Communication and Culture

Think about the cultural diversity you see in your colleagues at school, in your neighborhood, in your workplace, and also, possibly, within your family. Consider all the aspects that make up culture, including race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, varying abilities, and so on.

• Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?
• If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

Based on what you have learned this week, share at least three strategies you could use to help you communicate more effectively with the people or groups you have identified.

I communicate differently depending on my audience. For example, when I am at work in the classroom with my four year olds, I speak like a mother and teacher. When I am with my colleagues at work in a meeting, I speak like a professional teacher and practice my good listening skills. When I am out and about with myfamily and friends , we are relaxed, use slag and other in-group lingo that I wouldn't use in any other situation. I use technical language when necessary and also more casual, low language depending on the topic or context.

Three strategies I can use to communicate more effectively when in an intercultural situation would be:

Recognize cultural differences

Clarify behaviors as appropriate
Adjust to differences

 

References

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York:      Bedford/St.  Martin's.

Communication styles

Consider what you have been learning about communication skills and styles. Then record an episode of a television show you do not normally watch. Watch the show with the sound turned off.

• What do you think the characters' relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating?
• What are they feeling and expressing based on the nonverbal behavior you are observing?

Now, watch the show with the sound turned on.

• What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed?
• Would your assumptions have been more correct if you had been watching a show you know well?

This was a very interesting and eye opening assignment.  I chose to explore "The Big Bang Theory" sitcom.  With the sound turned off, I would of never guessed the characters were friends and in a social circle.  Their facial expressions were extremely interesting and powerful without words.  Based on nonverbal behavior, I would assume the characters were in constant confusion or disagreement over something.  I noted body language of being uncomfortable, having mistrust, or dislike and the plot was difficult to decipher.  When I watched the episode again with the sound the plot was extremely clear and facial expressions/ nonverbal cues seemed to match the verbal communication and exchanges.  If I had been watching a show I knew well, I would have been able to more clearly decipher the communication without verbal cues. 

competent communication

I chose to think of someone who demonstrates competent communication within my organization and the first person who came to mind was the Director of our Head Start program, Tobita Posly-Mckinney. In my sixteen years with the organization, I have heard her speak on multiple occasions. Each time she speaks or facilitates a meeting, she has my focused attention.

                The behaviors exhibited by Ms. Posley-Mckinney are preparedness, a calm voice, articulation, and knowledge. Rarely does she say “um” or stumble over her words. She appears to be very comfortable speaking to groups and presents herself in an upstanding manner.

                Reflecting on my own communication skills, I would like to model some of Ms. Posley-Mckinney's  behaviors. I would like to appear calm and comfortable, not turn 50 shades of red. I would like to have fluidity in my communication with others, not lose my train of thought, stumble over my words and say “um.” I do enjoy presenting and talking to groups, I just let my anxiety get the best of me.

Professional Hopes and Goals

 This course made me learned more new things about myself. Just as well as me learning about my biases affect in working with young children, understanding more about different cultures and families. As I think about working with many young age children and different families from so many different backgrounds of life styles. My main goal is to respect and cope with a great understanding of diversity, equity, and justice.  I truly will want the different families, young children and any of the staff that work in a public school.  I would want them to have feel very comfortable with me just as well as me working with many staff members on an everyday work hour and parents feel that their children are safe with me. Plus, I would like to reach to the goal of having my parents trust by being involved in seeing that their children succeeding in learning academically not in non-threatening environment.

I would like to give suggestion of thought to people in early childhood field is that by being a teacher I would agree before they enter the field that people in this major should read the book for course anti-bias education text book. This book has helped me out so much by understanding different kinds of information in working with young children and different families. The text book for this course is more like a guide in directing me to become a better person in the field of early childhood.

I would like to give a thanks to my colleagues for the positive comments throughout this eight weeks. This course has given me an experience to share from this class and from everyone. I wish each and every one success in reaching their goals and dreams.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

                                                   The country that I chose was Japan

The five ways that I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family:

1.      I would research the different languages that are spoken in the Japanese family and then I will try to learn a few words or phrases just as well as the meaning of their writing because it’s so different from American writing. Plus I would try to find a translator who can speak every type of the different languages in their cultural may speak so that the translator can be able to help me communicate with the Japanese family.

2.      Next I would also learn about the economic conditions of the country and the area of the country that my family is from with the problem that they may be facing.  I would try to find out what type of work the family may have been involved in before they left just as well as knowing what good work ethics they can do. I know that I would have to provide the family with support in their change to the job or job’s in America.  I know that I will explain to the family how different the life style is in America from how it is in their country.

