Strategies for Communicating with People or Groups

Strategies for communicating with people or groups

            I have been away from work for over three months after surviving a very serious car accident.  These are people that I have been working with for several years.  As a result of this class, I find myself taking more time to listen to what they have to say and being more observant of their nonverbal communication (Nadig, L. A., 2010).  Just today, one staff member came to me in my office to ask about what time the staff could leave since we were expecting several inches of snow.  I could tell because of her tone and body language that she was fearful for her safety.  Because I was able to listen with my eyes and ears, I assured her that I would go and talk with the director and executive director.  Within a few moments, I was able to communicate good news that the staff could leave right away!  While I am not always able to communicate great news, when there is unpopular news, I am able to justify to the staff why a decision is made the way that it is.

            The demographics of the population of children and families we serve in Williamsburg, Virginia are constantly changing.  When I began as education/disabilities coordinator eight years ago, there were eight Latino children in our program.  This year there are 40 Latino children from different cultures as well as students from Morocco, Kenya, Thailand, Vietnam, and India.  Therefore, another strategy I must use is understanding my own culture and the culture of others (Gonzalez-Mena, J., p. 36, 2010).  Even the Latino families have different cultures that I must learn about by having conversations with the families and researching their cultures on the internet.  When using the internet, it is important to use sites that are reputable.

            When I am working with colleagues, community partners, family members or any other people or groups, being objective and avoiding ethnocentrism, stereotypes, and prejudice, will help me to gain respect (Zhou, B. & Cui, F., p. 79, 2007) with whoever I am having conversation.  It will also help the people or groups involved to “achieve mutual benefit” (Zhou, B. & Cui, F., p. 81, 2007).  Everyone will be a winner!

References

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2010).  50 strategies for communicating and working with diverse families.

            Understanding and Appreciating Cultural Differences (pp. 36-38). Upper Saddle River,

            NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Nadig, L. A. (2010). Tips on effective listening. Retrieved from

             http://www.drnadig.com/listening.htm.

Zhou, B. & Cui, F. (2007). On the promotion of intercultural communication competence. Sino-

            US English Teaching, 4(9), 77-81.  Retrieved from the Walden Library using Education

            Research Complete database.

Communication- Nonverbal, Listening, and Verbal

Communication- Nonverbal, Listening, and Verbal

“When you talk, you are only sharing information you already know.  By listening, you have the potential to learn something new.”  Dr. Jim Robusto (personal communication, July, 1997).

Cast from Sex and the City

            This was an interesting experiment.  I chose to watch an old episode of “Sex and the City”.  No, I have never watched it before!  I did already know that the show was about four young women friends who live in New York City, however, I was unaware of the relationship that they had with other people in their lives.  The title of the episode was “The Cold War”.  Based on what I saw, I thought the cold war was between Carrie and her love interest.  When I watched the show again with the sound on, I learned that the cold war was between Carrie and her three other friends.  She was spending more time with him than with them.   Because I was honing in on nonverbal communication, I was amazed at how much I was able to figure out just by watching the nonverbal cues. Their gestures, body movements, facial expressions, and eye behavior told me a great deal about what was being said (O ‘Hair & Wiemann, 2012,p. 134-137).  In the case of Samantha, I could tell that she was doing something with wigs because in every scene she had a different hair color and style.   Proxemics (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2012, p. 140) also gave me cues about the closeness of each relationship.  For example, in the opening scene, Carrie was with a man in a restaurant sitting very close to each other.  At the dog show, three of the four girls and a gentleman were all sitting very close together, leaning over each other to talk about things related and unrelated to the dog show.  From this exercise I learned that in new situations it is essential to pay attention to nonverbal cues.   The nonverbal cues can tell you a great deal about what people are thinking or feeling.  They can play a major role in any situation, however.

            Had this been a show that I normally watch, I think it would have been easier to figure out what was going on.  Because you learn the relationships between the people in the show, you can predict how they will react with each other and to different situations.  The longer you are in relationship with a person or group of people, the easier it is to gauge their response to a new situation.

