Team Development

When I think about groups in which I have been involved, in the hardest good byes were the ones where I really connected and made friends in.  There are conflicts and problems within every group but the ones that had the fewest negative experiences made the experience all the more positive and the team more memorable.  In this way, I do believe that high-performing groups are the hardest to leave.  Since everything is going more smoothly due to strong and positive communication the tone is presumably less stressful and more joyful.  Establishing clear norms although well intended might not necessarily help maintain a pleasant environment.  In fact, it may do the opposite.  If group members feel like they are being monitored or directed they will feel more individual responsibility therefore deteriorating the team mentality. 

The group that was hardest for me to leave was the after school program team.  I felt like I was respected for my ideas and enjoyed collaborating with the other staff members.  It was a group that confided in each other professionally and personally.  The group celebrated it successes and reflected on its failures always keeping in mind the vision of creating a fun and safe program for the children.  Closing rituals I have experienced included official meetings to de-brief and non-official staff dinners and gatherings.  These helped solidify the relationships in and out of work as we got to learn about each other in different contexts. 

From the group of colleagues I have formed while working on my master’s degree program I would love to be able to meet face to face sometime, especially at the end.  It has meant so much to me to have like-minded people that I can talk to as I continue my educational journey. 

I feel that adjourning an essential stage of teamwork because it is a chance to support each other one last time.  To thank others for their help and to realize all that you have accomplished together and individually.  Furthermore, the experience becomes a resource to learn best practices and lessons learned to use for future projects (Abudi, 2010).

Reference

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

I have learned strategies that might help me manage or resolve conflict more productively.  The first would be to empathetically listen to the requests of others when they honestly express their needs.  This method helps clarify what the disagreement or conflict is about and can lead to a better understanding of every ones feelings.  I think whenever you can put yourself in the same state of mind or emotion of another person you can more easily see things from their point of view which can ultimately assist in the better management of conflicts.  The second strategy would be to have more responsive interactions.  I feel that what people want most is to be heard and by responding that assures them that you were listening.  There is a better chance of managing, resolving, and even avoiding conflict if it is discussed in a responsive manner where everyone has the opportunity to express and listen.  

These strategies are effective because they can both lead to solutions or a compromise where everyone’s views were considered.  The potential for tensions to rise and conflict to escalate might have been great but everyone can feel accomplished in the fact that it did not get to that level.  Also, everyone could feel like they were effective communicators by using appropriate skills.  I feel that there is a lot to learn about others and ourselves in these types of situations

Communication Evaluation

What surprised me the most was the differences in how a family member evaluated me versus a colleague.  My sisters’ responses and evaluation was more similar to my own results than were the responses my coworker.  She knows me on a more personal level and my coworker knows me in a professional way.  I learned that my verbal aggressiveness is moderate and that I try to maintain a good balance between respect and consideration for others.  I learned that my communication anxiety is situational and that my listening style is people-oriented.  Each might inform my professional work and personal life in a beneficial way because they all bring awareness to my strengths and weaknesses in my communication skills.  For example, my listening style of being empathetic and concerned with the emotions of others will be helpful in my professional work because I can effectively communicate with children and parents and in my personal life it helps me be a good listener to my friends and family.  

Communication and Culture

I do find myself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures.  For example, I communicate differently with parents than I do with my coworkers.  While both call for professional communication I am more serious with the parents.  I also communicate differently with my coworkers differently based on the context of whether we are in the classroom or in the lunchroom.  In my position as an intervention specialist, my communication with the first grade students I work with has to be very clear, kind and have a tone of authority as well as I teach them academic skills.  As far as cultures I have the opportunity to interact with students and families from different countries like Mexico, Vietnam, El Salvador, Yemen, Guatemala and Yemen.  I do try my best to interact with people accordingly.  For example, the families from Guatemala speak their native language Mam and no English so we revert to the common language of Spanish to communicate.  Sometimes their Spanish is very limited as well so I try to use simple vocabulary and lots of hand gestures and facial expressions.

