Reflecting on Communication in the Early Childhood Field

As I look back over the past few weeks I see that I have grown from working with you Dr. D. and my classmates.  The communication goal for this week is to develop better team building skills. Team building is so important when you are working with families and young children. As I work with families I see how team building help families develop better bonds with themselves and the center.

In conclusion I have developed so many skills over the past few weeks that will help me as an early childhood educator.  I was able to see areas that I need to work so that I can become more effective in the field. The biggest eye opener was my listening skills and how my facial express affect the outcome of a conversation.

Team Building and Collaboration,

High performance group can be hard to level. When it is a group that is make changes in the lives of people. There is the part also when you can see the work that is being done in the group that makes it hard to leave.

The easiest group to leave was a group in college that was not doing anything to better the life on the main campus. I join the group because of its mission and then learn that it was not their intent to better the campus but to make a name for themselves.

I imagine that we have a great team as we keep developing our relationship as colleagues. The more we work together the more I feel that bond the Carol was talking about this week. That bond is important for our development as early childhood educators. 

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

The conflict that I’m dealing with right now is with my aunt who was cooking for my mother birthday party. The issue is that I wanted her to cook finger foods for 100 people that I have invite and she want $500.00 for the list of food I would for the party. I told her that $500.00 was to much money, so she got upset with me and said find someone else to do it for you.

This week has open my eyes to how to deal with these kinds of conflicts. The first of them comes from the 3 R’s. I have to response to the attacks that I didn’t post in a respectful manner because of who I am in the community. The need one is the win/win outcome. I’m still working on this but I know that it will work out some kind of way where both of us come out on top or happy.

If this was you how would you deal with it?

Who Am I as a Communicator?

From looking back over this week assignment I see that there were a few similarities in my evaluation of myself and then from the two other people. I see that I was harder on myself in some area then they were. Then I see that they were harder on me in some area than I was. I felt that I was sensitive to the needs of people but on of the person told me that I was not. Then on the other hand the other person agreed with me that I’m sometimes over sensitive to the needs of people.

The thing that supervised me was how honest the two people where with me during this assessment. I picked to people that I was close to at work and at church to complete this assignment. I was thinking that there answer would closely match my answer but they give me the truth.

The insight I gain was that I have to become a little more sensitive to people needs at work. On other insight is that I get very nerves when I speak in groups with people in power.

Changes in my Communication Skills

During this past week I did find myself communicating differently without colleagues and families. As I thing back on this past week I remember I was choosing my words more carefully than I did in the past few months. In addition my body language was not as much as I did before.  A prime example was today when I was in a training class for work and something was side that I did not agree with during the training.  The out me would have said what came across my mind right then, but I remembered this week discussion about the platinum rule. So I sat and gather my ideas before I said anything in the training about brain development in young children.  Then when I said what I was thinking my body language was calm and not confusing to the other people in the training.

This week gave me the time to look back over my communication skills. I was able to see where I needed help at to better develop my communication skills.  

Episode of "Soul Food"

The TV show that I looked was “Soul Food”. From looking at the show with the volume off it looked like the characters was have a problem based on their body language. They were using a lot of hand movement and rolling of their necks. 
From the nonverbal communication it look like someone was mad with the other person for some reason. The Nicole Parker seemed upset with Boris. Then he started using body language that came across that he did not like how she was talking to him.

It was hard to try to look at this show with no sound because they used so much body language to get their point across. I was able to get a little out of their conversation from their nonverbal communication.

The assumption I made was that their was a problem going on between the two characters in that scene. I was right based on my assumption. Something was going on with Boris drinking to much and someone got hurt.

If I was watch a show I normal watch it would have been about the same based on the body language that was giving. I think I would have a better understand the plot of the show because I have a idea of what is going on in the show.

What is Communcation?

The person I think of is my aunt Leola who is a great public speaker. She gives great eye contact with the people that she is talking too. She also has research on whatever she is talking about. When I hear her communicate with people she demonstrate the principle of strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their message”.  I would love to model the principle advocate sharing information, opinions, and feelings when facing significant choices while also respecting privacy and confidentiality. As educator we are faced with helping children and families and still respecting their confidentiality.

Reference

O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.