How I Evaluated Myself as a Communicator

July 26, 2014

How I Evaluated Myself as a Communicator

When reading this assignment it made me to reflect truthful on my communicating abilities and qualities; which I have never exercised before. I only thought I didn't like speaking in public but to take a deep soul search had never entered my mind. 

The first two people I considered was my niece and my baby sister. These two individuals told me some things I think I already knew. My niece said when I talk to others in public for instance at church at Bible class if the people disagree with me I take it personal and my voice escalates and tremble with an angry tone. Furthermore, she says my entire expresses changes. At the end of the conservation I really end up angry and displease with the people.

My baby sister said when I am communicating most of the time I am a cool person with casual conservation but if someone is attacking my character or my children then I get very defensive because my voice escalates and there is a trembling in my voice. Therefore she knows I am upset with the person. But overall I am a cool person to communicate with. She also feels as though I interrupt too much when I should be listening to people conservation and love to give my opinions; which at the particular time I should just listen and not interject.

After listening to both parties I really surprised at their opinions of my communication and listening skills. I thought within myself I was a cool and rashly person to communicate with. Even though the scores kept me at middle but in verbal aggressiveness I scored 72. I suppose my sister says I give my opinions and interrupt too much, well that is true but I can't see or understand why would someone bring you their problems or situations if they didn't want advice. I do know I should allow the person to complete their subject and sometimes people just want to vent their frustration and don't want any advice. Furthermore my niece is correct my voice does escalates and tremble I just be trying to get my thoughts across. I don't know about me be angry with the people but I am disappointed in their beliefs or thought process. 

I believe as a preschool teacher I do listen and communicate with my children extremely well but with my colleagues I can improve my skills on listening with them. I do interrupt and give my opinions upon people when they just want a listen ear. As for the setting at church I need to improve my tone voice and work on my opinions I think towards others.

Communicate With People From Different Groups and Cultures

July 26, 2014

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

Yes, I do find myself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures. It depends on what type of setting I am relating or dialoguing with. If I am communicating with my family then I don't have to be formal. But even dialoguing with my family as my siblings, nieces, and nephews I have to use correct grammar because if not they will politely interrupt you and correct your grammar usage. However when I am communicating with my colleagues at work I tend to do the exact same thing if they tend to use incorrect grammar because I believe we are educators and as educators we should always use correct grammar at the workplace and especially around children. Children are very impressionable and they model and mimic everything adults do and say, therefore I always try to communicate correctly. Furthermore when communicating with my church members I am a little more polite with them than my family because I certainly will not correct their grammar but do correct them in my mind. Also at a banquet or function of this type I tend to communicate more preserve and elegant and not as loud versus family and work colleagues. Addition when I am communicating with different cultures I shy away because I don't want to offend or insult anyone feelings because I don't know their language or environment and what is accepted and not accepted. I communicate fewer words as possible. I know when I am communicating with my Hispanic parents I basically smile and nod my head because I don't know how to speak Spanish not a little therefore it's best to communicate fewer words as possible so I can stay safe. 

In the past courses and this last four weeks I have certain learn not to judgmental because we as possible don't know if these person culture beliefs therefore we as people need to refrain from making rash opinions about others. For instance on today I am in Evansville, Indiana and I was communicating with new acquaintance and they were calling children out of their names and I stated that could be their culture or environment how they live and act therefore we shouldn't judge the book by its cover. I do know I have learned to consider the person culture beliefs even if they are my on race before this class and previous ones I didn't consider their culture of style. 

Next, I strongly agree with microagression because we as people as a whole tend to put our foot in our mouth for speaking before we think about what we are saying. I know a situation a brother of mines thought not to say something because it may insult and offend the person and his mother but no, he went right on and had to speak of the thoughts in his mind and like he thought it offended the people much, and he had to apologize. 

Communicating Within Myself

July 19, 2104

As I communicate with my fellow colleagues on my job we aren't diverse regarding race. Everyone of us are Black Americans and all female teachers. Ages range from mid 20s through 80 years old. Furthermore we all are mothers except one teacher and majority are grandmothers, also all are wives. The staff as a whole gets along as a big happy family except with the manger. In addition the remainding staff members consist of some males. However we do have Hispanic and White support staff workers. But I do dialogue differently with them because it's rarely I see them. Furthermore on my job we do discuss politics, religion, sexual orentation, and race because it is really nothing we don't communicate amongst each others. I think the only thing we will not discuss is pay or pay raises but that's a very sensitive subject to all parties at hand.

First strategy I would incorporate concerning my communication skill would be listening more effective to all people. I am known around my family as blonde because they say I don't get anything right but that's not true but some reason of another my mind wonder off. Therefore  since I started this class I have been working on my listening skills. For one of the things I read in the articles was make a list of five things you would to do to improve your listening skills and the first basically said go there to get something out of the speaker.

Second strategy I would incorporate concerning my communication skill would be applying the Platinum Rule because sometimes I say things to insult people and then I feel horrible. I recall I day especially I thought I was commenting a co-worker but instead I insulted her tremedously. And this last for weeks and weeks whereas she finally forgave me-I was very relieved when she stopped mention it to me or insinuated it. Therefore by using the rule it will help me to think before I speak. There is a saying in the Bible "Shift to hear and Slow to speak" James 1:19.)

