Time Well Spent

                                                                     Hey! It's Me:)

There are three felt learnings from this program that I will carry with me during my professional journey. One, I have learned the importance of teacher and parent relationships. These types of relationships are important and benefit children tremendously. Secondly, I have comprehended the various issues and trends in the early childhood education field. Learning these issues will better prepare me as an educator and will enable me to better care for young children and their families. Lastly, I have learned the importance of reflecting on personal biases. If I do not reflect and overcome them, this could ultimately affect my work as a professional.

One long term goal I have established for myself is to continue to be an advocate for young children. I want to continue to be a voice for them. I would like to focus on making sure they have everything they need in order to have a successful education journey.
 

To my instructor and colleagues, I would like to thank you for being such a supporting team. I have learned something valuable from each of you from reading your personal experiences and inputs in our discussion and blog post. I would like to also thank each of you for providing me with positive and helpful feedback on my assignments. Continue to support our young children and their families in every way possible.

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

I chose this organization because I am impressed by their mission. They focus on improving economics and the social well being for everyone around the world. The organization establish forums where governments can work together to find solutions to common problems. 

Job opportunities: 
The job vacancies in this organization are numerous but there was one that stood out to me the most.

Internet Economist/Policy Analyst

Skills and Experience:
-An advanced university degree in economics, public policy, political science, law or economics of law with a sound understanding of policy issues related to information and communications technologies, and more broadly Internet policy and governance.
 -At least five years’ experience in economic and policy analysis, preferably in the areas of information technology and Internet policy and governance, acquired in a national or international administration or non-governmental organisation or private sector environment.

 -Experience of working with experts from different countries, and in the organisation of international conferences.

-Ability to draft clear and concise analytical and policy documents and related correspondence for government officials.

- Excellent communication skills and ability to make effective presentations.

-Ability to manage projects, to work under pressure, often to tight deadlines, and to adapt to new tasks.

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

I was first introduced to this organization in one of my courses at Walden. In this course, I can recall exploring South Africa and read about the many challenges that children face in this region. The challenges were very disturbing to read, but I was more encouraged to make a difference in a child's life. 

Job Opportunities:

 Comptroller, Division of Financial and Administrative Management, D-2, based in New York, USA.

Skills and Experience:

*Advanced university degree or equivalent professional qualifications in fields of finance,  economics, business administration and accounting.
*15 years of professional financial management experience at a senior level in large organizations with international operations, preferably including developing countries.
* Fluency in English required. Knowledge of and another UN working language is desired.
*High level of management and negotiating ability required. Strong communications skills required.

Save the Children 

While in college, I would make donations to this organization. My roommate at the time told me that her mother use to work for this organization. The organization left a huge impact on her and her mother and they begin to make monthly donations. For this reason, I chose this organization to explore because I wanted to see if the position that my roommate's mother had was open. Unfortunately, it was not, but I was impressed by one job opportunity. 

Job Opportunities:

Associate Director, Food Security Monitoring and Evaluation

Skills and Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in international development, including 3 years of experience in design, monitoring, and evaluation of international programs;
• Successful research and learning-oriented grant writing experience required;
• Experience with tablet-based data collection software a plus;
• Experience with programs funded by USAID’s Food for Peace and/or the Bureau for Food Security preferred;
• Experience in designing research programs;
• Experience in developing training programs including curriculum design, presentation and teaching skills, and training-of-trainers methods;
• Master’s degree in international development or related field required.

• Foreign language skills (French preferred or Spanish) a plus.

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community:National/Federal Level

In this blog assignment, I will share three national/federal organizations that I can see myself being a part of. I will also share job opportunities that interest me the most.

1. Zero To Three http://zerotothree.org/

I chose this organization because I first heard about Zero To Three in this Master's program. I had no knowledge about the organization before hand and was overjoyed by the insights they provide regarding early development. I can recall using this organization as a reference often during the beginning of this program. 

