Adjourning Phase of Teamwork

When I think of the adjourning phases of the groups I have been involved,  think back to my team I worked with at the Early Head Start program I use to work at. My first years there were really tough. I worked with the group everyone even the supervisor called the trouble makers. It was really hard trying to build a team when these individuals were used to doing what they wanted to do, especially when management was out. It wasn't until we made some program-wide changes and I was paired up with co- workers who I have never worked with closely.

I was nervous at first because it is never easy building relationships with others especially if they were used to doing things a certain way. Unfortunately, I did not have this problem with these individuals. We worked together as a unit it was seen by others. In fact, this was one of the hardest groups to leave. Although my co- workers were pushing me to accept another position because they believed in me, it was still very hard to leave them.

It was hard to leave them because the women were very inspiring to each other, supportive and creative. They were never a moment that I didn't want to be at work because daily I was reminded of what I was capable of achieving in my career as well my life.

The only thing I wish was done prior to my leaving, is an exit interview. Here i would have been able to share with administration the things that work best with the team and the things that could use improvement. I think sharing this information is the best way to improve the adjourning phase of teamwork throughout the program. 

Real Life Situations

I am currently in a situation with my co- teacher and her ability to support and fulfill the duties of the assistant. Although she is not a full-time employee of the company, she is looked upon as being one. It bothers me that she doesn't share the same passion that I have for implementing a smooth running classroom. At times I feel as I'm working alone. So to my surprise to have read this week's resources, I have found some strategies that will allow me to address the issue at hand.

The first strategy I will implement is the nonviolent approach.This approach to communication emphasizes compassion as the motivation for action rather than fear, guilt, shame, blame, coercion,threat or justification for punishment (The Center for Nonviolence, n.d). I believe this will allow me to communicate constructive criticism without feeling as if I out to take her job from her. 

The second strategy I would implement would be to allow opportunities for her to lead the classroom. In doing so It will give her more insight on what Lead Teachers role consist of and how important the role of Co- Teacher is to the lead role. For this strategy, the Three R's will be the best fit to resolve the issue. As I Respect her approach to teaching, I will be able to respond to the needs of her as well the children. In the end, the result will be a well-oiled teaching team.

Again, I am grateful for this week's resources for the insight on how to address the issue. I know feel more confident in addressing the issue and a professional manner. Unfortunately, I was not able to gain advice from other teacher teams because they all were trying to get rid of the teacher. I did not want to do that but make her more aware of the support needed in the class environment.

References

The Center for Nonviolent Communication. (n.d.). The center for nonviolent communication. Retrieved from http://www.cnvc.org/

Evaluation as a Communicator

For this week's blog assignment, I had my daughter and co-worker complete the three assessments on my communication skills. It was funny to find the similarities that we shared as I reviewed the results with the both of them. The test was conducted individually but the results were similar to each other. As I conducted my own evaluation, I tried to recall any opportunities where I portrayed the actions of the question. Then if I had not I would choose an option that was closely related to what I would do. When I asked my daughter how she conducted the evaluation, she expressed to me that she too tried to recall situations that she may have seen me to any of the actions the questions may have asked.  I then asked my co-worker for the reason she responded to the question and she bluntly replied: "I just answered the questions to the best of my ability". Afterward, we laugh so hard because she is not a detailed person, yet be able to explain her reasoning to well.

What surprised me the most is that I am perceived by my family and co-workers in a way that I also see myself. This was not the outcome that I was expecting to have. It feels good to know that people close to me know the type of communicator that I am and that it shows through my interaction with them. One new insight that I gained this week, Is how easy people are perceived by others without actually knowing them. Just as the professor shared her story on how the doctor was looked upon before she shared who he was,  let me know that our society is really bias and ignorant to things that are not of their normal life. In the near future, I would like to expand my knowledge on the variety of things, lifestyles, cultures, and events that occur in the world I live in today.

Applying Communication 

As I reflect on the changes of my communication skills, I would have to say that I have not changed the way I communicate as much as I would like. Thus far in the course, I have gained a deeper understanding of why it's important to communicate effectively in the ECE field. I am able to differentiate the way I communicate with, colleagues, families and in my personal life.  

To expand on my communication between colleagues, there are a few co- workers that I consider family. So with that being said, we have our own language that we speak amongst each other. my supervisor has encouraged us that although we have a bond that is strong amongst us, we have to remain in our role at all times.When I communicate with my families I make sure that I present a professional attitude but it can be hard to do at times. 

Three strategies that I will implement when communicating with my colleagues and families are professionalism at all times, maintain eye contact and apply the platinum rule. In doing so my biggest hope is improve my communication skills with my families especially to ensure that I am helping to fulfill the goals that set forth for their child. Prior to this week's resources, I would have never thought to consider the way others would do in the situation when communicating with them. Implementing these strategies will also allow me to communicate better with my assistant as well.

Communication and Relationships

I don't watch a lot of T.V shows, so this assignment, I viewed a movie I never seen. So I watched half of "Central Intelligence" starring Kevin Hart and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson without any sound. From watching the first half in silence, I think their relationship was based on memories. As the character Bob reaches out to Calvin you can tell that he was excited to meet up with him. They shared hugs and smiles during their first interaction. As the movie progress on the relationship seems to take a turn for the worst. They went from overly excited to seeing each other to not knowing who to trust anymore. 

Once I turned the sound back on my assumptions were true. I started the movie over from the beginning to gain a full understanding of the plot. Bob and Calvin went to school together during their high school days. Calvin had befriended Bob at a time that was the most embarrassing. It turns out Bob was CIA agent and needed Calvin's help to stop the sale of codes to a black market dealer.

I think viewers of familiar shows or movies are always on point with what to expect from the production. If I had watched this movie prior to this assignment, I believe it would have been easier to pinpoint the relationship between the two main characters. 

Effective Communicator

When I think of someone who I feel have effective communication skills, I would like to say my Education Coordinator. I choose her because she is very effective at ensuring that her staff is informed on all the important task of the program. We are constantly in staff meetings and training to improve our productivity in our class environments. She also relates to the role of the educator so she always finds creative ways to communicate with her staff and parents. She is a true example of what an effective communicator posses.

Hopes and Goals for ECE

In my continuous work with children and families, I hope to grow as an individual. One thing I enjoy about the early childhood field is the flexibility for those who work with children. Working with families from diverse backgrounds will allow me the opportunity to maintain a neutral understanding for the families I work with.  One goal for the early childhood field would be to educate those unfamiliar with diversity. Informing others about the importance of advocacy for young children and families will help the local and national organization understand the work early childhood educators do to implement an environment that is culturally responsive to all diverse backgrounds. I believe this to be the foundation that will expand on social justice throughout the world.

I want to thank all of my colleagues for sharing this journey with me. It was my pleasure to learn intimate details about you all past or present. During the past eight weeks, I have learned more about myself and what I need to do when working with the children and families that I provide a service for. I wish you all the best.