I have always been told I am a very friendly, polite and happy lady. However I know I am also a very loud and overbearing person too. I must learn to calm my voice and approach with some people.
I plan to actively use the methods of communication by distinguishing between the different listening skills, and using more advanced listening skills. I believe adding these skills will assist me in becoming a more effective communicator and a more effective listener.
i find it best to use past experience to build a rapport and find a common ground with potential students. ounce you have built a sense of trust you can find the real reasons they are looking for a change.
Happy to hear you like the hierarchy, Gina! Once it becomes routine, you'll be amazed at your ability to establish and maintain rapport with others!
I particularly enjoyed learning about the communication hierarchy. Starting with ritual, small talk, and going all the way up to bonding. I will develop my rapport building skills by closely taking head and not jumping up the hierarchy to feelings or opinions until I have established small talk and mutual interest. Great tool!
Jennifer, That sounds like a great plan. What are some things you will work hard at to accomplish these things?
Elizabeth Wheeler
The skill I will work most to build rapport with others is to listen better. I need to listen without judgement or trying to answer them in my head. I want to focus on listening to them to gain more knowledge so I gain a rapport they will value and trust.
I believe mirroring will be something that I would like to work on more when I am with a potential student
David, Excellent point about repetition! What do you think asking the same questions you did on the phone says to the student?
Dr. Jean Norris
I agree with the others that mirroring and voice control is important in rapport. Beginning the conversation can be the most critical to building rapport with a student as there is just some basic information that is shared on the telephone. It is important to write down information while on the phone so that rapport can be built in a more comfortable setting. It is not fun to build rapport when you are asking the same questions you did on the phone just a few days ago. I like to build some humor in building rapport as I want the student to laugh and become comfortable before we move on to finding out more about their needs and situations.
Brandon, Great approach. Building rapport and allowing them to talk is key. They are the experts on themselves, so let them tell you what is best for them.
Dr. Jean Norris
I use the qualitative approach a lot. Asking those probing questions and continuously keeping them engaged by making THEM talk. 80/20. I also look to find a common ground. Tell a relative story to what I have gained from the conversation. Somewhat come down to their level. I make them feel as if they are speaking with a good friend, rather than an administrator.
Elliot, It sounds like you really care about your students and care about building rapport with them! The efforts you make are great, and all I can say is keep up the good work!
Elizabeth Wheeler
Morgan, That's right! Thank you for posting in the forum.
Elizabeth Wheeler
Chad, GREAT awareness! So what can you do to help improve your listening skills?
Elizabeth Wheeler
I am at a disadvantage because of my speech impediment and language barrier. English is not my first language. However, I am always asking for help to pronounce words and define. Once I learned the word; its added to my daily vocabulary so that I am reminded of it definition. Effective communication in my opinion is very important when building a rapport with American students.
In my teaching environment we have students from all over, different backgrounds and beliefs. Its important to learn communication with each student, how they use words and interact. It helps me build communication with them and learn different ways to build rapport with them
Listening is always the most important. I need to do a better job of this. We get so quick to tell them what they need instead of ask.
Elizabeth, Great plan for successfully building rapport. If I can add, you won't necessarily reach bonding with your students, however; you will be closer to them because of the time you spent to build rapport.
Elizabeth Wheeler
I will start by using the pyrmaid with the ritual, introducing myself, them apply the small talk. During the small talk I will take more time to build trust and mirror their posture and communication voice. Once I have achieved this then I will begin our mutual interests and build on that for support and building trust. Eventually I will move on to Bonding where it will allow me to connect with the student and be on the same page to have a more flunt conversation and agree or disagree with the decisions they decide to take.