Job Opportunity-Multimedia Specialist

Skills and Experience

Must know how to operate multimedia software-Adobe Master Suite such as Adobe Photoshop and illustrator, premiere, after effects, streaming audio and video; should be proficient in use of technology as a tool to support learning, knowledge of Early Head Start program development; have a solid understanding of current web standards, web browser compatibility, and 508 compliance regulations; strong interpersonal skills, excellent conceptual, written and oral skills; ability to grasp early childhood issues. Must demonstrate the ability to understand and interpret the organization's message; Must be willing to propose and implement Web and search engine optimization initiatives 

Note: The last two organizations were recommended by one of my high school teachers. She is my mentor and has been my support throughout this journey. This is my first time hearing of them but have found the organizations to be very helpful. I like that they are a communication network for educators. I would suggest that each of you take a look at them to see if you find the organizations insightful.

2. National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) http://www.naecte.org/

Job Opportunity: This organization advertises jobs that may be of interest to educators in the field. One that interest me the most was:

Kindergarten Head Teacher

Skills and Experience

*Years of related experience required: 3 years' experience with teaching children, including
those with special needs, with specific skills and knowledge of the Kindergarten age group.
* Required education: Master's degree in Early Childhood Education or related field
*Special licenses required: MA prek‐2 license and/or EEC Lead Teacher Certification; Early
Childhood Teacher Certification of Students With and Without Disabilities within a year of hire;
*Required computer/technical skills: Microsoft Office
* Experience/flexibility with different models and approaches to curriculum and teaching
practices; experience working with children whose first language is other than English; ability to
engage in a learning community; Skills in designing and facilitating inclusive classroom
environments and curriculum; demonstrated ability to work with children and families from
diverse backgrounds; experience supervising University students and/or other aids.
*An employee in this position must complete all appropriate background checks at the time of
hire, promotion, or transfer.

3. National Education Association (NEA) http://www.nea.org/

Job Opportunity: Associate Director of Organizing

Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• A minimum of five years of organizing leadership experience; with at least three years of executive-level program and staff experience preferred.
• Management experience within a union environment preferred.
• Proven skills as an organizer and in overseeing successful organizing efforts. 
• Proven experience successfully managing individuals, teams, projects, budgets, and campaigns.
• Experience as an organizational advocate for education, labor and/or social justice issues.
• Effective skills in supervision, decision-making, oral/written communications, policy analysis, interpersonal relations, team building, and collaboration.
• Established high standards of performance to ensure accountability for work results.
• Experience working collaboratively across a large organization to ensure effective integration and alignment of resources and programs.

Exploring roles in ECE Community

1. NAEYC

I chose NAEYC as my first option because it is a well known organization. The organization is the leading voice for young children's well being and education. I liked how the organization provides advice for families about what to look for when choosing an early childhood program for their children.

Job Opportunities:
Council for NAEYC Accreditation

Skills and Experience:
*The ability to approve policies needed to govern the operations of the NAEYC Academy for the Accreditation of Programs for Young Children.
* Monitor and provide feedback on the operations of the NAEYC Academy using performance standards for accountability.
*Oversee accreditation decisions
*Recommend to the Governing Board cooperative relationships with other systems that would advance the mission of NAEYC Accreditation of Programs for Young Children.
*Review all proposed revisions to NAEYC's accreditation criteria for approved by the Governing Board.

2. SECA (Southern Early Childhood Association)

One of my friends who works in the field led me to this organization. I was very impressed with the large number of child care and early childhood workers who are a part of this organization. Also, I was impressed with the various membership benefits. 

Job Opportunities: 
New member for SECA Annual Conference

Skills and Experience:
* Must be able to put together a proposal for the annual conference

3. Arkansas Head Start

This organization believes that all young children and their families deserves high quality services. This organization was designed to prepare birth to 5 year old children for school and life success. 

Job Opportunties:
Department of Human Services Program Manager

Skills and Experience
*Bachelor's degree in general business, social science, or early childhood education
*3 years of experience in program planning
*Experience in supervising staff
*Computer skills
*Experience in gathering statistical data

Reflecting on Learning

My most passionate hope for my future as an early childhood professional is to be the best anti-bias educator possible. I want to provide the best education to all young children, no matter what their disabilities, ethnic backgrounds, and family structure may be. I also hope that I use the best strategies when working with children and their families.

