Who Am I as a Communicator ?

Hello Classmates,

This week, my husband and my son evaluated my communication skills. My communication anxiety is high and i kind of knew my difficulties to express myself even in small groups. It did not surprised me but it confirmed what i knew and put words on it.
My verbal aggressiveness is low and my listening is action- oriented for them when i thought that i am a people- oriented listener. I liked this because if i manage to mix the two in my communication skills, it would be a good mixture based on empathy and efficiency (Rubin, Rubin, Graham. 2009).

The main thing i have to focus on is how to deal with anxiety, if i want to be a competent communicator in the field of Early Childhood Education. Understanding and addressing anxiety is the first thing to do, and knowing the methods of delivery of the message you have, is the second thing (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2015, p. 404 & 408).
I also need to adjust my listening habits because when someone is a people- oriented listener, it can interfere proper judgement because we tend to be very trusting of others (Rubin, Rubin, Graham. 2009).

References

Rubin, R. B., Rubin, A. M., Graham, E. E., Perse, E. M., & Seibold, D. R. (Eds.) (2009). Communication research measures II: A sourcebook. New York: Routledge.

• "Listening Styles Profile-16"

O'Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J. (2015). Real communication (3rd. ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Communication and Culture

Hello classmates,

A setting where i am in contact with diversity is where my children go to school. 33 nationalities are represented there. Being a french speaking person, i have still some complex when it comes to a conversation in English. I write in English, better than i speak. I do not find myself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures just because they are different, but mostly because i always have less confidence when it comes to a language that i do not master. Language is symbolic, has multiple meanings, is informed by our thoughts, and is shaped by grammar and context (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2015, p. 66). 

Nevertheless, based on what we learned this week, during this time where i know i get to practice my English, i can still apply the Platinum Rule which is to  "Do to others as they themselves would like to be treated. " Because i know now that there are other ways i can use to show people recognition and attention non verbally or by being a good listener. Which is responding to show others that i have received and understood their messages O'Hair & Wiemann, 2015, p. 155). The best attitude to have is wanting to be other- oriented even by greeting someone, showing attention. Another important strategy in diversity is not to fall in ethnocentrism, where we tend to think that our culture is superior than others (Beebe, Beebe & Redmond. 2011, p. 99).

References

O'Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J. (2015). Real communication (3rd. ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Beebe, S.A, Beebe, S.J & Redmond, M.V. 2011. Interpesonal Communication: Relating to others (6^th Edition)

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Hello Classmates,

I chose the television show called "The Newsroom". here is the link to it: https://youtu.be/kp04NqmwWn4. I observed the second scene where, with the sound turned off, the adult seems to be a relative of the boys' family, or a close family friend. It seems to be a post- service funeral reception if i refer to their clothing.
Based on the nonverbal behavior he has difficulties at the beginning, to approach the young boy. But as the conversation goes on, they seem to get along and they even start to play the guitar together. Everyone comes outside to enjoy the music played. Everyone seems happy to the point where i am even starting to wonder if it is a funeral reception !!

The assumptions i based on the characters are defined as nonverbal Codes: the body language and the physical appearance. When i observed the young boy, you could sense that he was simply sad. There are gestures and body movements that can send nonverbal messages. They are called kinesics. This does not mean that the way we move our body is a language (O’Hair, Wiemann, Mullin & Teven, 2015, p. 101). Perception about appearance are referred from clothing you wear, which can reveal quite a bit about (O’Hair, Wiemann, Mullin & Teven, 2015, p. 107) the circumstances.
My assumptions were right.

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION

Dear Colleagues,

I hope that it wasn't too difficult for you to find a competent communicator in a given context, like it was for me.

I finally chosen to post this very small video on How To Speak The Secret Language of Personality Types.

https://youtu.be/zDJOWBE24g4

All the very best to you all.

Marlene.

When I Think of Research...

At the beginning of my "Building Research Competencies" course, my knowledge about research was very limited. But now at the end of the course, I consider it to be something feasible because I gained  the knowledge that quality research requires skills and experience, with the ability to use it as a tool which can answer the questions one has set out to address (Mac Naughton, Rolfe & Siraj-Blatchford pp. 108. 2010).
My ideas about the nature of doing research have changed because I learned about the steps to undertake in conducting a research, as of changing a research question into a hypothesis, designing the research which consists of making decisions about how the study will be executed, the sampling, deciding which method will be used as of quantitative or qualitative research. Quantitative research approach is interested in the understanding of non- numeric data rather than the logical side of it. Qualitative research approach, is done with numeric data step by step with the drive to control every detail (Mac Naughton, Rolfe & Siraj-Blatchford pp. 13. 2010). 
Now I know that quantitative research will produce facts and figures, qualitative research will produce meanings and understandings and that it is possible to mix methods for a full outcome.
What I consider to be of a great value for me, is the ethical side of the research because it is based on the informed consent- after many cases of harm with children- which is the ethical view that all humans have the right to autonomy, the right to determine what is in their own interests, to monitor children during the study and most importantly, the right to withdraw when it is necessary (Mac Naughton, Rolfe & Siraj-Blatchford pp. 74-75. 2010).

Reference

Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S.A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Research Around The World

Dear Classmates,

I would like to share with you this research that I found exceptional, which is supposed to study and understand the intentionality for both the educator and the child, and therefore the intentionality of a program. This is how it is stated:

"Historical notions of the role of the educator, with direct links from intentional teaching through developmentally appropriate practice to more postmodern conceptualizations, have created tensions in curriculum tied to pre - determined outcomes. Curriculum developed by educators has the potential to inhibit powerful contributions children can make towards their own education. 

Contemporary theorising of the educator now acknowledges the child’s right for active participation. What needs to be understood is that while an intentional teacher looks for opportunities to teach, an intentional learner looks for opportunities to learn throughout the day. The goal of an intentional teacher is to seek strategies that develop intentional learning skills within children. This view on the role of the educator changes from the provider of knowledge to one that promotes the innate drives for independent learning.

An intentional curriculum involves co-participation where both the teacher and child are valued as equal partners within the teacher–learning nexus. Identifying the child as an intentional learner provides agency for children in setting their own goals with educators. Equitable outcomes for learning pathways can only be truly achieved when intentionality represents this relationship. This work argues that recognition of the child as an intentional learner may go some way to resolving misunderstandings about intentionality".

I found it a very interesting approach that will help change old school teachers in progressivist teachers  with values of progressivism which comprise questioning, challenging, openness and seeking alternate possibilities (Kohn. 2008).

References

Early Childhood Australia. http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/australasian-journal-early-childhood/index-abstracts/ajec-vol-38-4-2013/1850-2/

Kohn, A. (2008). Progressive education: Why it's hard to beat, but also hard to find. Retrieved from http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/progressive.htm