References

O’Hair, D. & Wiemann, M., 2012.  Real Communication: An Introduction (2^nd ed.). Boston,

            MA: Bedford/St. Mary’s.

Effective Communicator in Early Childhood Education

Effective Communication in the Work Place

Dr. Whitehead(far left) at our convocation  with our guest speaker  and  Executive Director, Reba Bolden  (far right)

            The person who I have chosen to write about this week is my boss, Dr. Jocelyn Henry-Whitehead.  She is the director of our Head Start program in Williamsburg, VA.  I consider her to be a transformational leader.  Dr. Whitehead is a role model for all of us to follow.  She begins each day by making a connection with each of the members of our staff.  By hugging each individual she breaks down barriers so that people are willing to share opportunities and challenges on a daily basis.  This helps our agency because then challenges can be proactively solved creating a great environment in which to work.

            Dr. Whitehead is willing to stand beside any employee and do the work they are doing.  This is true for teaching assistants, bus drivers, family service workers, teachers, coordinators or human resource staff.  Her willingness to step in boosts the morale of the staff because they know that she knows what they do each day. 

            She solves problems by getting input from all staff members involved.  In this way she is able to get as many solutions as possible and gain consensus about which solution might be the best.  Because the staff has contributed to the solution, they feel more ownership in the solution and are more willing to carry it through to completion.  Dr. Whitehead feels confident in her decision as a result of the input that she has received.

            Dr. Whitehead also uses humor in the way that she presents ideas.  This helps to ease any tension there might be when difficult decisions have to be made.  It allows her to then explain why the difficult decision has to be made and what the advantages are to following this particular path.  Because she initially used humor, it broke down some of the barriers that might have created dissent among the staff.

            Finally, when challenges arise, Dr. Whitehead helps us to use the challenges as opportunities to grow and learn.  She is not punitive if mistakes are made, but asks the staff member what they learned from the challenge and how they plan to respond in future situations that are similar.  This strategy encourages staff members to take risks without the risk of failure.  Better ideas are shared as a result.

            I truly admire my boss.  She has taught me a great deal about being a leader.  I am hoping that when I become a preschool director, I can emulate many of the characteristics that she has modeled for me.  Because of her style, she is able to motivate staff members in a way that allows them to be the most productive.  I hope that, like her, I can recognize and build on people’s strengths to make the agency as strong as it can possibly be.  Unfortunately, I do not have her gift of humor.  I appreciate good humor, but it is comes across as forced when I try to use it.  I will have to find another way to put people at ease.  I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work with and for her.  I know it has made me a better person and leader.

References

O’Hair, D. & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real Communication: An Introduction (2^nd ed.).

Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2005). Code of Ethical

            Conduct and Statement of Commitment. Retrieved from   

            http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf.

A Family from the Czech Republic

A Family Arrives from the Czech Republic

               Recently a family arrived in Williamsburg, Virginia to apply for our Head Start program.  First, we asked the family if they were comfortable participating in an intake appointment in English or if they needed a translator.  They indicated that there was a family member who could translate for them.  As an agency, we also sought out a translator through a professional translation group and contacted the College of William and Mary to determine if there might be a student who could translate newsletters and other materials that might be going home to the parents.  We also took the time to research the life and culture of the Czech Republic to be responsive to them when they were ready to participate in the intake interview.  Through the intake process, we learned a great deal about the family structure, the reason for the move to the United States (high unemployment and internet capabilities), the language that they speak at home (Czech), and the support system they have living here in Williamsburg.                                                        

                                                

               The teacher was made aware of the new student for the classroom.  She began researching the Czech Republic as well to learn as much as possible about the culture.  She found pictures of children from the Czech Republic to put in the classroom.  As administrator, I contacted the library to ask for help locating books that might have pictures or stories from the country.  The teacher and teacher assistant warmly welcomed the new family to the program.  The child’s name was written in English and Czech.  The teacher received training about using picture cues and gestures to communicate with the child who spoke little English.  The child was encouraged, but not forced, to participate with the other children in the class.  The teachers also invited the parents to be active participants in the classroom.  They also encouraged the family to share their culture with the rest of the class.

