Self Evaluation of Communication

The results stated that I had moderate communication anxiety, which basically means situational. My listening style stated I was in Group 1 which was people oriented and that meant I was empathetic and this could hinder communication if I use my feelings too much. On the verbal aggression scale I was at a moderate level, but on the higher end which really surprised me. If there is one thing I feel that I am not, it is verbally aggressive. However, after speaking with my friends and family it became apparent to me that maybe I am not verbally aggressive in a negative manner, but I advocate and defend what I believe in and what I know is educationally correct. I do not assume I know it all, but when I do know I have the right answer I defend it.

Communication is important to me, and I feel that through this course and especially in my life experiences the past week this has been validated. I have learned that I need to be a good listener and that I need to be honest with others about how I feel. For example, a friend was supposed to come and help my parents move this weekend. They gave a time span and said that within two hours they would be there to help. I thanked them for their assistance and explained how important it was that we get help due to my Dad’s poor health. The friend was working and ended up working much later without communicating to me that they would not be able to make it. I was very upset. At first I was not going to communicate my feelings, but I changed my mind and told them I was disappointed for the lack of communication. They accepted their part and apologized and we were able to move on without conflict.

Having competent communication causes less stress and fewer conflicts. In my professional life and in my personal life I will continue to actively listen and communicate competently with all of the tools that I have learned during this course. I will not only listen, but I will learn to respect another’s opinion even if it is not my own. I try to do this now, but I know I need to improve. As I have stated to my husband before, you do not have to agree with my opinion, but you do need to respect it. 

Three Strategies

Based on what you have learned this week, share at least three strategies you could use to help you communicate more effectively with the people or groups you have identified

One strategy which I feel is a great foundation for competent communication is high self-esteem. When we have confidence and feel good about ourselves we tend to make better choices and not allow others take advantage of us. Unfortunately, there will always be people in society who do not like your culture or what you are about and they will try to impose negativity on you and take advantage of you. When you are confident in yourself and what you stand for it is harder for others to make you waiver. We have learned this week how much self-esteem play a part in interpersonal relationships and how vital it is to our communication skills.

The next strategy that I would practice is educating myself on the barriers to communication. When we know what can prevent us from being effective communicators then we can combat them and take preventative measures. Barriers can sometimes be hidden and if we do not know that they are there then we can misinform and have less than effective communication with one another.

The last strategy I would implement would be to educate myself about other cultures that I am not familiar with. However, in this same note I would say we still have to learn how to respect one another for diversity in cultures, even if we do not agree with the practices or values. Having respect for another person goes such a long way.

I feel that combined these strategies will help prevent future conflicts, miscommunications, and prejudices. Combining these strategies to me is a way we should live on a daily basis, with a respect for mankind.

Non-Verbal Cues

Everyone has been talking about this new show Orange is the New Black. I decided that I would watch this show and see what I could interpret from the nonverbal cues and also see what all the hype was about. When I watched the show I was confused by who the main character’s relationship was actually with. There was a woman and a man who had relationships with her. In both relationships she seemed to be happy. The hard part was that the show would go back into the past experiences and this confused things a bit with no sound. I figured out in the end that it was obvious that the man and the main character had a stronger relationship and that the woman and the main character ended their relationship on bad terms.

The relationship that I had assumed was a good relationship was that of the cook in the prison and the main character. Without sound it looks as though they are smiling and getting along well. The cook even gives her a present. The verbal cues indicated to me that there was a friendship. I assumed that the main character had gone on a hunger strike of some sort. When I then watched with sound I found out that the main character had in fact insulted the cook and she was withholding food from her. She was showing her strength to the main character and in front of the other prisoners. All of the nonverbal cues that I watched indicated to me that there was not a bad relationship.

I think that when you are involved in a television show and know the characters well you know the story line and can make better assumptions that will be correct. However, even when you think that you know someone or a situation if you are not fully informed and communicate with one another bad assumptions can be made. This project validated my feelings that communication is vital to prevent conflict and assumptions usually do not stand much ground with correct information.

Non-Verbal Cues

Everyone has been talking about this new show Orange is the New Black. I decided that I would watch this show and see what I could interpret from the nonverbal cues and also see what all the hype was about. When I watched the show I was confused by who the main character’s relationship was actually with. There was a woman and a man who had relationships with her. In both relationships she seemed to be happy. The hard part was that the show would go back into the past experiences and this confused things a bit with no sound. I figured out in the end that it was obvious that the man and the main character had a stronger relationship and that the woman and the main character ended their relationship on bad terms.

The relationship that I had assumed was a good relationship was that of the cook in the prison and the main character. Without sound it looks as though they are smiling and getting along well. The cook even gives her a present. The verbal cues indicated to me that there was a friendship. I assumed that the main character had gone on a hunger strike of some sort. When I then watched with sound I found out that the main character had in fact insulted the cook and she was withholding food from her. She was showing her strength to the main character and in front of the other prisoners. All of the nonverbal cues that I watched indicated to me that there was not a bad relationship.

