Throughout this graduate program, there have been many times that I have learned something completely unrelated to the course topic from the colleagues that have shared their personal and professional experiences. We all come from such diverse backgrounds and the work we do, while we are all in the field of early childhood, is also so unique. I have enjoyed reading and learning about policies and processes within various arenas of the field, as well as different parts of the country. I find it fascinating that we live in this same country, but each state and region have such differing opinions and practices when it comes to early childhood education.
There have been numerous times that I have felt more supported than supportive. The strong women and men that I have encountered along the way have shown me the value of pursuing this higher education. We have had difficult discussions and humorous ones too. As we move on to our different specializations, I truly wish for each of my colleagues success, personal and professional growth, and that they remember the value in doing the work of this graduate program. We are the future of early childhood in America. It will continue to change, for the better or the worse, whether we like it or not. We all have the capability to make an incredible lasting impact on this field and the children and families we serve. Best of luck to all of you! If you are moving on to the specialization of "Teaching Adults in the Early Childhood Field", I will see you on the discussion boards.
Take care!
Katherine
Friday, February 24, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Group Dynamics
This week we have been studying the dynamics that groups have and the characteristics that make a cohesive, efficient group. Establishing trust at the beginning of a group project is essential to the success of the team. As a leader in a group, one must have the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and illicit the strengths that each member has.
In thinking about the groups that I have been a part of, I can begin to see the reasons why some were more successful than others. It has been most difficult to leave the ones into which I had invested some much of my time and myself. Those groups were ones that were lead by exceptional leaders that understood the importance of managing group dynamics and ones that I had lead with some level of success. I can remember being asked to lead a group or taking the reigns of a school and faltering many times before I got it right! It wasn't that it was a high-performing group, or one with well-defined norms. I think it was those where each member felt like they were successful in contributing to the final product or result. It was when we could create a atmosphere of growth for each member through the work that we did.
I think it is important to have some kind of closure to a group or project. They do not need to be elaborate, but they need to mark the end of group's work, highlighting the successes and the obstacles that were overcome. When this master's program is complete, I would hope that we could reflect as a group on our starting point and the growth we've experienced, both personally and professionally, since then. Though we are all from very different places professionally and geographically, we have been on the same journey together and have seen success and challenges along the way. We will continue to grow in these areas and, hopefully remain connected in order to support one another in our future endeavors.
In thinking about the groups that I have been a part of, I can begin to see the reasons why some were more successful than others. It has been most difficult to leave the ones into which I had invested some much of my time and myself. Those groups were ones that were lead by exceptional leaders that understood the importance of managing group dynamics and ones that I had lead with some level of success. I can remember being asked to lead a group or taking the reigns of a school and faltering many times before I got it right! It wasn't that it was a high-performing group, or one with well-defined norms. I think it was those where each member felt like they were successful in contributing to the final product or result. It was when we could create a atmosphere of growth for each member through the work that we did.
I think it is important to have some kind of closure to a group or project. They do not need to be elaborate, but they need to mark the end of group's work, highlighting the successes and the obstacles that were overcome. When this master's program is complete, I would hope that we could reflect as a group on our starting point and the growth we've experienced, both personally and professionally, since then. Though we are all from very different places professionally and geographically, we have been on the same journey together and have seen success and challenges along the way. We will continue to grow in these areas and, hopefully remain connected in order to support one another in our future endeavors.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Conflict
When I think about conflict that I have experienced with colleagues or someone in my personal, I tend to analyze each attempt at communication and all of the verbal and non-verbal exchanges. Recently, I experienced a miscommunication with a friend of mine. We made tentative plans and then they fell through. I communicated that I was fine with the change of plans, but truthfully I was disappointed. We still ended up have a nice time together, but it evolved into several days of passive aggressive exchanges and overall awkwardness. What I learned through that experience is that I need to be truthful about my feelings in the moment and I need to verbalize them. I also need to let go of the analysis of each and every exchange. I tend to over think the communication and all of the subtle nuances that go along with it. The "R" that I definitely need to work on after reflecting on this particular incident is responsive. When I get frustrated with someone and experience conflict of any kind, I find that I shut down and hope that the other person will facilitate the solution to the problem.