               By locating a translator the family will feel more comfortable in sharing their ideas with both the Family Service Worker and the teacher.  Having pictures of children from the child’s native country, having her name written in Czech, providing books with stories from her native country would make the child feel welcomed and accepted.  Because the teacher also has picture cues and gestures as tools to help the child acclimate to the classroom, both the teachers and the child feel more comfortable about this new environment.  Sending home newsletters in the family’s native language, aids in the connection between school and home.  The family feels empowered to actively participate in the program.  Because the staff learned about the culture of the family before they came in for the intake interview, they felt more confident as they learned about the family. 

References

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). (n.d.). In The World Factbook.  Retrieved from

               www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ez.

 Minister of Foreign Affairs.(n.d.). Czech Republic.  Retrieved from www.czech.cz.

The U.S. Department of State. (n.d.). In Diplomacy in Action. Retrieved from www.state.gov.

Experiencing bias, prejudice and inequity

Experiencing bias, prejudice and inequity

            Three and a half weeks ago I was in a car accident in which I experienced a couple of severe injuries.  The EMT asked if I would like to go to VCU/MCV Health Systems to be treated.  At first, I was hesitant as this is a teaching hospital and one which takes patients without health insurance.  My local hospital was so much more convenient but not acquainted with severe trauma.  For the most part, I was treated with the utmost respect and care.  There were some African Americans who did not want to have anything to do with me as a Caucasian.  Examples included taking 45 minutes to one hour to come after I had said that I needed to go to the bathroom.  I remember thinking how angry they would be if I wet the bed.  I did try to wait patiently.  One care partner was willing to do anything for the African American patient across the hall but ignored any requests that I made.  This made me feel marginalized.  While in the hospital I tried to be positive and encouraging to all staff.  Attitude does make a difference in the care that is received.  My roommate called the nurses’ station about every half hour.  I could tell that the nursing staff and care partners were tired of her constant needs.

            We were required to go to the café for breakfast and lunch in order to socialize.  There I met several patients who had been in the hospital for months instead of weeks.  They complained about the food and the service in the hospital.  I can understand their displeasure, however, they were getting three square meals a day of their choice, not having to cook the meal or clean up afterwards.  In talking with some of the other patients, I was able to offer resources that I knew about because of my work.  Some of the patients did not want to do physical therapy not realizing that the one hurt the most was them.  I always said that I would try.  I was not always successful at every task, but the staff appreciated my willingness to try.  I felt for some of the patients.  I have had zero pain since my accident.  That was not the case for many of the patients.  I spoke with one physical therapist when she was disappointed in a patient’s progress. I reminded her that the patient might have several other obstacles with which to deal which might reflect the patient’s lack of progress.  When there are several obstacles in one’s way, the patient must choose where to distribute their energy.  What they may deem important, others may not agree.  However it is important to respect people for the choices that they make even if they are different from the choice we might make.

            When I left the hospital, I had the opportunity to write “Kudos” notes to staff that were particularly helpful.  I wrote eight notes!  When I got home, I wrote a letter to the administrator of the hospital telling him of specific incidences that were especially meaningful for me.  I hope that he will acknowledge them in some way.  By recognizing those who are doing well, others may follow suit.  As an administrator myself, I like to recognize those doing the right thing as opposed to pointing out wrongs.  When a staff member comes into my office that has made a poor choice, we talk about it as an opportunity to learn instead of dwelling on the mistake.  Being kind instead of hurtful makes each opportunity a win-win situation.