3.       I also would do some research on the education systems in both areas so that I can compare their education to how it is in the new location with a listing of best to the lease. So that the family can have the right to determine rather or not the family has any type of knowledge. Then with any type of early childhood education program have the family ever had involvements of being a immigrating to America for help for children/families as well. By meeting with the family discussing their understanding with educational experiences with many great expectations in how I would give my very best support with my great ideals and good benefit goals for their children/child and family.

4.      I would gather the entire family together to sit down and discuss with the family relationships with how their family relationships can work.  I would bring up to discussion with the family intergenerational relationships just as well as the understanding of the role of the children/child in their culture. I would also make sure that I would give them the understanding that everyone do things way different from how they may be use too because people have different beliefs about things some may be the same.

5.      I think I would reflect on any of the biases that I would strongly hinder my relationship with the family just as well as work on many ways to overcome the different biases in helping the Japanese family.

               

I think by me trying to strength my understanding of many different families culture by trying to find many different ways to communicate with them. The main thing I would mainly do is learn about the families goals, values, beliefs, and plans on what great ideals the family are looking forward of doing.  I truly believe that I could accommodate the family which I would also tell the family that I could be I great help for their family in supporting the best for their family.  I think that it would be a two way of the both of us learning about each other cultural. Plus I would say how it is very intriguing for me to learn so much about them that most ways. How their different beliefs about things may also be a great impact to me and how knowledge would be a great impact to them about the two countries.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

An experience of prejudice that I saw is when I was working at daycare when I first got out of high school. There was an after schooler that was in the 4^th grade and there were more African American children than Caucasian children in the classroom. One Caucasian child spoke out very loudly that he didn’t want to be around the black children he called the “N***** word” he was very upset by being in the same classroom with all African American children. The teachers walked him out of the classroom and had him in the hallway to talk to him about this rudely behavior. Which the teacher was Caucasian. She asked me to come and witness what he was saying to her about way he said what he said. I than ask him “Why would you say that you don’t want to be around black children” and then he stated “my parent taught me that it’s not good to be around a lot of black people”.  The Caucasian teacher and I then explained to him that living in the world today that he will be around all kind of people. Plus, you would need not to say words that is racist toward another cultural because it’s not nice of him to say that because every cultural has a history of good and bad. “The director told him that we are all same of being people some are different but something’s are not good to say because it hurts people feelings” Then the teacher went back in the classroom and explained biases and prejudice to the class before he came back in so that the children could have a positive understanding of the lack of his understanding of his word usage.  I did not make the child feel as if he had done anything wrong, but I really wanted to expand upon what had just happened.  The teacher, principal and I tried to handle the situation as fair and open as I could for the class in a respectable manner and I just tried to deal with the situation the best way I knew how to handle it at the time.

     This incident diminished equity because the Teacher, Principal and I restated the comment that really hurt the African American child’s feelings. Everyone could not believe that the child’s parents could be teaching him hateful things and words like to say about another cultural. The director also stated how every morning that same parent would come and talk to her for advice, and now she felt as if the parent was mocking her and her culture.  Although other African American teachers and other African American student’s feelings were hurt by this child statement. Still as a professional every teacher and director continued to treat the child with respect.  Everyone kept their same everyday kindly behavior as if he never made that statement about African Americans.

     This incident reminded me of the phrase “be careful what you say around children because children are like tape records will repeat what you say and how you say it too”.  The child did not understand how harmful his words were even though the child parents had a very lack of understand someone else’s cultural I think he might not ever repeat their words. I believe as adults we must choose our words wisely because we never know who is absorbing what we say. Like an old phase “practice what you preach”.

     I am of how the situation was handling because it was more of an unexpected situation.  The teacher never retaliated against the family with disrespect of any kind of any of my knowledge in fact the teacher and everyone continued to love him just like her other students in the classroom.  Even though everyone knew how hurtful the statement was but the staff turned a horrible experience into a teachable moment by continuing to loving the child and taking the time out to give him the understanding of how to say kind words toward any culture not just African American but toward everyone.  

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

A microaggression that I recall is when I first began working at Head start. I had a parent come in that I went to school with and she said “I wouldn’t expect you to be a teacher”.

The context happened in a room full of parents during open house. I felt like that the statement was not appropriate. I felt like she should have kept her thoughts to herself.

When I found myself as the target of being mircroaggression I felt very uncomfortable because if someone is going to be bringing their child to school there they may wonder why did that lady say that. Is this lady not good enough to be my child’s teacher?

My observation experience this week has effects in discrimination to my understanding because the way she addressed me just because she didn’t think I could become a teacher.