Here is my question for others: In our professional environments, how do we handle the ongoing need to motivate and coach others on the importance of quality and responsive care? Often I find that I feel like I have effectively trained or communicated about a concept only to observe that there may not have been as much comprehension as I had planned.
Here is my question for others: In our professional environments, how do we handle the ongoing need to motivate and coach others on the importance of quality and responsive care? Often I find that I feel like I have effectively trained or communicated about a concept only to observe that there may not have been as much comprehension as I had planned.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Who am I as a communicator?
This week we continued to explore communication and focused on evaluating our own communication styles. We used three online assessment tools that evaluated listening, communication anxiety, and verbal aggressiveness. We were asked to have two people in our lives complete the assessments on us as well. After completing the assessments and looking at the results from two others, I noticed that there were some differences, surprises, and some results that aligned with the way I see myself as a communicator.
The insights that I have gained about communication this week are that I seem to change my persona based on the audience or context and that I seem to be more confident in my professional communication than my personal interactions. This may be the result of the amount of time I have spent on refining my presentation, supervisory, and leadership skills in recent years. I also know that I do have a lower self-esteem in social settings and become more reserved with people I do not know.
The second part of our assignment this week asked us to create some communication goals. I think this will help in all areas of my work and personal life as I look to increase my ability to work with a diverse population of children, families, staff, and community agencies.
The insights that I have gained about communication this week are that I seem to change my persona based on the audience or context and that I seem to be more confident in my professional communication than my personal interactions. This may be the result of the amount of time I have spent on refining my presentation, supervisory, and leadership skills in recent years. I also know that I do have a lower self-esteem in social settings and become more reserved with people I do not know.
The second part of our assignment this week asked us to create some communication goals. I think this will help in all areas of my work and personal life as I look to increase my ability to work with a diverse population of children, families, staff, and community agencies.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Communication and Culture
This week we have been studying the intricate nature of communication across cultures and the role we have as professionals of ensuring that we are communicating effectively with the various groups with whom we work. We have looked within ourselves to identify the biases and ideas we have about other groups and how that affects the ways in which we interact with them. We have studied the definitions of various culture groups again to remind us of the characteristics they hold.
I think that there are many strategies that we use to communicate effectively with others. The first is to reflect on and have a genuine understanding of our own culture and the groups with whom we identify. These ideals, traditions, and beliefs have an impact on the way we view the world and other individuals and groups and "it is critical that we reflect on the various aspects of our own cultural identity and examine their positive and negative impacts on our personal and professional development" (Vukovic, 2008, p. 49). The second is to identify your own biases and understandings of the communication partner's or group's culture. We need to understand our own ideas about the other person before we can truly listen to their ideas and share information. There may be ideals and beliefs that we do not fundamentally agree with or that do not align with our own ideals, but in a professional (and often personal) settings, we need to set those aside in order to reach the common goal. Finally, we need to understand our own communication style as it relates to others. Some of us are observers and take in other people's opinions before we offer our own. Others are initiators and lead the conversation. It is important that we understand how we choose to communicate and how others choose to communicate so that we can interpret the subtle behaviors correctly.
References:
Vuckovic, A. (2008). Inter-cultural communication: A foundation of communicative action. Multicultural Education and Technology Journal, 2(1), 47–59.
I think that there are many strategies that we use to communicate effectively with others. The first is to reflect on and have a genuine understanding of our own culture and the groups with whom we identify. These ideals, traditions, and beliefs have an impact on the way we view the world and other individuals and groups and "it is critical that we reflect on the various aspects of our own cultural identity and examine their positive and negative impacts on our personal and professional development" (Vukovic, 2008, p. 49). The second is to identify your own biases and understandings of the communication partner's or group's culture. We need to understand our own ideas about the other person before we can truly listen to their ideas and share information. There may be ideals and beliefs that we do not fundamentally agree with or that do not align with our own ideals, but in a professional (and often personal) settings, we need to set those aside in order to reach the common goal. Finally, we need to understand our own communication style as it relates to others. Some of us are observers and take in other people's opinions before we offer our own. Others are initiators and lead the conversation. It is important that we understand how we choose to communicate and how others choose to communicate so that we can interpret the subtle behaviors correctly.