Hopes and Goals for Early Childhood

             My one hope for programs working with children and families from diverse backgrounds would be that all people accept and respect each other and to celebrate both the similarities and the differences that each brings.  I am not sure if this can ever be accomplished because there is a need in all cultures for one group to hold power over another group.  However, I can do my part to honor each person for where they are when they enter our program by modeling acceptance, trust and respect.  We have so much that we can learn from each other.  I have seen this through my interactions with people in the class as well as at work.

               A goal that I would have for the Early Childhood field might be that all early childhood professionals have a better understanding of culture-both surface and deep- in order to meet the individual needs of the children and families in our care (Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J.O., 2010, p. 56).  By taking the time to better understand the culture of the children and families, we, as educators, can intentionally plan the curriculum to meet the variety of needs for the children in our classrooms.  It can also help to prevent microaggressions against people whose beliefs are different from that of our own culture (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).  We can also help others to appreciate and celebrate the different gifts that each person brings to the classroom.  Lessons can be learned by gleaning the best from every culture and using the ideas to further early childhood education for all.

               I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about diversity and equity in this class.  In the process I have learned a great deal about myself and the issues facing others in the early childhood field.  Thank you for your willingness to share your strategies and struggles as we continue to grow through the Master’s Program.  Sadly, I will miss the next course because I was involved in a serious car accident so I must complete the papers I have missed.  I look forward to reading your discussions from weeks 6-7 and your blog posts as well.  I hope that our paths will cross again so that we can continue to learn from each other.

References

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J.O., (2010) Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves.

               Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer) (2010). Microaggressions in Every Day Life. Baltimore, MD:                                                  Walden University

Microaggression Observations

Microaggression Observed

This week I began consciously looking for signs of microaggression.  While I did not witness any incidences of microaggressions, I did read about some.  The first was an article in last Sunday’s Flair section of the Richmond Times- Dispatch newspaper.  The article talked about a growing population of people from India.  In the article young people spoke about the importance of acclimating themselves to the culture of the United States.  They live two separate lives—their school life and their temple life.  The students explained that they were two entirely different lifestyles.  It is a shame that these people from India cannot maintain their culture within the North American culture.  There are things that I am sure we can learn from each other to make all of our lives better.  One of my co-workers is from India.  She and I often have conversations about finding inner peace in all situations.

Another article I read this week was in the September 2012 issue of Reader’s Digest.  It was taken from the March 1963 issue of the magazine and was written by Alex Haley.  The article titled “The Man Who Wouldn’t Quit” was about the life of his brother, George, at the University Of Arkansas School Of Law.  In the story George was the object of microassaults, microinsults, and microinvalidations (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010).  In order to go to the school he had to live in the basement of a building.  He was not allowed to use any of the resources available to other students of the time including the cafeteria and the library.  He endured a great deal of ridicule, but by his senior year many students were accepting him for who he was—a brilliant man with great insight. I am hopeful that incidents such as this do not go on today with the magnitude that they did in earlier times.

The third instance was an interview on the Today Show in which women who were in the military were raped by men in the military.  There was no action taken by the military to discipline the men who had done this.  What a horrible burden for these ladies!  When asked if they would serve their country again, these ladies unanimously said they would even though this atrocity had occurred.  I know that this happens also in society.  It is very saddening to think about the secrets that men, women, and children keep within when they are the victims of rape. I wonder how it affects their daily lives.

Because The United States of America is a melting pot of all different types of people, it is important that as a nation and individually we learn to accept people for whom they are.   We must celebrate each person for the gifts they bring to our society because of the life experience they have had.  We can learn from each other, and in doing so, grow as individuals.

References

Bell, J. (Producer) (2012, September 26). Today Show. [With Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, and

            Al Roker]. New York, NY: National Broadcasting Company.

Haley, A. (1963, March & 2012, September). The Man Who Wouldn’t Quit. Reader’s Digest,

            144-151.

Prestidge, H. (2012, September 23). Indians’ commitment to one another and other transcends

            economic and social circles. Richmond Times-Dispatch, p. G1, 8.