Communicating Effectively......

This week we were asked to

"For your blog this week, complete the following activity:

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."


My family is made up of different races, nationalities, and cultures. There is African American, Caucasian, Native American, Caribbean,and Hawaiian. My childhood was full of learning different cultures, recipes, and etc. Because of this I am open and welcoming to different cultures.
To answer these questions, I do not find myself communicating differently with people from different groups or cultures. I believe that one way that people could communicate more effectively is to treat others the way they would like to be treated.

A world with and without Verbal Communication

This week we were told to :

"As you have been learning, communication is not always straightforward. Everyone, at some time or another, makes assumptions based on messages communicated through body language and facial expressions.


For this assignment, again 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?
Write about your experience in your blog, including what you learned about communication from this experience and insights or "aha" moments you believe would be helpful to your colleagues.

(Adapted from O'Hair & Wiemann, 2012, p. 154)


For this activity, I used Frasier. I have watched this shows for years, and it was interesting to see what I discovered. With the sound off I noticed that the father seemed more aggressive, but with the sound on it was undeniable Fraiser. The entire crew wears their heart on their sleeves. All of the characters' relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating. Niles is completely in love with daphne, and he expressed this love non-verbally at first. I realized that most people do not communicate their true feelings, and that we have learned to "mask" them through false smiles.

Competent Communication

Hello all, and thank you for reading my post!

This week, we were asked to

"What behaviors does this person exhibit that make him or her effective? Would you want to model some of your own communication behaviors after this person? Why or why not?:


I chose my mother for this activity. I chose her because she is a great listener and communicator. Often ask my mother how she could have a conversation with someone that is offending her without showing any emotion. It amazes me how she maintains her tone, and overall calm demeanor while this is happening. My mother works for the hospital, and she comes into contact with a lot of people ( patents and corporate) that can have horrible attitudes. She handles it with grace and intellect.

I model many of my behavior after my mother. Mainly because she is the first example of how a lady should conduct herself. I am still working on some of the communication skills that my mother has mastered. One of my flaws is my temper. I wear it on my face even when I do not say a word. When I feel offended, I usually go silent to not show anger. I take some time to myself, and then I come back to the conversation. Some would say that this is a great characteristic, but I would like to have complete control over my body language and my emotions when angry or hurt. I want to seem calm,cool, and collected like my mother. I guess that comes with maturity and growth.


Thanks for reading!
ADWM

PROFESSIONAL HOPES AND GOALS

The hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that all of them are open to learning about all of their peers cultures. I believe that this will bring about a sense of community, and it will to open the minds of the children.
One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is that one day this world will become a world that eliminates racism, and opens up to peaceful diversity, equality for all, and social justice.

I would like to thank all of you for your help, advice, support,resources,and expertise. I truly appreciate you all, and I wish you nothing but the best!








Ashley Wilkins-Miller

WELCOMING FAMILIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

This week we were asked to;

"You are working in an early childhood setting of your choice—a hospital, a child care center, a social service agency. You receive word that the child of a family who has recently emigrated from a country you know nothing about will join your group soon. You want to prepare yourself to welcome the child and her family. Luckily, you are enrolled in a course about diversity and have learned that in order to support families who have immigrated you need to know more than surface facts about their country of origin.

In order to complete this assignment, first choose a country you know nothing about as this family’s country of origin."




The country that I chose for my family's country of origin is ......

Dubai

I chose this place because I have always been interested in the culture,the beautiful city, and their technology.
"
Culture and People


Dubai's culture is firmly rooted in the Islamic traditions of Arabia. Islam is more than just a religion, it is a way of life that governs even the smallest of everyday events, from what to wear to what to eat and drink. Arabic culture in poetry, dancing, songs and traditional art is encouraged and weddings and celebrations are colorful occasions of feasting and music.

Hospitality
The most highly prized virtues of the Arab world are courtesy and hospitality. And they charm there guests the genuine warmth and friendliness. The serving of freshly ground Arabic coffee flavoured with cardamom is a sign of welcome. This is poured from the traditional long-spouted Arabic coffee pot into small cups with no handles. It is considered polite to accept one, two or three cups and then shake the cup gently from side to side to indicate you have had enough.