References:
Vuckovic, A. (2008). Inter-cultural communication: A foundation of communicative action. Multicultural Education and Technology Journal, 2(1), 47–59.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Language, Listening, and Nonverbal Communication
This week we were asked to watch a television show, once with the sound off and once with it on, to observe the use of nonverbal expressions. I chose an episode of "The Big Bang Theory". In this episode, the four male friends are gathered in the living room talking. One character, "Raj", is talking excitedly, smiling and gesturing with his hands. The others are leaning in listening to him. At one point one of the characters, "Sheldon", gets up and walks tot he kitchen. When he turns back to the group, his face is stoic and he is talking quickly and shaking his head. As the camera shows Raj again, his posture has changed and he is no longer smiling. Given the little I know about the show, I assumed that Sheldon had made a comment about what Raj was talking about that proved him wrong about some scientific fact. The other two characters, in looking on at the exchange, go from intently engaged with eye contact, smiles, and raised eyebrows, to looking down and no longer smiling. Raj gets up and leaves. The other characters look at Sheldon and begin speak emphatically, with furrowed eyebrows. Sheldon remains expressionless and shrugs his shoulders.
In watching it again, Raj was given recognition for discovering a new star and Sheldon downplayed the event as minor when there are other facets of science that are "more important". I was correct in my assumption about Sheldon's act of commenting on Raj's idea.
This exercise proved difficult because you could interpret the expressions in so many ways based on the knowledge you have of the individuals. Knowing that Sheldon often expresses such comments in his peer group, one watching might have been able to predict that this would happen. It shows that it is important to have an understanding of individual personalities in order to effectively interpret their communication styles.
In watching it again, Raj was given recognition for discovering a new star and Sheldon downplayed the event as minor when there are other facets of science that are "more important". I was correct in my assumption about Sheldon's act of commenting on Raj's idea.
This exercise proved difficult because you could interpret the expressions in so many ways based on the knowledge you have of the individuals. Knowing that Sheldon often expresses such comments in his peer group, one watching might have been able to predict that this would happen. It shows that it is important to have an understanding of individual personalities in order to effectively interpret their communication styles.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Effective Communication
This week, we begin a new course on communicating and collaborating in the early childhood field. We all know that it is important to be able to communicate ideas and information to our staff, families, community partners, and colleagues. However, there is so much to communication that is subtle and intricate and it is our ability to identify those behaviors and characteristics that will determine the effectiveness of the exchange.
When I think of good communicators in my personal and professional life, there is one person that stands out. She is the facilitator of a work group I have recently joined in the community to discuss and plan for increased and improved social and emotional learning opportunities for children and families in our area. The group consists of professionals from school districts, private organizations, and community partners, such as the local health nurse. Rachel is organized in her approach to each meeting, where we have limited time to discuss all of the important information we have. She actively listens to each member of the group, invites participation in engaging ways (like writing ideas on post its and having us post them on her larger easel paper on the wall), and summarizes each meeting with immense detail. She has a way of interpreting what we are trying to say when we often have trouble saying it. She asks questions in ways that allow for meaningful discussion and is very thoughtful about the process. And did I mentioned the detailed summary! It is generally a four page document with tables and charts that outline the work that we have done and the goals for the next meeting. I am in awe of the ways she can extract information and interpret it in ways that I often don't see until I read the summary! I would very much like to adopt her ability to take in large amounts of feedback and information and process it, then communicate it back to the group in an organized fashion.
When I think of good communicators in my personal and professional life, there is one person that stands out. She is the facilitator of a work group I have recently joined in the community to discuss and plan for increased and improved social and emotional learning opportunities for children and families in our area. The group consists of professionals from school districts, private organizations, and community partners, such as the local health nurse. Rachel is organized in her approach to each meeting, where we have limited time to discuss all of the important information we have. She actively listens to each member of the group, invites participation in engaging ways (like writing ideas on post its and having us post them on her larger easel paper on the wall), and summarizes each meeting with immense detail. She has a way of interpreting what we are trying to say when we often have trouble saying it. She asks questions in ways that allow for meaningful discussion and is very thoughtful about the process. And did I mentioned the detailed summary! It is generally a four page document with tables and charts that outline the work that we have done and the goals for the next meeting. I am in awe of the ways she can extract information and interpret it in ways that I often don't see until I read the summary! I would very much like to adopt her ability to take in large amounts of feedback and information and process it, then communicate it back to the group in an organized fashion.
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