate 3 zones

From Comfort Zone to Growth Zone was presented by two Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Educators, Melissa J. Rupp, Fulton County  and Patrice Powers-Barker, Lucas County on Wednesday October 23, 2019 at the 2019 Family and Consumer Sciences Annual Conference.  The theme of the two-day conference was Growing Our Comfort Zone. The goals for the annual FCS conference:

  • Enhanced ability to create meaningful connections and relationships that enable strong internal and external collaborations
  • Clarify and strengthen our roles within Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Get comfortable with being uncomfortable
  • Find new ways to relate and adapt to diverse audiences
  • Identify and examine what you would define as your comfort zone and determine ways of reaching outside that zone

The goals From Comfort Zone to Growth Zone lunchtime group activity focused on identifying and examining personal definitions of comfort zones in a non-judgmental way. Comfort zones are not good or bad. After identifying some personal zones, colleagues were encouraged to envision ways to help others when they are making the stretch to grow from the comfort zone to a growth zone.

This activity was inspired by the group training offered by Scott VanderWey, Associate Professor and Director, 4-H Adventure, Washington State University Extension. He presented in Fulton County Ohio in the summer of 2019. He shared a wide variety of resources including the workbook, Building Successful Learning Communities, Educator’s Handbook, 2019, Washington State University Extension. The information on comfort zones is on page nineteen of the handbook.

This link outlines the 4-H Challenge Model including the previously quote on “comfort and growth circles” and the simple theories of education: Adventure-Based Learning, Experiential Education, Full Value Contact, Comfort & Growth Circles and Challenge by Choice. In addition, this blog notes Challenge by Choice as one of the five elements of Brave Space. The goal of Brave Space is to create a supportive environment for all members to participate in dialogue.

Live Smart Ohio Blogs:

References:

4-H challenge model. Washington State University Extension. Retrieved from https://extension.wsu.edu/chelan-douglas/communities/corporatechallenge/programsactivities/challenge/thechallengemodel/

Ali, D. (2017). Safe spaces and brave spaces: Historical context and recommendations for students affairs professionals. NASPA Policy and Practice Series. Issue 2. Retrieved from: https://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/Policy_and_Practice_No_2_Safe_Brave_Spaces_DOWNLOAD.pdf

Arao, B., & Clemens, K. (2013). From safe spaces to brave spaces: A new way to frame dialogue around diversity and social justice. In L. Landreman (Ed.). The art of effective facilitation: Reflections from social justice educators (pp. 135-150). Sterling, VA: Stylus. Retrieved from: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/inclusive-teaching/wp-content/uploads/sites/355/2016/06/From-Safe-Spaces-to-Brave-Spaces.pdf

Building successful learning communities, Educator’s handbook (2019). Washington State University Extension. Retrieved from https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2050/2019/01/teacher-workbook-2019-Edited-19-0109.pdf

Franc Cyr, L. (2004). Bulletin #6103, Effective Communication, GroupWorks: Getting things done in groups. University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Retrieved from https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/6103e/

Naden, Y., & Stark, M. (2017). The pedagogy of discomfort: Enhancing reflectivity on stereotypes and bias. British Journal of Social Work, 47 (3). Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/bjsw/article/47/3/683/2622288

Navigating for Success Lesson 1: Getting acquainted and facilitating learning (2017). Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University.

Seery, M. D., Holman, E. A., & Cohen Silver, R. (2010). Whatever does not kill us; cumulative lifetime adversity, vulnerability, and resilience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99,6. 1025-1041

Torretta, A., & VanderWey, S. (2019). Creating group norms by using full value commitments in experiential education programming. Journal of Extension, 57 (3), 3TOT8. Available at https://www.joe.org/joe/2019june/tt8.php

Treber, M. (2015).  Are there connections between stress and your heart health? The Ohio State University, Live Smart Ohio Blog. Retrieved from https://livesmartohio.osu.edu/mind-and-body/treber-1osu-edu/are-there-connections-between-stress-and-your-heart-health/

Tugend, A. (2011). Tiptoeing out of one’s comfort zone (and of course, back in). New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/your-money/12shortcuts.html

White, A. (2009). From comfort zone to performance management. Understanding development and performance. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228957278_From_Comfort_Zone_to_Performance_Management

Zembylas, M., (2015). ‘Pedagogy of discomfort’ and its ethical implications: The tensions of ethical violence in social justice education. Ethics and Education 10 (2):163-174.

Extension Educators Partnering with Local FCS Teachers

In Ohio, OSU Extension work is divided by counties across the state. There is not necessarily an FCS Educator in every county. In an attempt to build a stronger working relationship between FCS Extension staff and FCS teachers, this post will “collect” ideas, suggestions and ways to continue to connect and strengthen our work in the community.

2019 Contacts:  Melissa J. Rupp, Fulton County and Patrice Powers-Barker, Lucas County 

photo of hear and connecting with "heart and soul" of FCS, the teachers

Acknowledgements

The current team of FCS Extension Educators in Northwest Ohio designed presentations to share “about” and “how to” organize an annual one day FCS Teacher In-Service. The 2019 team would like to acknowledge and thank all of the former FCS Extension colleagues who started the educational event and kept it going for over 20 years. We think the work they started is worth continuing and worth sharing with newer staff and colleagues.

Previous Presentations and Resources:

  • Ignite presentation at 2019 annual OSU Extension Family and Consumer Sciences conference on Extension Educators Host Annual Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher In-Service Day, Thursday October 24, 2019.  Coming Soon: Ignite PowerPoint
  • NEAFCS (National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences) annual session 2019 presentation link. 

Extension Celebrates “Dine In” and FCS Day

The goal of this page is to help Extension professional celebrate Dine In Day with their local community. In addition, OSU Extension FCS professional hope to make county, state and national connections to celebrate Dine In and FCS day on December 3rd.

Lucas County Ohiophoto of gnome statue and table settingIf you are looking for information about celebrations in Lucas County, please visit lucas.osu.edu/dineIn and follow The Ohio State University Extension, Lucas County on Facebook.  Share your stories and photos on social media and use the national #FCSday #healthyfamselfie and local #LiveSmartLucas.  In addition, you can follow #LucasTheGnome on our county Extension Facebook page.

 

I'm dining in round logo Extension Colleagues and Community Partners – If you are looking for ideas to lead, coordinate and promote Dine In Day  in your own community, please complete the informal survey below and then visit the Idea Starter Page below. The survey is a short six questions and at the end it will bring you right back to this page. LINK TO SURVEY 

 

This list cannot cover all of the great material available online but it focuses on Cooperative Extension, Ohio State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences and national community partners including, but not limited to AAFCS (American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences) and NEAFCS (National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences). This blog is just a starting point from the point-of-view of a county Extension Educator.  For this national celebration, AAFCS coordinates many national partners and collects the list of participants – make sure you and your local partners sign up to be counted and share your story on social media.

Idea Starter Dine In Day

If you’re looking for something easy to hand out at programs, AAFCS has a business card size promo piece for Dine In day.  Use Avery 5371 Business Cards (10 per page) for easy printing.  Print, double sided/flip on short edge. Dine In Day Promo – Business Card

RESOURCES mentioned in IDEA STARTER

The promotion of Dine In Day is a collaborative effort from the local level to the national level. If you have any questions about the information posted on this blog, please email Patrice at powers-barker.1@osu.edu and she will help connect you with the right person at OSU Extension, Family and Consumer Sciences. For information on the national celebration, please visit AAFCS at https://www.aafcs.org/fcsday/home