Week 4: Survey with my mom and my director!

This week was really fun! When I did the survey for myself, I looked at different scenarios that I put my self in through my professional life and my personal life. To be honest, I am pretty much the same person in both situations. I tend to be meek as far as being aggressive, a good listener, and communicate effectively. With the communication anxiety, I gave myself a higher score. I was moderate, while my mother and my director gave me a mild and a low. I think my anxiety comes from with in and not perceived by others. I do a good job working on my anxiety and come off fairly confident.

As far as being verbally aggressive I am moderate in all three surveys. I think the description: "of a balance between respect and consideration of others' viewpoints..." is how I am. I had to do  the one survey with my mother on the phone and she acted as if i was an angel and wouldn't ever do that. Instead of saying one of the answers, she would say, "NO! My baby would not do that!!!!"

In the listening survey, all three surveys came out to be people oriented. I had a talk with my director about that. She told me that the one thing that I bring to the table is my passion for each child and each parent that walks in the door. She told me that at times when she calls me to the office, it is to just talk something out. "You do not have to say a word. I talk and you listen. You are heart felt with what you have to say in turn of what you heard or just listening lets me talk it out!" She said my parents love me due to the fact I listen and pay attention to what they say and do! It was great feed back to hear!


I think the most important thing I have learned due to these surveys is that who I am is who I am whether i am in my personal aspect of life or my professional. My director who is also a good friend outside of work, told me that I am the way I am in both parts of my life and makes it so easy to be part of both parts of my life.

Communicating with people from different groups and cultures.

     I do communicate differently when it comes to different people in different groups. For example, I speak to my children in a loud high pitch voice. I speak one or two word sentences. I use a lot of animation. When it comes to their parents, I speak in a slower more adult voice. I use professional communication skills. I conduct my body language differently as well. With my colleagues, I speak clearly, with professional tone and vocabulary.

    When I am with my friends, most of my normally communication skills are out the window. We had an assignment where we had to observe scenarios where we looked at communication skills of the group. I used a dinner out with my friends. I learned that we are awful when it comes to communication skills that would be used in a professional setting. The catch was that my boss at the center I worked at was part of that observation. At work we are very professional and use the communication skills that are needed there. However, you get us out with our mutual friends, it is crazy that they are mostly thrown out the window.

    The one thing that I have learned is that context plays a major role in what communication skills are used. The context could be a place, relationship, or connection to a group or individual.

Week 2: Media-Days of Our Lives

Blog Assigment Week 2:

            This assignment was really hard for me. I only watch TV at night and that is just background noise in my apartment. However, I got a break when my director sent me home early for a mental health day when I only had 2 babies. So I got to watch a soap opera. I watched Days of Our Lives.

            I wasn’t sure how I was going to record it when I do not have a DVR or a tape recorder. So I asked my parents to record it for me. What was interesting is that on Tuesday I watched it without sound and then Friday night I watched it with sound.  With a lot of time in between, I felt like I would have watched it and had a different perspective. However, due to the communication style the actors used I did not gain different insight.

           

            The few scenes that I watched intently with no sound the characters relationship is not a happy one or the one scene the few people in the scene were very happy. In the scene where the man and woman have a not so happy relationship, they had very mad faces. There faces got long and body language was very ridged. Just from looking at their mouths it look like they were yelling at each other. They both never stopped moving. They were constantly walking around the room. The other scene where there was a woman and man with another older lady with red hair, they seemed happy. They were standing very close. At one point they were hugging each other. They smiled. Their bodies were really close to one another.

            On Friday night I watched the show that I had watched with out sound. I learned that in the first scenario, the couple was fighting over custody of a child. They were yelling at each other and saying mean things. The second scenario the family just found out good news about a son not being convicted of a crime. The words they used were more relief and happy. Words do make a difference in this scene.

            My assumptions were pretty correct and non-verbal communication really set the feelings and attitudes towards the plot. Words were what really explained the plot. The one thing that I took away from this that I want to share with my colleagues is that body language can really show the emotion to what you are saying.  I also think that words can explain the feelings that you portray. Words and body language work hand in hand to create an overall picture of what you are feeling and thinking and even know.

Week 1

      On Saturday night I was watching the news and the one sportscaster was talking about all the basketball that was going on in March. In about 3-5 minutes he listed off all the pro, college, and high school games  and boys and girls games.

He spoke clearly, answered questions with clarity, and I understood and comprehended every word. The anchor as well spoke with great clarity, looked to the camera without looking down. Some of the field casters are very thorough.

I look at them as good communicators. I do look up to them as effective communicators. I know I do not always speak clearly and have confidence when speaking. I see that in them.  

       I feel that these people on Channel News 10 are great role models for communication behaviors. They show confidence, understanding of speaking with clarity, with respect, fairness, trustworthiness, and more.

Week 8: Hopes and Goals

The last eight weeks have really inspired me as a professional. I think about who I am, what I believe, my understanding and knowledge on diversity and the biases that occur today.  This week passion, vision and our reason for being in this field were topic of conversation. Plus at the end of the course it is interesting to revaluate the benefits of the course when it comes to the profession and yourself.

When I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds, I hope for not only a sense of equity when going into the education system and in the community around them. So many times I have heard equality used instead of equity. I feel that equality does not respect each individual child and what they bring to the classroom. I hope not only for the children I come in contact with but for all children that equity in the classroom and in the outside social world, that they are treated with respect, equity, and justice.

The one thing that I really took away from this class is understanding who you are as a professional and person. In weeks past, we talked about biases, knowledge on different diversity, isms, and social justice. From this I hope that the early education field will always encourage professional educators to be life long learners in equity, social justice, isms, and to advocate for all of that. I see what I have taken from this course, and could only hope that educators can experience training such as this.

The past eight weeks have been so beneficial for me. I have taken so much with me for my career. I want to thank Professor Williams for supporting and sharing information that deepened discussions and understanding. Thank you to all my colleagues. I have enjoyed the discussions and the blog assignments. We are like a team and it is great to read and learn from all of you.