From the beginning, address the adjustment process with students and help them share their reactions as they begin this new experience. This will help all of the students get started as well as revealing any problems that they need to be resolved. These can be free form or guided. Guided journals provide students with questions that connect their service experience to course work or to other aspects of their life, progressing from personal reactions to analysis of issues. This informal discussion allows students to open up more and share their experiences with each other.
Students write papers that focus on issues related to their service experience.
In reflection activities, use thought provoking questions. Feeling questions require participants to reflect on how they feel about what they did. Judgement questions ask participants how to make decisions about things. Guiding questions steer the participants toward the purpose of the activity and keep the discussion focused. Closing questions help participants draw conclusions and end the discussion.