To my colleagues,

Thank you for your feedback and advice on my blog and discussion assignments. As we continue on our journey in the early childhood education field, I hope that our knowledge regarding working with children enhances and make us better professionals. I wish the best for each of you and hope that you achieve your goals.

Farewell......

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

West and Central Africa is the area I chose to share with my colleagues.  I 

chose this area because I wanted to learn the many challenges that children face in this region. I also wanted to share my findings with family and friends who are professionals in the field. 

The challenges that the children are facing in this region is very uncomfortable to discuss. Some of those challenges include sexual abuse and violence in the school environment. School is suppose to be one of the safest place for our young children. Children in the region are also being abused and exploited in many ways: child trafficking, child labor, children in armed conflicts, children victims of harmful traditional practices (UNICEF, 2011, para, 2). How unfortunate is this? How can the children concentrate with all of this going on?  Poverty is also a challenge that the children face. Poverty and traditional beliefs keep 40% of children out of school (UNICEF, 2011, para, 2). The children in this region are dying rapidly due to various diseases and malnutrition. 

Indeed, these experiences will have an effect on children's emotional well being and development. It will be difficult for children to concentrate on their academics. Children will be afraid to socialize with others which will result in unhealthy relationships. 

Personal and Professional Reflection

I am very saddened by the challenges that the young children are facing in this region. It is unfortunate that a large percentage of children in this region do not live to see their 5th birthday. Not only are children facing these challenges in West and Central Africa, but they are facing them in every parts of the world. I would more than likely be very sensitive to children who are experiencing this in my classroom. I would be eager to build relationships with families to help children cope with their experiences. But I cannot help but wonder, what if the parents feel that they do not need any help? Any suggestions colleagues?

Reference

UNICEF (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/english/overview_4544.htm

.

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

I am really happy to finally have a discussion about sexualization. I have always felt that the media, industries, and others influence children's identities and what they deem to be the appropriate way to be and behave. Children growing up today are bombarded from a very early age with graphic messages about sex and sexiness in the media and popular culture (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 2).


Three examples of the issue:

I had a conversation with my 5 year old nephew a couple of days ago about girls. He stated, "Pretty girls wear makeup and short skirts." I asked, "Why do you say that? Do you really think girls have to wear makeup and small clothing to be pretty?" He replied, "Yes! That's how the girls dress on the cartoon I watch. They always have on makeup and the boys like them. The girls who don't wear make up are ugly."

I enjoy spending the weekends with my nieces and nephews. They are full of surprises and I learn a lot from their behaviors. One day, two of my nieces were in the living room playing with their toys. While in the kitchen washing dishes, I noticed the room became very quiet and I could hear Beyonce's, "Drunk in Love" song playing on the television. I walked in the living room and saw the two of them singing the words to the song and begin grinding on the floor. They were trying to do every dance move and movement that Beyonce made.

Lastly,

While browsing on Facebook, I saw two girls "twerking" to a rap song. The two girls appeared to be about 5 years old and seemed to enjoy the attention they were receiving from their loved ones. I overheard adults in the background saying, "That's my baby! Show them how it is done!" The girls had on tight, short shorts and shirts that showed their stomachs.

Indeed, this is very unhealthy to children's development. Children will assume that dancing sexually, wearing makeup, and tight clothing is acceptable for young children. Children may feel that they are not worthy or good enough if the do not mimic what they see on television. I would communicate to children that this type of behavior is unacceptable. I would further discuss the importance of respecting ourselves as young women and men and to respect others as well.

My awareness of sexualization has definitely been influenced. I am more encouraged to teach young children to love and appreciate themselves and not be influenced by certain things that they view on television, social media, and others. Also, I find that it is important that I set a positive example for young children by wearing clothing that is appropriate.

