6165~ Communicating with different groups and cultures

communicating and diversity

This week we are to think about the cultural diversity you see in our colleagues at school, in my neighborhood, in my workplace, and also, possibly, within my family. Consider all the aspects that makeup 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?
• I ways f yes, in what 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.

When it comes to communicating with others, understanding where they come from, and how they look at life is important.   In my workplace, I believe that I use a lot of visuals for the children and families that don’t have the same language skills as myself.  I try to find supports to help them.  I want them to be understood and heard just the same as someone else that may not have the same language skills as others.

As for communicating with others of different religions, I believe I try to have an open mind when communicating with them and not holding a judgment can be an effective way of communicating.  An example in our text this week reads about perceptions, and that if the opportunity arises to communicate with a Jewish person, joking about the Holocaust wouldn’t be appropriate.  I believe being thoughtful and considering your audience in any situation is important!

Keeping in mind that not everyone communicates in the same way.  There are positives and negatives to body language that can be offensive, and even rude.  Keeping abreast of my own communication styles is important.  With everything, keeping in mind my own skills when communicating with families is important.  Keeping in mind that these children that come into our classrooms have lived with their families for years and have tried to the best of their ability to gain as much knowledge possible.  We as teachers should take the information and skills they come to us with, and grow them.  We are not fixers, but growers of their skills and abilities (Gonzalez 2010).

culture love

References:

Gonzalez-Mena, J (2010).  50 strategies for communicating with families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.