Effective Communication

An important skill for an educator is to be an effective communicator. It seems obvious that teachers must be able to communicate to their students the lessons, but also important is the role communication plays in including family members in the academic curriculum. For children with disabilities this can be a major factor in the child's success. To learn tools for being an effective communicator, I recommend the following cite:

http://hrweb.berkeley.edu/guides/managing-hr/interaction/communication/listening

Although not written for the field of education, I see a number of good suggestions. Creating an open communication environment can be done in communication by being available before and after class and recess breaks. Children will often prefer a less rigid structure to ask questions and will find it helpful just to get to know a teacher on a personal level. For the family creating and open environment starts with a letter or meet the teacher night where introductions and contact information is given out.

Another key to a successful communication is having regular meetings with the parents. Generally schools coordinate parent teacher nights, but students with disabilities would benefit with more frequent meetings with supporting family members.

Also of importance is taking time to meet one on one with the student in an open environment. In previous discussions it was suggested that it is important to find out what motivates a child with ODD to use as performance management. This has to be done on a reoccurring basis. Children often change what motivates them. One on One sessions helps a teacher to stay fresh with ideas and reduce the tendency for conflict in the classroom. A teacher might also learn about what the student if finding interesting and what causes them to struggle.

Communication is not all verbal. I would like to explore types of nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication can tell a person a lot about what that person is thinking. This might benefit a teacher of a student with ODD by helping them look for triggers to oppositional tendencies.