I Want to Say Thank You!!!

The eight weeks I have spent in this course has been awesome. I have learned a tremendous amount of information in this course. The information I have learned in this course will help me along the way of becoming a highly-qualified teacher. My colleagues have supported me by providing me with informative information about what they have learned about effective communication. I hope that I provided them with the same information. One important fact that I will never forget is that effective communication is very important and it all starts with listening. 

As my colleagues continue their professional path, I would like to wish each of you continuous success. I would also like to wish you the best in this course and in future courses as well. If you would like to keep in contact with me, my email address is jhavarri@yahoo.com. 

Thanks to all of you for this wonderful learning experience!!! Wishing you all the best!!!

Adjourning Stage of Team Development

“In the "adjourning" stage the project is coming to an end and the team members are moving off into different directions. This stage looks at the team from the perspective of the well-being of the team rather than from the perspective of managing a team through the original four stages of team growth” (Abudi, 2010). Adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because this is the wrapping up portion for the group which is very important. 

I was involved in numerous group projects at my previous job. We worked very well with one another and we became great friends. Our group was a high-performing group. Each one of us did everything we could to make the group successful. Everyone was fully engaged in the projects and was very committed. I ended up leaving the job because I found a job that offered better pay and benefits. It was very hard for me to say goodbye to this group because we ended up becoming close friends. We still are friends and communicate on the phone often, but we have such busy lives that we hardly ever get to see each other.

The closing ritual that I experienced was a going away party filled with co-workers, my family, and the families of the children in my classroom. They congratulated me on my new job, told me how much they appreciated me and all of the hard work that I did on the job, and wished me the best. It was a wonderful experience! 

At the end of this course, I will adjourn by thanking all of my colleagues for all of their insights and input they have provided in this course. I will also wish them the best in this course and in future courses. I will do all I can to keep in touch with them by continuing to post/comment on their blogs. 

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http:// www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html 

Managing and Resolving Conflict

A conflict that I recently experienced was with a colleague at my job. At work, I try to remain very professional. When I enter the building in the morning, I say “good morning” to everyone with a smile on my face and when I depart in the evening, I say “see you later” with a smile on my face.  I also do this to the people who never speak back because that is the type of person I am. I work with several women who gossip a lot about others and who are always complaining about something. 

The woman that I had a conflict with, a couple of weeks ago, have always had smart remarks to say to me and I would just brush these remarks off because I try to do all I can to avoid conflict. I try to avoid conflict with others because I know how I can get when I get really upset, so to keep from losing my job, I just brush off the things she would say to me. Well, one day at work, we were on the center playground with our children and she decided to take the water cooler off of the bench and give it to the teachers on the other playground. She saw that I was sitting on the bench giving the children (including her children that’s in her classroom) water, but she takes it anyway. She did not say a word to me, she just took it and walked over to the fence and gave it to the other teachers. I was so upset. I was so upset and angry to the point that I started shaking in anger. I knew that I had to calm myself down before I said something to her because if I didn’t, the children were going to see me act really ugly. After I had calmed down, a little, I let her know how I felt about what she had done and it was very disrespectful and to never do it again. She did all she could to justify what she had done, but I was not trying to hear what she had to say because she knew she was wrong. 

Some strategies I have learned to help me manage or resolve conflict more productively are to control my behavior and emotions and to always remain calm. “When you’re in control of your emotions, you can communicate your needs without threatening, frightening, or punishing others.  By staying calm, you can accurately read and interpret verbal and nonverbal communication” (Helpguide.org, 2014).

“The most important information exchanged during conflicts and arguments is often communicated non-verbally. When you’re in the middle of a conflict, paying close attention to the other person’s nonverbal signals may help you figure out what the other person is really saying. This will allow you to respond in a way that builds trust, and gets to the root of the problem. A calm tone of voice, a reassuring touch, or an interested or concerned facial expression can go a long way toward relaxing a tense exchange” (Helpguide.org, 2014). These strategies will help me manage and resolve conflict in healthy ways. 

To my colleagues, can you give me your input and advice regarding how you have learned to be more effective communicators as it relates to conflict resolution skills? 

Helpguide.org. (2014). Conflict Resolution Skills. Retrieved October 4, 2014, from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships/conflict-resolution-skills.htm

Who Am I as a Communicator?

I never thought about evaluating myself or how others evaluated me as a communicator before taking this course. The one thing that surprised me the most was realizing that I am a time-oriented listener. I really need to work on this because I do not want to continue to put a time limit on how long I can communicate with someone. I must stop watching the clock when others are communicating with me. 

Some insights that I have gained about communication this week are being a competent and effective communicator and listener is very important. Effective communication skills are crucial to our success in life. Also, listening is important and the key to all effective communication. Listening is a great way to connect to another person.  Being a good listener can have many benefits in our personal and professional lives. Being a good communicator can help us avoid misunderstanding and potential conflicts with others. These insights will inform my personal life and professional work by helping me to learn to listen and improve my communication skills when interacting with others.

Communication and Culture

Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?

If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

Based on what you have learned this week, share at least three strategies you could use to help you communicate more effectively with the people or groups you have identified.
 

I do find myself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures. I communicate different when I am with my colleagues at work. When I communicate with them, I try to be more professional. But when I am communicating with my friends and family, I am more comfortable so I may sometimes talk loud. 

I have a family in my classroom that speaks Spanish and little English. I know some Spanish words, but not much. I try to understand what the family is trying to say to me but sometimes it is very difficult. I also try to be patient with the family. After reading the articles, I have learned three strategies that could help me communicate more effectively with this family. One strategy is to develop appropriate knowledge. “Knowledge is power. To increase your knowledge of others who are different from you, we need to seek information about others, ask questions and listen for answers, and establish common ground” (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2011, p.105). Another strategy is to develop motivation. “Competent communicators want to learn and improve. They are motivated to enhance their ability to relate to others and to accept others as they are. A key to accepting others is to develop a positive attitude of tolerance and acceptance of those who are different from you. You have to tolerate ambiguity, become mindful, and avoid negative judgment of others” (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2011, 107). The third strategy is to develop skills. “To be skilled is to be capable of putting into action what you know and want to achieve. The skills underlying being interculturally competent are the ability to be flexible, to be other-oriented, and to adapt your communication to others” (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2011, p.109). 

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.