Final Post- EDUC 6165

  


Hello Colleagues,

I am most grateful for your feedback through your insightful comments on the blackboard and blog assignments. I feel confident moving forward as an improved communicator and collaborator and I am sure you are too. As you move on to your areas of specializations, I wish you every success.There is still much to attain, but with God, our wonderful tutors and the support of each other we will achieve the successes we desire. So long!

Adjourning

Adjourning is essential in team work, because it allows for team evaluation and celebration of successes.
Adjourning is usually difficult in groups that are connected with a positive energy, some of which, I was fortunate to have participated. In such groups, there is mutual respect and trust is developed among team members. Some of the most difficult teams I have had to adjourn from are camp team buddies. While growing up, I attended many camps and met many friends. Usually, we were placed in cabins to live together for two weeks and we became like family. We supported each other, worked and played together and built wonderful friendships. At the end of two weeks there was much hugging and crying, because we knew that we may never see each other again for we came from different parts of the country and the Caribbean Region. There was also much reflection on our time spent together where our accomplishments and failures were highlighted in a humours manner. We would take the phone numbers of our new friends, however many times after a few weeks or months we would stop communicating. 
For me adjourning is hardest when I connect with members of my team face to face on a regular basis. Therefore, I do not think that when the time comes for me to adjourn from my colleagues on this program it would be as difficult as if we were meeting face to face each week. Yes, I would miss their comments and contributions, but I do not think that our adjournment would severely affect me.

                                COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY

My neighbour and I are in constant disagreement over the way she manages her pets. They often come over in my yard, destroy my plants and fetch away valuable things in my yard. I have spoken to her on numerous occasions about putting them away, especially when they are not being supervised. She always promises to do so kindly, but never does. I have applied the three R's suggestion. But I find that the communication process is still unsuccessful. For even though my neighbour speaks kindly and promises to manage her pets better, I find her non-compliance to her verbal agreements disrespectful. When respect is reciprocated the communicating partners are likely to respond favourably. This leads to the development of positive relationships. However, I am sensing that my neighbour's continued disrespect may eventually lead to a negative response. This week, as I pondered on the concept of non-violent communication and its promotion of compassionate giving I wondered if I was being compassionate enough to make this process work. Maybe she means well, but some factors may be preventing her from doing so. What do you think colleagues. Please share your suggestions. 

                          Who Am I as a Communicator?

The activity was interesting. After rating myself I was anxious to see how the others would rate me. My sisters scores were very similar to mine. They rated me 62 on the verbally aggressive scale 34 on communication anxiety and category 1 in listener styles profile. I rated my self as 61, 35 and category 1 in the same areas. However, my colleague's scores were a bit different. This made me realise that my communication with my family was more opened than with my colleagues at work. I take more time to be cautious about the way I communicate with colleagues, so they don't know me the way I and my family do.

I was surprised that my colleagues rated me well which makes me feel like I do a good job communicating with them. But in reality, I know that there are areas, such as my tone, that I still need to work on. 

I realise that much acting can occur in the communication process, because we are unable to read each other's thoughts. The negative aspect of this is that we may never truly get to know the individual. I see the positive aspect of this form of  acting being, we get to show respect despite how how we upset we are. We also get to change our form of language used as we communicate with different groups of people with whom we associate. This allows me to be professional and also use my 'high language' when I am in the professional setting but allows me to 'code switch' when I am in my personal space..

I have also learned that our words have moulding power as promoted through the 'Self-fulfilling Prophecy Theory' and we need to be cognizant of this when we communicate, especially with our children. I tend not to think about how my comments may affect others before saying it, especially with persons to whom I am familiar. The study this week has caused me to reflect and I plan to be more cautious and tactfully communicate what I need to say so as not to offend others especially my family and dear friends.

                Different Ways of Communicating

• Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures? If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

Yes, I find that whenever I am in the presence of members of the dominant culture ( wealthy. powerful and influential people) I strive to ensure that my speech is perfectly structured. I do this because I think that they are perfect and I do not want to appear lesser than them in anyway.I also find that when I communicate with my peers and younger groups of people I am my speech is more casual, because I have found that younger people respond better to casual rather than formal speech especially in informal settings. I have come to realise that we are great actors in life and so we adjust to suit the occasion and the circumstance.The way we communicate is also affected by the way we perceive things to be. 

Since I have started this course, I have learned that the different language we use in different relationships is often affected by unique communication climates. O'Hair and Wiemann (2012) talk about language reflecting context. In other words we use language that suits the people we are around, where we are, our cultural context and our experiences with language. We find the most suitable language to meet the demands of a given relationship, situation, or cultural environment. 

Non-Verbal Communication




The show I chose to watch is a comedy series, My wife and kids.

With the sound off
  
 What do you think the characters' relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating?

I assumed that the characters- The children and their father are very affectionate towards each other. Every time they are about to leave or enter the room, they hug and kiss their dad. I also assumed that the father was a romantic since he kept ordering his wife bouquets upon bouquets of flowers and she smiled and hug him every time one was delivered.

 What are they feeling and expressing based on the non-verbal behavior you are observing?

Everyone of the characters seemed happy to be in the company of each other. They were very affectionate towards each other.

With the sound turned on.

What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed?

I assumed that the characters were big on expressing affection. However, I realized that the father was bribing the children with money to have them express affection towards him every time they left the room and his wife was not very pleased with all the flowers and extra attention her husband was paying her.

Would your assumptions have been more correct if you had been watching a show you know well?

Yes I believe that my assumptions would have been more correct if I was familiar with the characters. I have found that it becomes easier to read the non-verbal communication of others when they are very familiar to me.

EDUC-6165-8 Blog

                            EDUC-6165-8  Blog       

                     Competent Communication

Mrs McBean, my professor on the Bachelor degree program is the most competent communicator I have met. She is eloquent, never raises her tone even when she is being stern, listens attentively without interrupting whenever a matter is brought to her and what I admired most is her ability to always present a calm image and communicate effectively even when things were not what they should be and also her honesty. She keeps her communication positive no matter what it is. She makes her students feel worthy because she is fair. I always refer to her as my model teacher. 
I have always admired her ability to communicate so effectively and hope to achieve that level some day.