Week 6 Blog Assignment

This week you read about the five stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Consider the adjourning phase for several of the groups in which you have been involved. 

Are high-performing groups hardest to leave? Groups with the clearest established norms? Which of the groups that you participated in was hardest to leave? Why? What sorts of closing rituals have you experienced or wish you had experienced? How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master’s degree in this program? Why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork?

This a very thought provoking assignment.  Personally I feel that a high-performing group is the hardest to leave.  I feel that they inspire me to be more productive and I want to maintain that feeling and contribution level as long as possible.  Closing rituals are so important for the members of a team/group.  Closure in general is vital to healthy experiences.  Most often, I experience roundtable questions/comment sessions that allow everyone to verbally close the interaction and leave with a sense of contribution of their thoughts/opinions/beliefs.  I like when the group decides to continue their work independently via internet/phone/study groups/etc.  However, those "extended" interactions from the original group work tend to fizzle out quickly without face-to-face time and strong leadership.  Ending a collaborative team experience is always difficult whether or not the goal was accomplished.  Adjourning from a group with whom you have connections to sad in ways but essential to move on.  Strong connections that were made sometimes stick after the separation, its up to all party members to maintain it.   

Week 5 Blog Assignment

Think about any disagreements, or conflicts, you have recently experienced or are currently experiencing at work with a supervisor or colleague, or someone in your personal life. Share at least two strategies you have learned about that might help you manage or resolve the conflict more productively, and why these strategies might be effective. For example, could you suggest a compromise? Could you look for a broader range of solutions to your disagreement? Could you use some of the principles of nonviolent communication or the 3 R's to better help you resolve this conflict?

This conflict comes from my personal life and involves my husband and our pre-teen son.  They were involved in a conflict about use of technology and the appropriate time of day to use it.  The conversation turned violent in words when both of them refused to see the others viewpoint and were each determined to influence the other.  I was a silent listener to the conversation and used techniques to gauge nonverbal communication that was exchanged as well as determining effective communication skills both my husband and son lacked in utilizing.   After the conversation turned negative, I entered the scenario with requesting time separately with each of them.  I sat down with my son first and explained that his approach was attacking in nature and not effectively getting through to his father.  I pointed out that his viewpoint was vastly different from that of his fathers and to be successful in this debate/discussion, he needed to be an active listener, respectful to other viewpoints and most importantly, willing to compromise to reach a solution that benefits both parties.  Then I spoke with my husband and showed him the website resources from this week on conflict resolution, the 3R's and nonviolent communication.  He was very interested in the concepts and techniques.  He was open to suggestions and began to see that his son had his own valid points.  Compromise truly is the best solution in so many conflict situations.  Then I brought the two boys back together.  They took turns communicating their viewpoints with why they felt that way.  They were respectful and patient with each other.  I was SO impressed!  With my help, the successfully navigated a conflict and came to a resolution involving an agreed upon chart for cell-phone usage.  :)

Week 4 Who Am I as a Communicator?

For your blog this week, think about the similarities and differences between how you evaluated yourself as a communicator and how others evaluated you. 

What is the one thing that surprised you the most? Why? 

What other insights about communication did you gain this week? 

This was a very interesting week, an eye opening experience on how others perceptions of how I communicate are similar or different from my own.   I chose to let a professional colleague and a neighbor evaluate how I communicate. The biggest variance I found was in the level on the verbal aggressiveness scale.  

http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6165/04/mm/quiz/quiz_verbal/index.html 

I scored myself as 64 or moderate level and others scored me much higher at a 76 or significant level.  This means that I am portraying argumentativeness and attacking others positions or statements with verbal aggression.  What some call verbal aggression, I call passion.  It has been interesting to learn of their interpretation of my communication skills as aggressive.  Now I will be more aware of this and self-observant/ reflective during communication interactions both professionally and personally. Being aware of this tendency will help others feel more comfortable in communicating in not only formal, but also informal situations.   

As for the anxiety inventory and listening profile, all the scores were very similar, which validates that I am communicating well on some level.  

http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6165/04/mm/quiz/quiz_communication/index.html

http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6165/04/mm/quiz/quiz_listening/index.html

Week 3 Blog Assignment

Think about the cultural diversity you see in your colleagues at school, in your neighborhood, in your workplace, and also, possibly, within your family. Consider all the aspects that make up culture, including race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, varying abilities, and so on.

• Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?
• If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

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. 

