My Communication Skills

These are my results from my self-assessments:

Public Speaking Anxiety
Moderate	My score indicated that I feel somewhat concerned about a number of communication contexts, but probably not all.  This is “situational” anxiety.

Verbal Aggressiveness
Moderate	My score indicated that I maintain a good balance between respect and consideration for others’ viewpoints, and the ability to argue fairly by attacking the facts of apposition rather than the person holding that position.

Listening Style Profile
People-oriented	My score indicated that I am empathetic and concerned with the emotions of others.  This listening style helps me to build relationships, but it can interfere with proper judgment because I tend to be very trusting of others.

I have discovered that my self-concept has morphed over the years as I have aged, gained knowledge and experience, and interacted with others socially and professionally.  What do I mean by this?  Think about the definition for self-concept: “one’s awareness and understanding of who one is, as interpreted and influenced by one’s thoughts, actions, abilities, values, goals, and ideals” (O’Hair et al, 2015, p. 47).  If I had taken these self-assessments ten years ago when I was a teacher, my scores would have been a lot different.  

My public speaking anxiety would have been high, and my verbal aggressiveness would have been low to none.  Now that I have acquired more knowledge in early childhood special education and improved my communication and presentation skills as an early childhood special education specialist, I am more comfortable interacting and communicating with other educators and professionals.  I have discovered that I am more comfortable presenting to groups of early childhood educators than I am to a room full of administrators.  This is where I become more anxious and self-conscious about my abilities, knowledge, and competence.  I am aware of my level of anxiety even though others claim that they are not cognizant of my anxiety since I appear calm and at ease.

In our text, we learned that our self-concept shapes our communication with others (O’Hair et al, 2015, p. 47).  I find this true with my listening style.  I tend to be empathetic towards others.  Listening is my preferred style of communication.  Carrying on a casual conversation is not a strength of mine.  I prefer to listen, ask probing questions, and allow the other person, or persons, speak.  The listening style assessment profiled me as being an empathetic listener, in which I agree.  It, also, stated that my listening style may interfere with my judgement and that I tend to be very trusting of others.  This I disagree and so do my peers.  As an empathetic listener, I am curious about others and want to learn from them and about them. 

Reference:

O’Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D.I., & Teven, J. (2015). Real communication. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Differentiating Communication 

It is known that culture is bases on the characteristics of a group of people that share race, language, religion, music, arts, foods, et al.  I am a member of multiple cultures and have an assortment of social identities.  One culture that I associate with and am a member of is the teacher and school culture.  School cultures are unique and distinctive, in which they are created and re-created by people considered members of a context; i.e., teachers, students, parents, and communities (Hongboontri & Keawkhong, 2014, p. 66). 

Source: http://drchristinamirtes.weebly.com/ece-610-family-school-community-partnerships.html

As an early childhood special education specialist, I find myself interacting and communicating with the members of this culture is different manners and languages.  When interacting coaching, and training administrators and specialized staff, I tend to use more formal and technical language.  During coaching sessions and trainings with early childhood teachers and paraprofessionals, the language is a mixture of formal and informal with a twist of casual discussions added throughout the six-hour trainings.  When in early childhood classrooms and interacting with children between the ages of 4, 5, and 6, my language and mannerisms are more interactive, playful, and diverse depending on the students’ ages, abilities, disabilities, and the classroom activity.

Growing up, I was taught the Golden Rule of “do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” which I follow on a regular basis.  I want others to treat me with respect, honor my differences, and speak to me with kindness and honesty.  Whether I am interacting with a family member, friend, colleague, administrator, educator, child, parent, or strange, I intentionally and respectfully speak with them as I assess their language, cultural expectations, and diverse needs.  Once I understand who they are and how they wish to be treated, I modify and tweak my mannerisms and language to maintain a respectful, culturally responsive relationship with them.  This behavior, in many ways, is associated with the Platinum Rule of “do to others as they themselves would like to be treated” (Beebe et al, 2011, p. 114).

Remembering that school culture is a compilation of “traditions and rituals that have been built up over time as teachers, students, parents, and administrators work together and deal with crises and accomplishments” (Deal & Peterson, 1999, p. 4), it is important to vary one’s mannerisms, language, and communicative behavior based on the culture, diversity, social and professional role, and, possibly, the personality of the other person or persons.  Each member of the school culture is, also, a member of another culture.  Being aware of our personal culture background and consciously cognizant of another's culture background will promote and nurture resilient inter-cultural communication, which is part of our daily lives in early childhood education (Vuckovic, 2008).

Intercultural Communication Poster

Source: http://interculturalcommunicationkit.weebly.com/poster.html 

  

References:

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

Deal, T.E. & Peterson, K.D. (1999). Shaping school culture: The heart of leadership.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Hongboontri, C., & Keawkhong, N. (2014). School Culture: Teachers Beliefs, Behaviors, and Instructional Practices. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(5), 66-88. doi:10.14221/ajte.2014v39n5.7.

Vuckovic, A. (2008). Inter‐cultural communication: A foundation of communicative action. Multicultural Education & Technology Journal, 2(1), 47-59. doi:10.1108/17504970810867151

Nonverbal Communication

Timeless - Season 1 Episode 1

"The high-octane drama follows an unlikely trio who travel through time to battle a master criminal intent on altering the fabric of human history with potentially catastrophic results" (Hulu, n.d.)

