Final Blog for Communication

Interacting with class mates online is a different experience then interacting face to face, but none the less I have enjoyed sharing information with my classmates and have gained much information from them. I appreciate the feedback to discussion responses and the blog comments.

I believe most of us are leaving this course and venturing into our final course in the effort to complete our Master’s Programs. Personally, the journey from no college degree to Master’s degree, all while raising a young child has been difficult, but extremely rewarding.

I wish you all the best of luck! Though we don’t always get the respect we deserve, we are shaping young minds and no one has a more important job then we do!

Contact info: april.brooks3@waldenu.edu

I am also on LinkedIN if anyone else is and would like to connect.

Adjourning Stage

I have recently entered the “adjourning stage” when I left the pre-school I had been working at for the last 12 years, to teach first grade in the public school system. I held many positions at the center from Assistant Director to Kindergarten teacher. I had been working with the administration team and other teachers for a long time. Leaving that collaborative community has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I left a situation in which I knew everyone and how to do everything to asking someone how to use the copy machine.

I think leaving a long standing team is difficult for many reasons. Some of those reasons include, comfort level. I grew to know how and what my co-workers did well and where they needed support. Having to learn all of this information again can be intimidating to many people.

I am hoping that my adjourning stage with my colleagues in the master’s program will be similar to what I have experienced leaving my old preschool. I hope to stay in contact with and continue to network with these people. I also wish them the best in their continued journey as teachers.

 

Conflict Resolution

I generally try to avoid conflict. I am not a person who is constantly playing devil’s advocate or trying to stir up trouble in a situation. I am quick to look for compromise in a situation. The only time I refuse to compromise is if it is involving something that I feel ethically tied to.

The two strategies I look to the most are compromise and promoting a supportive climate for communication. I feel that the best thing to respect the views and perspective of the other party involved, just as you would want them to have for you.

I am practicing my communication goals and am trying to strengthen the areas in which I showed to be weak. One of those areas was group communication. I am entering group communication situations now feeling more prepared to be involved the discussion instead of hoping to blend into the background.

I am excited to keep working on my goals!