And by the way, I instantly turned the television channel when I saw my nieces dancing inappropriate.I told them that this type of dancing is bad for young children. I encouraged them to continue to play with their toys and focus on being little girls.

Reference

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf

Professional Practice

Indeed, ism(s) that we experience can impact our lives. We often times do not realize that our past and present experiences with those ism(s) can affect our work as professionals. It is important to reflect on ourselves and focus on being fair and positive role models to all of the children that we work for. Although there are multiple dimensions to an engaging learning environment, teachers are the single most influential factor (Burnett, 2008, p. 185).

The one specific ism that I can recall experiencing was racism. A young, Caucasian woman I use to work with disliked me because of the color of my skin. I asked her several times for guidance about responsibilities on the job and she refused to help me. She would make statements such as, "Oh, I'll help you later." or "I am busy right now, ask someone else." At first, I did not understand her frustrations towards me until I over heard her conversation with one of her friends, "I hate that John hired the black girl in the front. I am thinking about finding me another job because I refuse to work with them." I was devastated. Until this day, she never knew that I heard her conversation. However, I continued to be nice to her and figured out how to accomplish my responsibilities on my own.

This experience will and has affected my work with young children. As an African American woman, one would conclude that I would be more sensitive to black children. However, I am more sensitive to Caucasian children, especially since the classrooms that I have worked in were predominately black. I find myself paying more attention to the white students than the blacks. Reason being is that I noticed that some of the white children felt a little uncomfortable and distance themselves during activities and play time. As a result, some of the African American students felt unappreciated and felt that I was being unfair. In fact, this made them dislike the white children even more.

Reference

Burnett, N. (2008) Education for all: An imperative for reducing poverty. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 43 (2), p.181-187.

Observing Communication

Observing others is a very powerful tool. It allows you to recognize positive and negative outcomes of situations. This week, I observed a mother and daughter communicating at a park. The daughter appeared to be around 2 years old. The mother asked the child various questions such as, "Do you want to walk over here? Do you want to play on the swing? Are you having fun? Are you too hot?" The child responded by shaking her head either yes or no while running around her mother laughing and playing. She seemed very happy and safe while interacting with her mother. The mother would smile whenever she talked to her and the child smiled back.

What I noticed and learned about their communication was that the child was engaged with the conversation because the adult's body language was positive. One of the connections I made between my observation and the learning resources was that asking young children questions makes for effective communication strategies. However, the communication would have been more effective if the mother had asked questions that require more than one word answers. Questions that promote children's thinking require children to think beyond one word responses to make connections, compare, and hypothesize (Rainer Dangei and Durden, 2010, p. 78).  Another connection I noticed is that adults should talk to children directly. A behavior that help you give the baby clear messages include speaking directly to the baby (Kovach and Da Ros-Voseles, 2011).

I believe the communication that I observed influenced the child's self worth a great deal. The child more than likely felt appreciated because of the attention she was receiving. This observation also compares to the way I communicate with children because I often ask children questions to challenge their thinking. I ask questions in a positive manner so that they will feel comfortable answering them. Further, I have learned that my communication with children is fair but it could be better. In one of the readings, I have learned that acknowledging the child's name and talking to them before touching them should be considered (Kovach and Da Ros-Voseles, 2011). I will definitely use these insights to improve my communication with young children.

                                                                      References

Kovach, B., & Da Ros-Voseles, D. (2011). Communicating with babies. YC: Young Children, 66(2), 48-50.

Rainer Dangei, J., & Durden, T. R. (2010). The nature of teacher talk during small group activities. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 74-81. 

An Affirming Environment

If I had my own Family Child Care Home, I would make sure that all families feel welcome. First, I liked the idea that Adriana greeted the children and their families outside of the home. Many child care centers and homes that I have been to do not greet their children outside. By using this idea in my setting, I believe the families will feel welcome, wanted, and appreciated. In addition, I also liked how Adriana used a poster of the families titled, "Our Family Community," (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). The children will feel comfortable if they saw images of their loved ones in the home. I think this will really help the children transition as they leave their families and will also show them pictures of other families.