Watched the first 30 minutes without sound:

This episode begins with the Hindenburg disaster before it flashes forward to present time.  A white female is presenting a college class before going to visiting someone close that is dying and caregiver when a gentleman with a badge knocks on the door.  The gentleman transports the woman to what appears to be a top-secret warehouse.  The woman is led to a room where she finds a man sitting relaxingly on a chair.  When she appears nervous as she looks around the room and plays with the charm on her necklace.  They appear to be strangers.  However, when a lady comes in to retrieve them, she possibly addresses them.  When this occurs, the woman, as her eyes widen, appears shocked at hearing the man’s name. 

They are shown a video of a possible kidnapping of what appears to be a scientist.  The kidnappers and scientist enter a sphere and disappear.  After some discussion, the man and woman appear in the next scene wearing clothing from the past.  They enter the sphere and are transported by a black gentleman back in time.  It appears they are investigating an event and looking for someone in a picture.  Even though they are working together, they appear to be strangers.

Throughout the episode, there body language seems to be communicating nervousness, apprehension, curiosity, and sometime annoyance.  The messages are obvious by watching the movements of their eyebrows, expressions on their faces, the crossing of their arms, and slow cautious movements of their bodies.  At one time, the white man was speaking to another female in a bar.  When the woman he is traveling with, walks up and zealously shakes her hand and starts talking to her, he rolls his eyes and shifts his body. This communicates that he is somewhat annoyed with her interference of his conversation with the new woman.

Watched the first 30 minutes with sound:

The episode begins with the 1937 Hindenburg disaster before it flashes forward to a present time.  The female is a professor at a university that goes to visit her ailing mother and sister at home.  The gentleman knocked on the door, when she opened the door, he introduced himself as a Homeland Security agent.  He drove the professor to a secret warehouse.  The professor was taken to a room where a white male was sitting and waiting with his eyes closed.  Come to find out the when the female Homeland Security agent come in to retrieve them, the professor was shocked to hear that the other man was a Delta Force soldier.

They were shown a video of a scientist being kidnapped and take back in time.  The professor was shocked and disbelieved that time travel was possible. After some discussion about a time machine and time travel, the soldier and professor are encouraged to go back in time and stop the kidnapper from changing history.  They enter a second sphere wearing clothes from the 1940’s era.  The third gentleman, who is their pilot, is really a programmer that is apprehensive about going back in time since he is black.  They are strangers and had not met before this night.

When they explore the town, they locate a tavern.  In the tavern the professor identifies a famous newspaper writer.  The soldier goes over to talk with the writer.  As he is talking with her, the professor comes over to meet her.  She shakes her hand says that she is a fan of hers.  The soldier turns his body away, rolls his eyes, and annoyingly introduces the professor as his older sister. 

From watching the first 30 minutes without sound and then watching it again with sound.  It appears that I was somewhat accurate about the relationships between the three characters.  They are strangers learning to work together to prevent history from being changed.

Verbal and nonverbal communications between the characters together produce a complete story.  Individually - the story is incomplete.  This is true for everyday conversations and interactions between individuals.

Reference:

Hulu. (n.d.) Watch Timeless.  Retrieved May 18, 2019 from https://www.hulu.com/series/timeless-d7378c1a-2e53-4d79-8ce7-9cf78d456891.

Competent Communication

About five years ago, I met Kim at a Conscious Discipline Summer Institute in Orlando, Florida.  She was our assigned table leader.  We quickly connected and ever since then, I think of her as a friend and mentor.  Today, she is a Conscious Discipline Master Instructor and a national early childhood trainer/speaker.  To me, Kim demonstrates competent communication as a speaker, mentor, coach, and, most importantly, as a friend.

Not only does Kim actively listen, she does so open-mindedly and without judgement.  During a conversation, she will ask probing questions that tend to be thoughtful, exploratory, and constructive.  During conversations, Kim tends to provide empathetic feedback and uses “I” messages.  She walks me through problem-solving steps and empowers me to take control of situations.  I struggle at times with being assertive versus passive.  Knowing this, Kim helps me walk through scenarios using my assertive voice.  Even though, we may only see each other once a year, I know that she is always a phone call away.

When presenting to an audience (large or small), Kim is amazingly animated, interactive, and passionate.  When she is up front speaking, you feel like she is speaking to just you.  Her knowledge and enthusiasm for early childhood, self-regulation, positive discipline techniques, relationships, and positive learning radiates as she speaks and shares her knowledge and expertise.

In many ways, I idolize Kim.  Knowing her and being able to call her my friend and mentor has been a blessing to me personally and professionally.  As an early childhood specialist and trainer, I study Kim’s techniques of presenting and communicating with other educators.  Her ability to build connections with others while coaching them and teaching them how to develop safe, nurturing relationships and learning environments with children exhibits the skills that I desire to have when working with other educators. Knowing that she worked hard to learn and master these communication skills which seem to be a natural part of her personality inspires me to continually and mindfully practice my personal and professional communication skills on a daily basis.