Nonverbal Communication and Television

For this experience I chose to record and watch an episode of WWE Divas. My fiance normally watches the show and I am doing work so I never pay attention. After I recorded the show on Sunday evening, I watched it on Monday on mute. This was an interesting experience as I found myself trying to understand the basis of the "real life" reality show. It was difficult to understand the entire story. Especially because this is apparently reality television and I do not normally watch these shows. You can tell there is tension between some characters and that they are resistant of a new comer but not any real detail about their interactions.
One thing I learned from my horribly wrong assumptions is that it is not a good idea to pass judgement on a situation you no nothing about because it will come back full circle and teach you the lesson. I believe if I had been a regular viewer of the show it may have made more sense on why certain people were fighting but other than that I was a bit lost.
Just remember never assume you understand the situation without all sides of the story. You may be horribly mistaken. 

Communication Role Models

Working in the non-profit organization that I work within, I encounter many new faces and role models throughout my career. One of my more prevalent role models is my executive director, Pedro. I am fortunate that he understand the early childhood education field and supports us, but on top of that he is an excellent communicator. During the last month I have learn many new techniques, including how to receive information without asking a direct question. He is dedicated and articulate when speaking with others, showing me how to actively listen throughout a full conversation and take something away from the process.

I strive to hold that calm and collected method of communication with colleagues, employees and other agencies. Hoping to set a good example for my staff and colleagues on how communication can achieve goals you set for a program.

Communicating Differently?

The idea of culture, diversity, education and perception are all relatively “old” concepts for me as a educator. However, the in-depth look into each portion has shown me new light. I find myself constantly aware of who I am speaking with, but not because of their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or political affiliation. It’s because we speak about our differences and I am aware of how my words can hurt others without even thinking about it.

I find that I do not speak different with people of different cultures but I may be more inquisitive during communication with people of different cultures. For the last two weeks I have been focused on how I communicate with others and I noticed with the majority of older people I am using polite phrases more often. I am constantly aware that I do not want to disrespect anyone that is older than myself or that has more experience within my field or company.

Strategies to communicate more effectively are easy enough to come by. I believe that every person can work on themselves and how they communicate. I find that I need to be a more active listening and participant in communicating with colleagues within my association. Another strategy that I will use is to develop appropriate knowledge. I will spend time learning of different cultures and learning others communication codes. The third strategy I would use would be to develop motivation. “A competent communication wants to learn and improve.” 

Assumptions in Communication

The show I chose to view was Rookie Blue. I watched an episode a couple years ago when it first came on the air but I have not viewed one since.

I chose to view this past week’s episode. I recorded on the DVR and replayed without sound. I must say the communication used in this episode was more non-verbal than direct verbal communications. After viewing this episode I realized how much we as educators and people rely on non-verbal communication throughout our lives. There are a couple police officers who I believe to be in relationships because of their body language. There are a couple that are friends and a couple that do not like each other. There are two male police officers who seems to be having a tension between them.

The officer with the tension between him and other fellow officer seems to be having a rough time with addiction. He is seen speaking with a dealer (based on the materials this actor was given). He seems upset and anxious with his tense shoulders and jumpy behavior.

After I viewed the show with sound, I was incorrect on the relationship between a detective and one of the officers. It seems from their conversation they are no longer a couple. Although non-verbally the sexual tension is still their between them.

If you were to watch a show you knew well the assumption from non-verbal may have been much closer because you would know the relationships between the characters and the plot as the storyline grows.

My experience and insight from this exercise is that we as humans need to be more careful about how we make assumptions of situations without knowing all of the facts. This is especially helpful in early childhood education while dealing with different families with many different cultures.  

Communication with Others

One person in my life who can communicate effectively is my boss. He is the executive director at the community center and is able to hold a full conversation with anyone that walks into the building. He communicates with everyone effectively because he observes the situation before beginning to communicate. He uses body language and verbal communication to form a cultural context for the discussion. 

In my short time working with him I have already began to mirror some of his habits for communication. For example, I am willing to be flexible with my behaviors to ensure my communicator is comfortable in the nature of the communication. This helps when speaking with staff and families.  

Our Hopes

When thinking about my hopes, I am faced with a struggle. I am very fortunate to truly enjoy working for the company I work with and to enjoy my co-workers presence. I hope that in my career working with children and families from diverse communities I am able to offer some support and education to parents and guardians about the importance of school readiness and provide the best rated childcare center in the capital district within the year.
One goal that I have set for myself is to include training for my staff members on issues of diversity, equity and social justice. This is to ensure a cultural  competent staff and accepting atmosphere. This goal is set on a one year plan.
I wanted to thank each of my colleagues throughout this course and program. We are fortunate to work and study in a field that works hard and strives to provide quality education for young children. Allowing our communities to strengthen through our work. Great job everyone!

Family Origin and Welcoming Different Family origins

Looking as a childcare provider/school worker a new family has arrived in the office. They came over from Pakistan.

The first thing I would do when learning of the new immigrant family would be to research their home country and city. Learning about the language and traditions of their country. I would also spend time learning about the climate, agriculture, and sports/music. The second thing I would do would be to learn a few simple phrases in their primary language to show them respect to their culture. I would try to line up a translator to ensure communication between myself and the family to ensure proper care for their child. I would try to prepare a welcome packet for the family of all important information so they have it in writing as well as take the time to explain the policies of the center. The last thing I would do would be to set up a meeting with the child's teacher and all over staff to ensure a cultural responsive atmosphere upon the child's arrival.

I would hope that this preparation would allow for the teachers to learn more about the family they will be working with and for the family to feel welcome and invited into the early learning community. Coming to a new country must be a bit scary and having a welcome environment for their children would put them at ease to immerse themselves into the community.