I think that when you are involved in a television show and know the characters well you know the story line and can make better assumptions that will be correct. However, even when you think that you know someone or a situation if you are not fully informed and communicate with one another bad assumptions can be made. This project validated my feelings that communication is vital to prevent conflict and assumptions usually do not stand much ground with correct information.

Competent Communicator

When someone is effectively communicating the audience will be engaged, make eye contact, ask questions, and remember the information that they learn during the communication. My husband is working on his Ph.D. in Education and was recently hired as the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction at a chain of schools in NE Ohio. I have personally witnessed his discussions and presentations that he has presented to audiences. Competent communication has to have a foundation in education of the subject. He has great knowledge of the educational program and the schools systems. I have even watched him and had envy of how much knowledge he can obtain and references while in conversation.

I have watched his audience watch him with intensity and no one is bored with what he has to say. I have never observed an audience who looked at their watch, played with their phone, or walked away. There is active discussion when he is speaking about the educational programs and being an important role in closing the achievement gap. After one of his presentations I had a gentleman come up to me and compliment me on how well spoken my husband was and what enthusiasm and compassion he had for the children. He speaks with genuine heartfelt concern for children reaching their educational milestones and succeeding, even beyond high school.

I think my husband and I have similar approaches to communication and I would love to present myself in the same way that he does. I want to make a difference in the lives of children and their families and I want to be that person someone comes to when they are looking for help. I do not want them to come to me just because they know I am knowledgeable, but because they feel comfortable enough to speak to me.

Professional Hopes and Goals

Soon I will be working for a Head Start program in a highly diverse area and I could not be more excited to use the knowledge gained from this course, Dr. Parrish, and my colleagues. The hope that I have and what I will strive for is to make an effective impact on the lives of children and their families. I want to make a difference, a positive impact on their lives. At the end of the day I want to be rewarded with the fact that I helped someone. I gain more myself when I know that I have empowered someone else to go beyond what they expected they could do. When someone else feels proud or accomplished because I helped show them the way is an awesome feeling. The best part is this does not need to be a grand gesture. Even the small steps and accomplishments are meaningful to me. 

One of my job duties in my new position is training, mentoring, and assessing the teachers in the early childhood program. A goal that I would have for my teachers would be to take the time to continue their education about diversity, how it affects children, what roles they play in equity and social justice, and ultimate how they can be a positive role model to their children and families. I will be observing their classrooms and helping them find new ways to address diversity. I have stated in previous discussions that I feel fear is a large component to why society fails at properly addressing these issues. I will address the topic of fear with my teachers and families. I will find out what their concerns are and where they need assistance. 

This course has been especially helpful to me in this phase of my life. Out of all of my time at Walden these past 8 weeks I have had the most help from Dr. Parrish and my colleagues. When I had a question I had immediate responses. I felt as if my colleagues were genuinely concerned and willing to help me. I cannot thank you all enough for all that you have done for me this past 8 weeks. I am in awe of your support and encouragement. I can only hope that in the future I will be able to repay all that you have done for me.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Working in a child care center you need to know the children on an individual basis in order to properly care for and educate them. Recently, we have been notified that we will be receiving a new child into our program that has come from the country of Uganda. In order to prepare myself and other educational staff to be culturally responsive towards the child and their family we need to research and learn new things about their culture and where they come from. Here is a list of 5 ways that we will prepare to be culturally responsive.

1. I will research the country extensively and learn about their culture and any religious beliefs that they might follow.

2. I will send the family a packet with regard to information about the program and it will also contain a questionnaire for the family to fill out so that we can get to know a little bit about them prior to attendance. One of the more important questions in the questionnaire will be posed as this….What do you feel is most important for us to know about you?

3. I will look into any communication barriers. If there are any barriers I will research the language, look for an interpreter, and also find any other reasonable means of communication that we can utilize.

4. I will reevaluate the classroom or child care setting. Does my classroom display cultural diversity and do I need to add new cultural material that helps the new student feel comfortable?

5. After learning what I can about the culture I would set up a meeting with the family in the child care setting and in their home before the attendance of the program would occur. This is the foundation to the relationship which is vital to the growth and development of the child.

These preparations would benefit all parties concerned. Educators will be prepared to effective care for and educate the new child and the family will also have a foundation of a growing relationship with the educators. It is important to have a strong relationship with families to support one another through the educational process. These preparations will also show the family how much we care about our position in the child’s life. They will see that it matters to us how the child is being cared for and if the family is comfortable with the new environment. Last, building this relationship will create a foundation of trust so that the family feels comfortable enough to rely on us in times of difficulties. You always want to be able to have a close bond with the families of the children you are working with. You are a team and should work together as such.