Me As a Communicator

It is funny that I communicate with people everyday, but when I took the assessment I realized that I may have some hidden issues that I didn’t realize I had. I feel that I communicate well with my friends and family and also the families that are in my service. I was surprised when one of the test said that I can be verbally aggressive. I disagree with that. I do admit that when push comes to shove, I will speak my mind. I don’t think that I would intentionally attack someone with personal attacks on their character. The funny thing is, the two other people got the same score. So, that lets me know that I have to check myself in that area.

This week I learned that I am quick to assume things about people just because they remind me of someone else. I am guilty of assuming that if one person in the family doesn’t like something then the rest of the family members probably won’t either. This statement reminds me of my youngest son. I am allergic to onions. If I eat them, I cannot breath and will need medical attention. My youngest son said he doesn’t like onions. Well, I have never seen him eat an onion, so I can only assume that he doesn’t like them because he knows I can’t have them. I use onions to cook with at home, but I cook my food separately or before I put the onions in. I asked him to try the onions, but he will not. I have friends who are teachers because their mother was a teacher, but that is not their passion. When I looked at the picture in the discussion, I assumed she was a cleaning lady because I have encountered other women who look like her who were custodians.

If I let this kind of thinking enter into my professional life, what kind of relationship will I have with my families and students? I have to be sure that I know my children before they come into the classroom. I want to be able to have a good rapport with them and ask the necessary questions to find out who they are. All of this comes under the ability to communicate. As for my personal life, we have family meetings once a month to talk about things that are going on with us. We spend the whole day together doing things as a family. We have open communication in my home. I have made sure that my children can talk to me about anything. AND THEY DO!! Sometimes I am not prepared for what they tell me. Regardless of how we communicate, it is a part of life. Whether we have good or bad communication skills, we have to use what we have in this world. Throughout this course I hope that my communication skills will improve. I am on the journey of learning about myself and how to create a better me.