I will also create personalized books of the children and their families. Books can focus on a theme ('We All Have Families: Our Families are different," (Derman-Sparks and Edwards, 2010, p. 45). I believe this will grasp the children's attention as they will discover images of themselves and their families inside of a book. I will make sure that the books are very colorful because it amazes young children. 


                                                                       References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and                               ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).   

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children: Welcome to an anti-bias            learning community. Baltimore, MD: Author

Final Thoughts

Is it that time already?? Time sure does fly when you are having fun!

One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is eliminating any biases that will effect my work as a professional. I now understand the significance of reflecting on my personal biases and finding ways to overcome them. Also, one goal I would like to set for the early childhood field is for all professionals to present fairness and treat everyone equally. We often stereotype others based off thoughts of family and friends. The media and society play a huge role as well.

Lastly, I would like to thank each of my colleagues for your inspiring words on my blog and discussion post. Each of you are very strong individuals and I hope that you continue to work towards giving our children the best education possible.

Photo Collage

In this course, I have learned a great deal of valuable information about bias and how it affects children's identities. I will share the key highlights in a photo collage:

In the media segment, we heard how Tina 's thoughts about race was influenced by her family. Her parents did not approve of her interacting with children of color and she could not understand why.

Because of this, Tina was left confused. This interfered with her later in life, as she used a term that was disrespectful to the African American race.

Also, in the media segment, I was very touched by Quinn's story. His father abused him often, leaving him with emotional scars that could last a lifetime. Because of his abuse, Quinn's behavior begin to change and he became very violent. Children who experience child abuse struggle with low self-esteem and a profound "sense of inner badness," which often leads the child to engage in behavior that is not congruent with true self (Reyome, 2010, p. 225).

Quinn mentioned that the abuse left him lonely and afraid. I am sure Quinn felt that he was alone in the world and unprotected.

I have comprehended that young children's book can be very bias. These books rarely show images of African Americans as heroes/heroines. The books also depict beautiful people as nice and unattractive people are shown to be evil. 

Another key highlight for me is the importance of defining family. We define family as any relatively stable group of people bound by ties of blood, marriage, adoption, or by any sexually expressive relationship; or who simply live together, and who are committed to and provide each other with economic and emotional support (Schwartz & Scott, 2007, p. 3). I learned that many families are diverse and have close relationships with people who are not blood related.  It is important to respect the people who children consider family. 

                                                                      References

Reyome, N. D. (2010). Childhood emotional maltreatment and later intimate relationships: Themes from the empirical literature. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 19, 224–242.

Schwartz, M. A., & Scott, B. M. (2007). Marriages and families: Diversity and change (5th

             ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Don't Say Those Words!

I can recall when I silenced one of my nephews because of a question that he asked concerning someone. He asked, "Why is that little girl so fat?" I blurted with anger, "Be quiet and do not say anything else!" I was upset and embarrassed by his question because the little girl was watching him, as he began to point his finger at her. After watching him pointing at her, she held her head down with sadness. I believe the messages that he received from my response included: that was not a good question to ask, I should keep my comments to myself, never question why a child is a certain size, and I can get in trouble if I ask the wrong questions. Looking back at it now, I should not have responded that way.

I believe one way an anti-bias educator could respond to this situation is by explaining to the child the affects this could have on the person being talked about. For instance, the educator could tell the child or class that asking a question out loud about their peers' differences could hurt their feelings. The educator could also explain that this could cause the child to have self-esteem issues and distance themselves from everyone. Also, I think it would be wise for the educator to include that all children are shaped differently and should be accepted and treated with fairness. 

I believe responding in a positive manner will build relationships among teachers and students and they will be comfortable asking questions that they may not feel they could ask their parents. Edelman (2004) stated that, "A relationship-based organization is one in which quality relationships characterized by trust, support, and growth exist among and between staff, parents, and children; these relationships form the foundation for all the work that is done," p. 7).