-Communication always varies from context to context depending on formality and factors of culture, race, religion... I do communicate differently in each scenario and situation.  This week has helped me tremendously in my personal life.  I am using the tools an concepts I have learned about to evaluate how (and why) I communicate the way I do.  At work, where I am more formal, I am beginning to be more open to colleagues cultures and experiences and how they CONTRIBUTE to the conversation, not inhibit it.  I am practicing the concept of empathy and platinum rule while working with children and families from different cultures from my own.  At home, I am using skills of observing non-verbal cues while my family communicates, and then I am helping others see a more effective approach to this communication. 

Below is a link to an article describing the "Double Platinum Rule"- this article is based on customer service, but can easily be applied to the early childhood education field.  it basically states that "Treat others the way they don't even know they want to be treated." but ALSO anticipate, anticipate, anticipate. Don't just meet your people's needs and expectations, EXCEED them.  

Grounding our thinking in the these rules works well, because it heightens your empathy (Golden Rule); encourages a keen focus on others' expectations (Platinum Rule); and challenges us to consistently think of ways to exceed those expectations (Double Platinum Rule). 

http://www.naylornetwork.com/ahh-nwl/articles/?aid=63803&projid=3808

Week 2: Communication Skills: Language, Nonverbal, Listening

Blog Assignment:

For this assignment, again consider what you have been learning about communication skills and styles. Then record an episode of a television show you do not normally watch. Watch the show with the sound turned off.

• What do you think the characters’ relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating?
• What are they feeling and expressing based on the nonverbal behavior you are observing? 

Now, watch the show with the sound turned on.

• What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed?
• Would your assumptions have been more correct if you had been watching a show you know well? 

This was a very interesting and eye opening assignment.  I chose to explore "The Big Bang Theory" sitcom.  With the sound turned off, I would of never guessed the characters were friends and in a social circle.  Their facial expressions were extremely interesting and powerful without words.  Based on nonverbal behavior, I would assume the characters were in constant confusion or disagreement over something.  I noted body language of being uncomfortable, having mistrust, or dislike and the plot was difficult to decipher.  When I watched the episode again with the sound the plot was extremely clear and facial expressions/ nonverbal cues seemed to match the verbal communication and exchanges.  If I had been watching a show I knew well, I would have been able to more clearly decipher the communication without verbal cues. 

EDUC-6165-7 Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field

Blog Assignment #1 





This week, think of someone (e.g., family member, celebrity, politician, friend, or professor) who demonstrates competent communication within a particular context....

What behaviors does this person exhibit that make him or her effective? 

For this reflection, I chose my direct supervisor and colleague with whom I have a proud affiliation.  She is also a valued mentor on managerial techniques as well as communication techniques.   Her style is consultative, which is very different from my own.  I appreciate how she utilizes this style in communication with her staff in all her communication interactions.  She is an active listener who validates all participants with affirmation, respect, and appreciation.  She is purposeful in speaking and respectful in her nonverbal communication.  I enjoy communicating and collaborating with her.  Because our styles are so extremely different (I am competitive, controlling and aggressive), I am learning how to appreciate being more sensitive, open and understanding in communication exchanges.  

Would you want to model some of your own communication behaviors after this person?

I am currently working on adapting my communication behaviors to reflect this style.  I have found (through experiences and observation) that it is effective when working with colleagues.  The objective of communication is to produce a positive result and attain goal achievement.  

For a quick and gentle reminder on effective communication skills recommended in the workplace, I have used:

http://workawesome.com/communication/effective-communication-skills/ 

 

Professional Hopes and Goals

During the first course in this program, you helped to establish and became part of a collaborative learning community. As the courses have progressed, you and your colleagues have been studying together and supporting each others goals with regard to taking on and mastering the challenges of this MS Early Childhood Studies program

As you prepare to move on to your final course before the specializations, take time to think about your aspirations with regard to diversity, equity, and social justice, the different ways in which your colleagues have supported you, how you have supported them, and what you wish for your colleagues as they continue on their professional path.

• One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds: That there becomes a standard in the profession on how we welcome, incorporate and include families with diverse backgrounds...that everyone, everywhere uses appropriate and positive standards when interacting with diverse cultures, expectations and families.  We do have NAEYC and their position statement on diversity in early childhood programs, however, all professionals who work with children need to embrace and uphold these standards. 
• http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSDIV98.PDF
• One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice: To teach respect and acceptance to not only children, but adults/families as well.  It is our responsibility to educate families and our communities on the importance of issues of diversity, equity, and social justice
• I would like to say thank you to all of my colleagues and fellow EC professionals.  This journey of Walden continues to be an enlightening one.  I am learning that I grow so much from collaboration and insights of my colleagues as much as I grow from research exploration and reflection!  Here's to a continued amazing journey and the positive and insightful support of everyone!