Back to: Module: Communication and Collaboration
Background
The Introductory Challenge asked you to think about some questions that an experienced paraprofessional, Veronica Mallory, raised for herself in considering communication challenges she’d faced in working with students in the classroom over the years. The questions were:
- What are the characteristics of good communication with students?
- What circumstances lead to communication breakdowns with students?
- What circumstances lead to improvements in communication with students?
- What signs should educators look for as evidence that a communication strategy is (or is not) working?
Reflection
The activity in the Introductory Challenge asked you to jot down some preliminary answers to these questions and, perhaps, also to share your ideas with one or more others. Now that you’ve completed the entire unit, you may have additional ideas for answering the questions. Use the chart below to organize your earlier ideas and any additional ones you come up with. As you answer the questions, you might want to think about the three guidelines for effective communication with students: respect, paying attention to changing dynamics, and friendly focus on academics.
| Characteristics of good communication with students | |
| Circumstances that lead to communication breakdowns with students | |
| Circumstances that lead to improvements in communication with students | |
| Signs that a communication strategy is (or is not) working with students |