                                                             Reference

Edelman, L. (2004). A relationship-based approach to early intervention. Resources and Connections,   3(2). Retrieved from http://olms.cte.jhu.edu/olms/data/resource/1144/A%20Relationship-                  based%20Approach%20to%20Early%20Intervention.pdf

Homophobic Terms

I can recall hearing a student calling one of his peers a "fag" while I was a mentor for an after school program in college. The child who did the name calling was upset that the other child would not share his snack.The other children in the class begin to laugh while the child was being insulted. I believe this influenced all of the other children to believe that this term is a joke and is not hurtful to others. I also believe that they feel it is okay to call other children offensive names. Young children begin to pay attention to what others say and do: in part they mimic what they see and hear and they also internalise ways of acting, ways of speaking, and ways of being (Smidt, 2006, p. 94).

When I was younger, my peers would call me a "tom boy." I hated the term because I felt that they were actually calling me a boy to make jokes so that others would laugh. Indeed, this made me feel less of a girl after they called me this.

I do not recommend anyone referring a child or an adult as "fag," "homo," "sissy," "tom boy," "gay," or "lesbo." These words can be very offensive and hurtful to others. Some people feel that calling a girl a "tom boy" is okay and not insulting. However, from my experience, I had a hard time accepting my identity because adults and children called me this term.

Let's protect our children's feelings and identity!

                                                                    Reference

Smidt, S. (2006). The developing child in the 21st century: A global perspective on child development. New York, NY: Routledge.

Farewell....

To my colleagues,

I would like to thank each of you for your feedback and response to my blog and discussion posts! Thank you for motivating me throughout this course.You all are wonderful, unique individuals who will achieve goals that you have established. I will leave you all with this quote as you continue your education journey:

Best Wishes!
xoxo

Stage 5: Adjourning

Being on the cheerleading squad while in junior high school was a group that I was involved in that was dearest to me. We were a very competitive squad and won many first place trophies during competitions. We were very supportive towards one another. In fact, we were close like sisters and often had sleep overs at each other's home.

Indeed, both high performing groups and groups that establish norms are the hardest to leave. We performed at a high level and knew that it was difficult to find girls who were dedicated like us. We trusted each other and were always willing to work together to achieve our goals as a squad.

The coach for the squad had a closing ritual. We first had a banquet that allowed our coach to present awards to deserving members. After the banquet, we changed out of our casual wear to put on our uniforms to perform in front of parents for the last time. The last thing we did for the night was prayed with each other, hugged, and cried until we couldn't stop.

I can only imagine that it will be difficult  to adjourn from my colleagues. I have been enrolled in the same courses with most of them throughout my journey and have established healthy bonds. I am sure that we will wish each other the best on our future endeavors.

Adjourning is a very important stage of teamwork. This gives us the opportunity to say our last good bye's to people we have worked and bonded with. It  is also a stage where a group can celebrate or communicate about weaknesses and how to become a better team.

Back and Forth

My sister and I have been arguing back and forth about her enrolling into college. She feels as though college is a waste of time due to having to pay back student loans. She also feels that a degree does not guarantee the job of her choice. My argument is that furthering your education is beneficial. No one could ever take away the knowledge and skills you have enhanced. Although a degree does not guarantee a job, it does, however, allow you a greater opportunity to get a job.

I must admit, we have not communicated about this in a positive and polite manner.


Based on what I have learned this week, there are two strategies that I could use to help me manage our conflict:
1. Be compassionate.
2. Be respectful, reciprocal, and responsive.

Being compassionate while communicating with my sister will enable me to converse without the use of violence and hostile behaviors. My sister will not feel as though she is being targeted and blamed in any way. In addition, being a  respectful and responsive communicator is essential in this case. Great listening skills and the use of positive body languages, eye contact, and gestures plays a major part and should not be displayed in a negative way. I believe my sister will feel more comfortable communicating with me if I am respectful and responsive. I also think that this will build a stronger bond between us. It is also important that our communication is reciprocal. I hope that my sister would return the respect and responsiveness during our interactions.

