Essential Skills required for Effective Communication within Colleagues, and Teachers to Partner Relationships Roseanne Pickering – PIPI 6921

Arnold (2005) ‘The need for effective communication is universal...effective communication skills are crucial to your success’ “Communication--the human connection--is the key to personal and career success.” Paul J. Meyer Communication is the Key

Definition of Communication World Collins dictionary 1. The act or an instance of communicating; the imparting or exchange of information, ideas, or feelings 2. Something communicated, such as a message, letter, or telephone call.

Synonyms for Communication Advice, advisement, announcing, articulation, assertion, communion, connection, contact, conversation, converse, correspondence, corresponding, declaration, delivery, disclosing, dissemination, elucidation, expression, intelligence, interchange, intercommunication, link, making known, mention, notifying, publication, reading, reception, revelation, talk, talking, telling, transfer, translating, transmission.

Working as a TEAM When we communicate and work together as team we are able to make connection with each other and row smoothly through tough and challenging time. Just a team of rowers learn to row together on each stroke and figure out ways in which they communicate we need to do the same to build a strong hard working team.

Who Do We Communicate With? Who else is in our team? Arnold (2005) identifies our 5 target audience: Current student and families Staff Being the top two– this is where we need to be focusing as a team to improve communication between ourselves and with our parents. Other people we communicate with: Future students and families Neighbours Vendors

Keeping Staff Informed Each of us need to have an overflowing back pack of information. We need to have information about the business, our policies, time tables, birthday, graduation ceremony's anything parents may ask about. We also need to informing each other about what parents and telling so we are all aware on the same page.

Ways in which we can communicate with each other Notice board s Post it notes Regular Staff meetings Before or End of day times Ask questions Get positive feedback

Keeping Parents Informed Keeping our parents informed and equipped with the right information this is going to make our teacher to parents relationship stronger and making parents feel as though they can approach us. This makes parents feel good. They know what the parents have missed out on, what there children needs to improve on, and what things there children are great at.

Ways in which we can communicate with parents and families Newsletters Sending pictures through to their phones Letters News board Pocket messages Parents and Teacher Meetings s Website

Can you relate any of these pictures to communication and team work??

Meeting Other Peoples Needs Rodd (1994) writes ‘sophisticated and complex skills are required to deal with he variety of situations which present themselves when the job involves working with people’ Over the next few slides I am going to identify with some of these skills Rodd is referring to in the means to meet our own and others’ needs.

Active Listening "Effective communications starts with listening." Robert Gately Johnson says that we should ‘direct our attention and energy to listening to the meaning behind what the speaker is saying (1990).’

Larry King I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I'm going to learn, I must do it by listening. Turkish Proverb If speaking is silver, then listening is gold

Sending Accurate and Unambiguous Messages Messages can be interoperated in many different ways when we are talking whether its to the children, the parents or each other we need to make sure our messages are clear, broken down and the receiver understands our intentions of the conversation. People often hear what they want to hear, so it is important to cheek that the receiver understands the conversation.

Appropriate Responding Our responses can only be appropriate is we are listening to those we are talking to. We need to understand what is been said to make sure we are giving the right response. We need to remember often we are the first port of call for parents and sometimes even staff. We need to make sure we are being supportive and think about the messages we are conveying. Rogers (1961) talks about five response types.

Managing feelings Its important that we manage how we are feeling and what parents and children are feeling. Conflict often rises from peoples feelings, we need to be taking the time to manage how we are feeling and if there is a concern we need to take it up with each other by talking about it and resolving any conflict or questions.

Communicating your stress levels It is important that when there are things happening outside the work gate that you communicate with the boss that you are going through a hard time and your stress levels maybe a little higher. ‘Stress levels determine our effectiveness in both our personal and professional life. Too much stress tends to produce irrational problems within the workplace.’ (Rodd, 1994)

Time management Many miscommunication can often happen from the lack of time. Watching how long we are taking to talking to parents. We need to be managing time so we are spending time where it is needed. We have specific time for teachers to talk and time off the floor to plan and catch up etc.

Power of Words Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Proverbs 12:18).Proverbs 12:18

To Remind You