I wasn’t sure the most effective means to begin this blog post on using communication skills to enact change so I chose to look up quotes about communication. I found two that relate to the conversations in the blog post this week. First, from Walt Disney, “Of all our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language.” Many colleagues chose to use You Tube and Facebook forms of social media to influence policy issues as you would be able to put faces and actions of children to use to promote the policy. Pictures can also cut across language barriers.
The second quote by Margaret Chase Smith, “My basic rule is to speak slowly and simply so that my audience has an opportunity to follow and think about what I am saying.” relates directly to the 7 Cs of Communication distributed by Mind Tools (n.d.). The first 3 Cs are clear, concise, and concrete which I view as equivalent to slowly and simply. When a policy is presented with a clear message, which is brief and includes vivid details the listener can follow and think about what is said. The remaining Cs include correct or creditable, coherent, complete and courteous. Another option for a C is creative. I like creative as it lets the communicator know the importance of painting a picture with words.
Two communication skills that early childhood professionals should embody include listening and non-verbal communication. Good listening includes paying full attention to the speaker and being respectful by avoiding interrupting and being judgmental (Helpguide.org, n.d.). A good listener would be able to paraphrase what is said and in relation to policy change would gather the information necessary to promote or question the policy. The second skill, non-verbal communication relates to Walt Disney’s quote about pictures being a universally understood language. The speaker portrays a “picture” of themselves which the listener is observing. Is the picture you present when speaking one of acceptance with an open body language matching the context of the words to the image portrayed? When communicating a policy or speaking with parents, early childhood professionals need to remember the audience and adjust accordingly. If the audience is a parent, educators need to be aware of and avoid using “educationese” that terminology used by educators but maybe not by others.
The “Communication Anxiety” self-assessment inventory showed that I have a mild level of anxiety. The description for my score states I feel a bit uneasy in some situations and confident in others is quite accurate. I feel more comfortable in work related communications. Over the years, I have lead workshops, mentored teachers, spoken with parents and the list goes on so I have built confidence in this area of communication whether it be one on one, small group or large group. My weakness is in social situations. I am not one to go up to someone I do not know and carry on a conversation. I am courteous and introduce myself but that is about it and I believe that is why I am not an avid social media fan.
Reference:
Helpguide.org. (n.d.). Effective Communication. Retrieved May 26, 2014, from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/effective_communication_skills.htm
Mind Tools. (n.d.). The 7 Cs of communication: A checklist for clear communication. Retrieved May 26, 2014, from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_85.htm
I enjoyed reading your heartfelt post on communication anxiety. You mentioned your weakness is in social situations as you made a connection with your lack of interest in social media. You raised my curiosity on Facebook users and personality types. It is recognized that social media has a defining effect on our communication approaches, our social interactions, and our sense of self. Furthermore, it is well-established that personality is an important variable in online behavior (Ross et al., 2009). As academics and policy changers, it is important for us to understand those who use social media and how we can best target our policy message to them.
ReplyDeleteReference
Ross, C., Orr, E. S., Sisic, M., Arseneault, J. M. Simmering, M. G. & Orr. R. R. (2009).
Personality and motivations associated with Facebook use. Computers in Human Behavior, 25(2), 578-586. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2008.12.024
Debi,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. I am in agreement it is important to understand those who use social media. I mentioned to Dr. Callahan in the MD7 assignment 1 blog post that I am considering a web page or Facebook page for my classroom for the fall. Due to the fact that I work at a Title 1 school I am going to survey the parents and see if this would be a worthwhile use of my time. Maybe I will have some time this summer for my daughter to fill me in on Facebook.
Sharon Lloyd
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteCommunication with parents in Title I schools can be tricky. In the past, online surveys were not very effective, due to the lack of internet access. I believe this is becoming less of a problem due to the access parents have through their cell phones. Many of the parents in my class have Facebook pages and access to the internet on their phones to view websites. My school has a website that parents may use to see pictures of their children, a school calendar, and menus for breakfast and lunch. This has provided a positive way to spread information on a large scale. As discussed in other blogs and discussions, we must maintain confidentiality and protect the children from overexposure on the internet. We must always think about safety and act accordingly.
I liked your quote from Walt Disney about pictures being the universal language. Just seeing children laughing and learning through play bring joys to many people. I think we can all learn to more effectively use pictures and videos to promote our causes in shared media. Part of learning is trying new things to grow into stronger, more confident educators.
Cynthia Thralls
Hi Cynthia,
DeleteThank you for your comments. I would definitely have to check on the counties policy for posting pictures on a web page. The page could be used for information and tips with only periodic photographs.
Sharon Lloyd
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post as well. I especially like how you related the quotes to your thoughts about the essential aspects of communication skills. One statement that you made that particularly stood out for me related to "the speaker portrays a picture of himself which the listener observes." I believe often the outward expression of the way we feel will often sell what we are trying to offer or hurt what we are trying to offer.
Hi Melissa,
DeleteThank you for your comments. Your blog picture has an outward expression of acceptance and happiness. I am sure others feel at ease when speaking with you.
Sharon Lloyd