COMMUNICATION AMONG OTHERS

I’ve always keep my personal life and professional life separate. It's very important to have standards of professionalism when interacting with colleagues. In my currently position, I’m a Head Start Teacher and during staff development meetings, my communication is always professional using high language (formal) and gestures. In my home environment around my friends and family, my guard is down, and I’m more relaxed. I use more low language (slang) when talking to friends and family. Also, when I work with families in the early childhood profession, I avoid speaking to families using words that could be intimidating. For example, “YOU NEED TO……!” Using a phrase like that with families can set the tone of the relationship and hinder building a quality relationship with the family. Also, it gives the impression that I’m tell them what to do. In my family culture, I may tell my children, “You need to complete your homework", which is acceptable in my family culture. So I believe communicating should be different based on the situation because individuals can take things the wrong way.

COMMUNICATION INTERPRETATION

“The Big Bang Theory” is a cable show I’ve never watched but seen so many commercial for it. I thought this would be a great opportunity to watch the show to interpret the communication. The show consists of friends that are scientists that are not the coolest guy to communicate with others outside the science world. Watching the show without sound was very interesting; I started to play close attention to the nonverbal cues such as gestures, movement, and eye contact to interpret the plot of the episode. I could interpret the relationship between the characters are close friends and they had similar interest.  I could tell the expression between the characters is friendly and could be serious at times. Watching the show with sound gave it a new light. There was a particular scene where one of the characters was actually telling a joke but his facial expression was so serious, but it was actually funny. Without hearing the joke I missed it the first time I watched the show. If I would have watched a TV show I was more familiar with I could have did a better job assuming on the plot and characters. The familiarity of watching previous episodes would lead me to interpret the show. What a "Oh My Stars" moment I had during this experience. Everything is not what it seems. It is important not prejudge from a gesture or look, but to examine the situation. Verbal communication can bring new mean to a conversation.

COMPETENT COMMUNICATOR

My supervisor demonstrates competent communication during our staff meetings by making sure that she maintains eye contact with everyone when she is speaking and by always having an agenda.  She allows everyone in the meeting a chance to share personal/professional news at the beginning of the meeting which sets a comfortable tone for everyone in the room.  She makes sure everyone understands everything being discussed and gives everyone a chance to ask questions after each topic on the agenda.  She always makes sure the meeting progresses without too many interruptions, and if an issue comes up that needs more individual attention, she asks the person to see her afterwards in order to keep the meeting on point and to a minimum.

I would want to model some of my own communication behaviors after her because I hate sitting in long, boring meetings, and I know many other people do as well.  I think she does an excellent job of making the staff meeting enjoyable as possible by keeping it to a minimum while making sure all points are covered.  She's always interested in learning new things from the staff and encouraging others to share.

 

 

 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL HOPES AND GOALS

Hopes......

We live now in a global village and we are in one single family. It’s our responsibility to bring friendship and love from all different places around the world and to live together in peace."

------Jackie Chan, Chinese Actor, Philanthropist

Goals…….

My goal for the early childhood field related to diversity is to create an early childhood environment that represents a variety of cultures. Also, my goal is to train early childhood professionals on the importance of being an anti-bias teacher. The training will give them the knowledge of culture sensitivity and the understanding of social identities in children and families.

 

Thank You......

 

Colleagues......

Colleagues, what can I say?  Thank each of you for your class participation, your sharing and caring spirits.  I wish each of you many blessings.  Let us remember the children and families on how you would like to be treated.......  BEST WISHES!!

Dr. Tuthill,

Your patience and understanding is a virtue.  Thank you for being you.  Your guidance and participation within our discussions and on line chats were encouraging.  I needed the support of a caring instructor. 

WELCOMING FAMILIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

I would prepare to welcome a child and family from Liberia.  I have never worked with a child or family from this part of the world.  Therefore, I would prepare by:

1.    RESEARCHING THE COUNTRY

2.    RESEARCHING THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

3.   LEARNING ABOUT THE CULTURE AS WELL AS TRADITIONS 

4.    LEARNING ABOUT THEIR ACIENT MUSIC AND INSTRUMENTS

5.    LEARNING ABOUT THE CULTURE FOOD

 

 

 

I believe that preparing to work with a  family from another country will allow me to establish strategies for communicating effectively as well as understanding the cultural background, values, and beliefs of the family in which will enable me to establish a productive relationship with the child as well as the family.

THE PERSONAL SIDE OF BIAS, PREJUDICE, AND OPPRESSION

I have definitely experience this topic with a cousin but fortunately not to the extent of breaking her down; unfortunately this is not everyone’s case. Bias, prejudice and oppression can damage people to the extent of causing severe depression, low self-esteem and even committing suicide.

I have a cousin that moved from California when we were younger. She has this distinct accent as well as biracial. Her mom was white and her dad is black which is my uncle. The kids was teased her about being a half monkey. It use to bother her really bad, but she got over it.

There is this one movie Dream Girls that clearly shows that to me a famous artist you should must have the looks, talent comes in second. This is the case of  Effie whites played by Jennifer Hudson, an extremely talented young woman but unfortunately doesn’t have the looks; therefore she doesn’t get the role of the lead singer of the group.  Deena Jones played by Beyonce Knowles a stunning, beautiful, young talented woman, got the role of lead singer. Why? Because she not only had the talent but most important she had the looks, this is the way it was and continues to be in the music industry. Looks over talent equals fame. Fair? Not at all!

PRACTICING AWARENESS OF MICROAGGRESSION

As an African-American woman, I’ve always had to prove myself as an educated person. I learn that people still judge you on their own biases and stereotypes. First I was judged for being from the South when I would go visit cousins from the northern states, they would say comments jokingly, but it wasn’t funny to me. A most recent example of microaggression is in my current profession. I’m a Teacher for an early childhood program  Head Start where I’m surrounded with colleagues of the dominant culture. Our program serves a variety of families, but the majority is African-American families. I was developing a newsletter on summer safety for children where I was addressing the need for sunscreen outsides. As the program director at the time was a Caucasian woman reviewed the newsletter she comments, “Black people do not use sunscreen.” As African American woman, I was appalled! I immediately corrected her in an intelligent and proper matter. She felt assume and embarrassed, and I felt disrespected and offended. I looked at her differently for that point. This experience taught me that many people are judged on their own biases and stereotypes.   I’ve vowed to treat everyone the same regardless of whom they were.