Transformative Learning

When you are facing a hard situation in your life, for example a new child being born, a career change or entering college, you are entering a phase of challenges. Although the learning experience of this kind may be good, it outcomes is likely to be good. Because of these results, this type of learning experience is called Transformational. Jack Mezirow conducted research on adults engaged in transformational change and could identify with the seven phases occurring in the challenging phase. The transformational process has seven phases; experiencing a disorienting dilemma, self examination, critical assement of assumptions, recognizing that others have gone through a similar process, formulating a plan of action and reintegration.

Transformative learning involves experiencing a deep, structural shift in the basic premises of thought, feelings, and actions. It is a move of consciousness that dramatically changes our way of being in the world. Such a transfer involves our understanding of ourselves and who we are; our relationships with other people and with the natural world; our understanding of relations of class, race and gender; our body awareness's, our visions of approaches to living; and our sense of possibilities for social justice and peace and personal joy.

Your birthday is the celebration of your birth, but for me, my 21st birthday was a day of tragedy. My home had caught on fire and burned down to the ground. I thought my life was over. I didn't know where to go or what to do because of shock, or fear of what was next to come. I had all kinds of thoughts in my head of how I would start all over again, living and surviving. The Red Cross helped me with temporary shelter, food and clothing, but I needed more than that. I needed emotional support as well. I thought I was the only one that had experienced a something like this, but after thought and talking to friends and family, I found out that many go through this and come out ok in the end. I was even informed that there were support groups for me to attend to if I needed emotional support. Recognizing that other people have gone through a similar process like me, losing a home, having precious memories burned and mentally going through a phase that can be tragic for me. The support group also helped me to begin rebuilding my home for me and my daughter, and being able to go on with everyday living and having a sense that everything would be ok and work out for it.