Colleagues, do you feel that this strategy will define me as a effective communicator? Do you think using effective communication skills will make my sister feel more comfortable and convince her to go to college? How have each of you learned to be more effective communicators as it relates to conflict resolution skills?

Evaluation

 Do we consider how others may view us? Do we assume that they way we view ourselves is the same way that others view us? These are questions that I ponder on often.

When I think about the differences and similarities between how I evaluated myself as a communicator and how my sister and colleague evaluated me, I am most surprised about how they both viewed me as a person that loves to speak out at group meetings. I am surprised because I am not comfortable with speaking in front of a small or large group of people. In fact, I usually sit in the back of group meetings, but I allow my voice to be heard when the opportunity presents itself.

Here are two insights I have learned about communication this week:

1. You never know how others may perceive you as a communicator
2. We decide how we want to communicate with others based on their appearance


Each of the insights bring awareness to my professional work and personal life. It is essential to be careful with verbal and nonverbal cues because others could take it out of context. I may assume that I am a positive communicator but others may perceive me differently based on my attitude and body language. Also, I must be very careful when judging others based on their appearance because this has had an affect on my communication skills in the past. It is important to communicate with everyone with fairness and with a positive attitude.

Communicating Differently

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

Yes!

I find myself communicating differently with Caucasians. As an African American woman who grew up in a poverty environment, I was told that some whites believe that blacks are uneducated and guilty of being involved with criminal acts. For that reason, I feel that I have to prove that stereotype to be incorrect whenever I converse with a white person.

I find myself to be more of an attentive listener when I communicate with a white person. I also find myself using "big words" that I would never use while talking with family and friends. I smile more than usual because I want to eliminate the assumptions that black women have bad attitudes and are very angry people. I use less humor. In fact, I become a little nervous while communicating with Caucasians because I feel that I have to prove a point; which is very unfortunate.

So, what are three strategies that can help me to communicate more effectively with this race?

*Relax. People can tell when others are nervous. Try to find comfort and refrain from proving a point.
*Use humor. Use humor when the opportunity is presented. Let's face it, we all love to laugh. However, be careful to not offend anyone.
*Stop using "big words." This could really cause friction in communication. I can not assume that all white are comfortable with using these types of words in a relaxed setting. Also, I can not assume that all white people may know the meaning to those choice of words.

I need to relax more, geesh!

Bad Girls Club

A television show that I do not watch is Bad Girls Club. After I turned the sound off, I could tell that some good relationships were established between a few of the girls. They were laughing and smiling with each other. They were sharing food and used calm faces while conversing together in their bedrooms. I could also tell that the group who had a good relationship with each other did not like one of the girls in the house. They were rolling their eyes at the young lady and it appeared that they were yelling while throwing food at her.

I assumed that the characters were hostile and bullies based on observing them torturing the young lady. My assumptions were right as I witnessed three of the girls fighting on her. My assumptions would have still been correct even if I had watched a show that I knew well.  Reason being is that the way people display their nonverbal communication towards each other pretty much sums up the type of relationship they have.

My experience with watching this show was not a good one. I am really surprised that so much violence is being aired on television. I have learned that you can get an idea of a person's character just by watching their facial expressions and body languages.

A Fireman at Work

My boyfriend is a firefighter and is an excellent competent communicator within a particular context. He is often invited to speak at functions, events, and school environments. I have witnessed him communicate with children and teachers in a classroom setting. He was very relaxed and calm while speaking, as he smiled often and used direct eye contact.  He was very friendly and polite and used phrases such as, "that is a wonderful question," referring to the questions that were asked by children and teachers. He would sometimes use humor to keep the children engaged and focused on his topic.

I would love to model some of his communication behaviors. Reason being is that his politeness and friendliness kept everyone engaged on his topic. His eye contact was fluent and made everyone feel comfortable while using a calm voice. He was very professional while communicating with the students and teachers and was an effective listener. The students loved that their voices were heard during the question and answer portion and was even more excited that a fireman was willing to listen.