Based on what I have learned this week, three strategies that I could use to help me communicate more effectively with people or groups I have identified are:

1.) Be aware of perceptual barriers like narrow perspectives, stereotyping and prejudices (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2012).  Knowledge of these can help avoid negative interactions. 

2.) Use cultural differences as advantages to connect with people through learning experiences.

3.) Follow the Platinum Rule of communication which states, “Do to others as they themselves would like to be treated” (Beebe, et. al., 2011, p.114).  Consideration is key.

References

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Nonverbal Communication

For the television show I chose 30 Rock.  With the sound off you can tell about the character’s relationships based on their ways of communication.  You can tell about what their personality is like individually.  You can also tell which people are friends, when there is romantic interest and when there is hesitation to trust someone new. 

Based on nonverbal behavior I observed feelings of embarrassment, confidence, excitement, confusion, boredom and stress.  These were expressed through hand gestures, posture, eye contact and facial expressions.  In this particular episode there were hugs and someone even threw a water bottle.  Most interestingly there was one character who communicated through post it notes and never spoke.  He would hold the paper up in front of the persons face and would nod after hearing their response in affirmation.

After watching the show with the sound turned on most of my assumptions were correct.  The communications I observed were very clear indicators of the characters’ and the plot.  I think because the show is a comedy it was easier to understand what was going on with the sound off.  If I had been watching a crime show for example I think my assumptions would have been more wrong for the greater amount of verbal communication that occurs in those types of shows. 

I think my assumptions would have been more correct if I had been watching a show I knew well.  The assumptions would be based on all the previous knowledge of the characters and their personality development over the series.  I would even be able to predict ways of communication like particular gestures and catch phrases.

This experience was interesting in that it gave me a different perspective through experiencing it first-hand.  I learned that communication can be more effective nonverbally and it makes me think about my experience working with two children who only speak Vietnamese.  I wonder if I am being clear enough for them to be able to understand or if I need to increase my nonverbal communication skills.  

Competent Communication

Someone I know who demonstrates competent communication would be a co-worker and friend of mine would be Ms. Shaheed.  She is the family outreach consultant at our school and I feel that she exhibits many effective communication skills.  She is very polite and respectful towards everyone.  I think these two qualities demonstrate a sense of expectation that should be reciprocated.  If you are polite and respectful to others then others are more likely to show you the same courtesy.  She does this by welcoming students and family members with a smile and positive gestures.  Since most of the parents at our school are Spanish speaking and she is not she uses her body language and tone to show that she is interested in making them feel comfortable and it works.  She is also a great listener and does this by making eye contact and nodding in agreement when you are speaking to her. 

I would definitely like to model some of my own communication behaviors after her because I feel that she does what she can to mediate situations and be biased.  I have been at meetings with parents where they are accusing teachers of things and she is able to calm everyone and come to an understanding.  It is not an easy thing to do because parents are obviously very concerned when it comes to matters about their child but she does a very good job of resolving problems.  Even though her verbal communication is limited I still think she does an excellent job of letting parents know that she is committed to providing quality services to them and their children.  

Professional Hopes and Goals

One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is mutual learning.  I hope that I will use what I learn from children and families to better help them and hope they will learn as well.  I will research and integrate their culture to help build and become a part of a strong support system for the child.  I feel that by working together we can create a shared understanding of each other and what is best for the child.  The goal can only be achieved if we can establish a connection of respect for each other and our active roles. 

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to continue working with other fields in collaboration.  A lot of the issues stem from other non-traditionally related disciplines.  For example, classism deals with economics and ableism can be linked to city planning or even the field of architecture.  Politics, government, medicine and science and the information they hold can help progress in the Early Childhood field and make an even greater impact on society.   I feel that other disciplines can offer perspectives, insights and support when it comes to issues of diversity, equity and social justice. 

I would like to say thank you to all of you my colleagues.  I wish you all the best of luck as you continue your studies and hope you truly enjoy your time off, you deserve it!