Research my subject matter and respond appropriately.
Great place to start, Dominique. Being able to adapt your communication is a powerful way to demonstrate a connection between you and your students. You mention that you will be sure to ask good questions. What are some of the questions that you might ask to adapt your communication?
Dr. Jean Norris
I will make sure i ask good questions and conferm with student.
Elena,
Glad to hear you found the course helpful. It sounds like you've got some new awareness regarding your listening limits. This is helpful in improving your interactions with other, especially your students. Good luck to you at your new school.
Shannon Gormley
I have realized that I need to be less impatient when listening to others, mainly when they come up with a long story. I will definitely ask people to "nake it as short as possible."
I furthermore realized I need to keep focused in listening.
Writing is not an issue.
Since I will be interviewing prospect students in this new school, I can say this course is excellent! I am glad I took it!
Congrats for trying something new, Jeriann! I agree that concentration and attention are two critical pieces that can either make or break our communication efforts. It sounds so simple, however, with the amount of technology available and the number of responsibilities assigned to us, it can be very easy to become distracted. You mention being adaptable in your communication. What are some of your examples of being adaptable in your listening?
Great insights, Faye! Being thorough in checking any communications you are sending out is critical. Not only does it help you ensure you're sending the right message, it also helps you to maintain your level of professionalism with your students.
This is the first time I have taken any kind of training on-line so I hope that everyone will forgive me if I do not follow the proper protocol for on-line learning. I am excited to be attempting this new method of learning but I am old and you know how us old people are about new things, so please be patient with me.
I would hope that I would be able to draw from some of the key points identified and incorporate them into the communication to bring it back to familiar grounds. I feel that one of the key elements to communication of any kind is concentration and attention. Whether you are talking to someone over the phone or have the person sitting in front of you if you truly want to have effective communication with them you must be able to give them your undivided attention. I believe that you can adapt to any communication venture if you truly listen to what is being said.
Has anyone ever tried to talk to somebody and you were very aware that they were not really listening to you nor did they really care what you were saying? I would like to know how other people have handled this situation.
Always double, or even triple check your message your sending. Keep an open mind and ask yourself if there is anyway it could get misconstrued. If possible letting the student hear your tone of voice can be a much more effectective tool when conveying a question or message, as we learned in module #1.
Wonderful awareness, Fay. This kind of awareness can be so helpful in understanding if your intended message is coming across in your communication. How might you determine that moving forward?
I believe it is very important to take my time and choose my words more carefully when reading and writing. So many times I myself have misinterpreted an email or a text - making sure the message is clear and cant cant be easily misunderstood is crucial.
It sounds like you take care to keep the conversation on track with your students, Virginia. Being aware of those moments when the conversation is critical.
Listen to what the other person is saying, but then gently steer them back on course. Or apologize for digressing and go back immediately to your course of conversation
So true, Michael. Making sure that the student is "with you" as you give information is crucial! Many times reps become so comforatable with the language and acronyms used on a daily basis, they forget that the student may not have a clue as to what is being explained. Using your observation skills is an excellent way to determine if your student is "lost" in your conversation and staying with them to clarify and explain in a way that is easily understood is a great way to make sure you're both on the same page. Keep up the great work.
I don't think you would want to talk above a student. You don't want to be saying words or talking about things in a technical manner if the student has no idea of what you are talking about.
When talking with a student and your read from them that they don't quite understand what you are talking about, don't move on to the next topic. Stay with them untill they understand everything, don't just skip over something because they aren't following.
I get the sense that you appreciate the opportunity for increased transparency when working with students and that's great, Connie. It sounds like you want to make sure that your students get all the information they need while helping them to feel at ease with your school. I have a feeling that your students appreciate your honesty and desire to help them feel comfortable.
The sky's the limit Shannon! As long as all the needed information is being disclosed, and you're doing it wearing your finest smile, I don't see where you can go wrong! :-)
Using a framework in your communications is a great way to keep track of key points that you'd like to cover. What type of framework do you currently use, Kimberly?
Excellent observation, Diana. It's so important to remember that no two students are the same! While they may present similar challenges, the factors that create those challenges can be drastically different. This is why it is so important to take the time to understand the student's personal situation in order to identify the key points that might be helpful to that particular student!
It's good to have a framework for your communications, so that you stay on track of key points.