Third strategy I would incorporate concerning my communication skill would be by recognizing my own bias toward things within my own personality. So often we may not know their is something inside of us that's keeping us from been objective toward others. I think at this particular time I am not prejudice but I am going to do a soul search within to check if my there are  not no deep feelings because I don't want anything to be hiding deep down inside and I don't treat all people fair. I find people showing others favor while one may be treated isolated and I never want to do make someone feel left out. I do need to work on my relationship with my manger but it is hard, but I am going to strive to communicate with her in a positive manner. I have learn new ways to accomplish this goal.

July 12, 2014

Communicating and Collaborating

               This week’s assignment deals with watching a television sitcom nonverbally and assuming what is happening on the show. Later, watching the same show with sound to determine how well I interpreted what was happening. The title of the sitcom is “Liv and Maddie.” The show is about a family of six people, including a dad, mom, two brothers and two sisters. It started off with daddy coming down the stairs to the kitchen talking to the wife asking her for breakfast but the mother is faking as though she is sick. She has her head hanging over the sink with a towel on top, because she is tired of cooking for the father; therefore, she makes a fuss about it. He turns around looking very disappointed with the wife’s comments. He then moves to the kitchen dining room table and talks to the daughter and begins to fuss at her about always waiting until the last minute to do homework for school because it is time to go to school.

I assumed this because all of the children have their book bags out. Next the daddy goes into the living room and starts talking to the eldest son about playing a computer game and talking on the phone at the same time. He also tells the son it is time to go to school; therefore, he tells him to stop playing the game and hang the phone up. But he doesn't; therefore, the dad walks over and turns the television off. He then takes the headphones off his son’s ears. He also tells him that he needs to get out more and meet friends.

              Eventually, the son tells his dad that he has friends and gets up to go to school. But when the son opens the door a girl with a crush on him is standing there with her book bag ready to go to school with him. Before, she can turn around the eldest son walks out of the door. She then went up stairs to the youngest sister’s bedroom. Next the show takes us back to the kitchen with the mom and the oldest daughter and they are laughing. It appears that they are laughing about how they tricked the father. The mom has a Kleenex cover pretending that she needs them to wipe her nose or to sneeze; therefore, she has a cough but actually it is décor because under it is ice cream.

The dad carries the eldest son to school, but while on the way in the car the son begins texting on his phone and the dad is irritated. He then snatches the cell phone out of the son’s hand. As soon as the dad does that blue lights appear behind him and it's a cop. He throws his hands up in the air. The policeman gets out of his car with his ticket book and begins to write the dad a ticket. I assumed that the policeman is writing him a ticket for texting and driving. I can't tell what the policeman is saying because he is not facing the dad but the dad recognized the policeman and they start talking and laughing. Next the dad and the son get in the car with the policeman. I don't have any idea why they did that. At the end of the show the dad and son have enjoyed themselves greatly. As for the mom she smiles and telling the oldest daughter what great fun she had also. 

When I turned the sound on, I realized that I had not done a poor job of making assumptions. What I had watched on television without sound really didn’t happen. Actually, the mom was pretending to be sick but not for the reason I thought. She was pretending to be sick because she didn't want to go out to dinner with the dad to an old childhood restaurant called Pastrime Place, which was closing down. They had previously been there four times already. She really wanted to stay home and watch a love movie on television that particular night. When the dad was talking to the daughter he was asking her to join him but she turned his invitation down as well. Next he went into the living room and invited the oldest son but in the beginning he rejected also by saying "nothing will make me go to that restaurant with you in this world." And, yes I was right the son was playing a game and on the phone at the same time.

Also, the dad was talking to him about not going out and making friends but it was not a school day as I stated early. Actually it was in the evening time. The son does get up and answer the door and it is the want-to-be girlfriend to see him but not to escort him to school. He then changes his mind about going out with the daddy and tells the young lady that I have plans tonight with my dad. She then goes upstairs to see the youngest sister in her bedroom. Next the daddy and son get in the car on their way to the restaurant. Then the show moves to the kitchen with the mom and daughter laughing how mom out smarted the dad because the daughter actually knows it because she’s a former actress.

Then the show goes back to the dad and son and the son is texting, then the dad snatches the cell phone out of his hand and once he does that the policeman thinks the man is texting and starts writing him a ticket. I was right about that and that the dad knows the police officer. They start talking about old times and the father tells the policeman that they were headed to their childhood restaurant. Next the policeman invited them to ride in the police car and yes they all had a marvelous time. Also, the mother enjoyed her stay at home watching the movie along.

Communicating and Collaborating

July 5, 2014

When I think about someone techniques that exhibit great communicating skills would be my son. Michquel exemplify extra ordinary strengths in speaking to the public and his speaking ability. I often find myself asking him where he gets his speaking ability from, and he always answers it comes from God. I tend to agree with him because no one could perform the way he does without power from above. I have observed him speak and listen as he read his speech to me; something goes through me that I cannot explain. His voice articulates superior, his pitch knows just when to go up and down. It has the right timing. Furthermore he communicates with motions such as his hands moves in a flow. He walks as he elaborates most of the time; I am at awe with his speaking ability. He says I am nerves when I speak but one could not and cannot tell. Have you ever seen someone speak as though they turn the audience on and off with their communicating skills, well that describes his speaking and listening skills. He also listens excellent as well as he speaks, I suppose they go hand and hand. Michquel is a great storyteller which always capsules the audience attention. His sons love to hear him talk and the youngest son admires so much that he tries to be just like his dad. Nevertheless when he tells a story it makes you listen for hours and on hours you do not want to get up out of your seat for nothing. I suppose what's great about his storytelling his plot starts off interesting and it is like one of Alfred Hitchcock mystery short stories. He also has the confidence that he knows what he's talking about and don't need your reassurance for satisfaction.