Family Life
The family is the most important institution in Arab society encompassing grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc as well as the immediate nuclear family unit. Relationships within these extended families are strong and respect is accorded to the elder members.

Marriages are arranged between families, although the bride and bridegroom naturally have to agree to the liaison. Wedding celebrations are major occasions lasting for several days. They involve feasting, music and dancing. Women are respected in Islamic society, taking their place at the heart of the family. Women also have equal educational opportunities and increasingly work outside the home.

Traditional Sports
The Traditional sport that is still practiced is the sport of falconry, a unique partnership between man and bird, and it is not unusual to see a hooded falcon being trained on its owner's gloved wrist.

The ancient sport of camel racing attracts a sizeable following and substantial purses for champions.

Throughout history, the Arab's have maintained great love of horses. This tradition lives on today in the rapid growth and development of horse racing in Dubai in recent years, including the establishment of the Dubai World Cup the world's richest horse race.

Theatre
There is only one permanent theatre company in Dubai. The Indian Playhouse, the Intercontinental Hotel, features performances by Burjor Patel Productions and hosts the travelling British Airways Playhouse, which makes frequent visits to Dubai.

Dance
There are a number of dance schools in Dubai like the renowned Ballet Center, behind, with ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance. In addition, belly-dancing and traditional dances are a mainstay in Arabic nightclubs, such as Al-Diwan, Metropolitan Palace Hotel and Escoba, Al-Khaleej Palace Hotel.

Music
The Dubai International Congress Center and The Crowne Plaza Hotel are the main venues that host visiting orchestras and musicians from around the world. Arabic nightclubs are the main venues for traditional Arabian music."



The five ways in which I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family is

Researching
- I would research "my" family and "our" people. "our" culture, belief systems, food, and traditions. Even if I may not have the same beliefs, I will know how to conduct myself respectfully.

Immersion

- I would totally immerse myself in their ways before I go there, so I will not feel the effects of culture shock.

Learn the language

- I would learn the most important words firstly, so that I could survive even when left alone.


Study the family History and I would research the educational culture as well, because education is my passion.


Hopefully, with these preparations I would be able to be successful and comfortable in my new environment, and hopefully it would create a closeness to my family.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Don't Judge a book by its cover....













This week we were asked to research microaggressions. We were also asked to evaluate our personal biases as well.
One example of a microaggression which I detected this week was when a parent used a racial slur when an Egyptian couple came in to tour my school. The parent automatically assumed that they were "dangerous".
The parent soon found out that the family was not what she assumed. They were the complete opposite. The parent used stereotypes and ignorance to cloud her judgement. I felt so sorry and embarrassed and ashamed at her behavior. My first thought was that her children were witness to her behavior, and they would copy this is something was not changed immediately. Being raised in a multi-cultural family, I am not offended or frightened by other's differences. I understand that this is what makes us special. It was truly a teaching lesson for the parent and the children.

My perception of the parent changed dramatically. I never thought that she would be so closed minded. She always seemed so nice, and open to changed and multiple cultures. It only reminded me of the uphill battle that we as educators and individuals have to fight daily. It also reminded me that you never know what people most inner thoughts are. It was a reality check in its rawest form.





Be Peaceful, Love all, and Educate continuously,

Ashley Wilkins-Miller

My Three Go to items...Week 2

For this week we were told to imagine
"A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture."

Woo, Intense right?


We were then asked to answer the following questions;

1.A description of the three items you would choose
I would take my hair gel ( I know shallow, but I have natural hair. I do not want to scare anyone LOL).
my carry on lock box
My phone

How you would explain to others what each of these items means to you

Hair gel- i do not want to scare anyone with my Dianna Ross huge hair.
Lock box- It holds family history documentation
Phone- communication,GPS,and research purposes

Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you

I would choose my phone because I have my family tree(and documentation)saved on it, and I can look up videos on how to do my hair without gel. LOL

Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise,

Family is very important in my culture, and I was raised that a lady carries herself with great grace and class( hence the hair gel choice).






Ashley Wilkins-Miller