Know Thyself: Self-Analysis
Summary: In Summer 2007, a Virginia Tech Doctoral cohort completed EDAE 6924, School Community Partnerships. Here is a personal reflection authored by Kerry N. Alday.
Communication Style Survey
In my classroom I work closely with two assistants. I decided to have them fill out the Communication Survey about how they felt about my communication skills. At the same time I was filling out my own survey. I thought it would be interesting to see how I viewed myself, since I have the knowledge of why and how I do things, compared to two individuals who have to communicate with me on a daily basis. I believe that as individuals we are harder on ourselves than anyone else ever will be.
When I took my survey, I found that my score was very close to all three types of communication styles. I scored a 15 for both Battler and Helper and a 12 for Thinker. Looking over the strengths of each of them, I notice a few that would describe me. The strengths of the battler, I would describe myself as enterprising, ambitious, organizing and persuasive. I know that along with these strengths that some people would say that I am sometimes controlling. Under the Helper category I can perceive that I am loyal, devoted, and supportive. I can also acknowledge that I can be self-denying and self-sacrificing.
When my two assistants took the survey they found that I was part of the Thinker category. What I found interesting is that most of these questions dealt with how I am able to counter a discussion and respond. This is where I am more judgmental about my “performance” in a friendly debate. I do not view myself as extremely knowledgeable about many subjects, so I would not think that I would be perceived as having intelligent and concise counter discussions. When people are talking about a topic I do not have much knowledge about I always try to listen and learn. I normally would not debate about something I do not know a lot about. Even when I do debate a topic, I do not always feel as if I do a good job at relating the information. Asking my co-workers to do this was a worthwhile exercise for me because I was better able to see how people perceive me when it comes to communicating in both a debate and letting people know my expectations.
Are You a Good Listener? Survey
After taking this survey I have to admit that I was disappointed that I was considered an average listener (68). I have to think that there are different situations that you could put yourself in and then answer these questions that would make the result different. When I answered these questions they were in a classroom/normal life setting, as I do not know how I would react in an administrative setting. I would think that my answers would be slightly different.
I did find it interesting when I was doing the survey that I could see where I faulted in my communication skills. There was one question where it asked if you put aside your work when someone was trying to speak with you. I will often keep working and not give my full attention if I am in the middle of something, though I have to say that if someone interrupted me for an important reason I certainly would put everything aside. Taking this survey brought to my attention the communication skills I need to work on.
Communication
Step 1: Select-Communication between teachers and parents is extremely important for children to be successful. We have several different forms of communicating with people: phone, in person, email, or letter. How much communication is considered enough and how much is considered too much?
Step 2: Describe-If you effectively communicate with parents then you should not have to have numerous meetings with them. I have had a parent who has required great amounts of communication with me and the principal. I have had over 700 emails from her last year, not to mention the letters, daily communication logs, face-to-face daily pickups and meetings we have had. Many of her emails were about what was going on in her daily routine or her other children’s activities. This year, (the student has the same classroom and teacher) I responded only to emails that pertained to the medical and the educational needs of her child.
Step 3: Analyze-This was a very difficult thing to do because I was actually refusing to communicate to a parent, but I also knew that she needed to realize that I could not respond to every email. I knew it was time that she realized that she needed to reevaluate what she was emailing me. When the parent emailed me about medical issues or educations questions I would respond to her. I would not respond to the emails that pertained to personal matters of the parent. Along with the approval of administration we proceeded to do this for several weeks.
Step 4: Appraise-Choosing to not respond to her emails that dealt with personal matters made an immediate impact. I believe she saw me as her counselor before, not just her child’s teacher. She met a few times with the principal to discuss the fact that I had not been communicating with her. The principal discussed with her that she knew we emailed and that she received a daily communication log. The parent continued to have difficulty with understanding the lack of my responding to her personal matters. On an instructional school day where I had received 8 separate emails from her, plus a phone call asking me to read my emails, I responded politely to her via email that I do not have the time to check my emails all day long. I set parameters with her, stating that I check my emails before 7:30 when the students come into class and then at 2:30 when all the students have left the building. I also informed her that sometimes it may take me until the next day to respond. It was imperative that I set these parameters up for her so that I could effectively communicate with her about the important part of our relationship and that was the educational needs of her child.
Step 5: Transform-Though the parent did not like my parameters and would often email me numerous times throughout the day, I was steadfast in what I had told her. I did not go outside my parameters. Looking back, I think I should have set up these parameters the first day of school with all of the parents. I need to have an email and letter system with parameters set in place so parents know what my actions are going to be, instead of waiting for a parent to get angry that I did not email them back twenty minutes after they emailed me during the instructional day. In the future I will include a system of communication in my Back to School handouts so that all parents know what to expect.
Participation
Step 1: Select-I was teaching in an at-risk school that had low parent involvement from attending PTA meetings to volunteering at the school. There was also virtually no community involvement in the school. We had to develop a plan to spur parent and community involvement.
Step 2: Describe-How do we get parents and the community to feel a part of our school so we can start a partnership with both groups of people? Along with other events during the school year, we planned to have a Community Day. Community Day would involve not only students and parents, but also the entire community of businesses, police, fire and rescue and the library.
Step 3: Analyze-This event took much planning to accomplish. It was a free event that included food, games, prizes and fun activities. We had to think about how we could accomplish this task and involve as many community members as possible. It was important to go out into the community and talk with the businesses and ask them to be a stakeholder in the school’s students. They needed to come to the school and become familiar with all that the school has to offer to their business and how they could positively affect the students’ lives. We needed to make sure that the parents, students, and community members knew that they were all stakeholders in these students’ education.
Step 4: Appraise-This event had a huge impact on the students’ and their learning. Not only did they see all of the community members at their school for this event, but they also saw the police, fire and rescue, and the library as a positive influence in their community. Planning and carrying out this event made me realize that as an administrator you need to invite the community into your school, they most likely will not come knocking at the school’s door. Parents and the community are large pieces of what makes a child’s education successful, we as educators are responsible to try and involve them as much as possible by having open lines of communication.
Step 5: Transform-As a teacher I always drive around the neighborhoods of where I am going to be teaching. I believe that it gives me a sense of where my students are coming from and what they are up against before they ever step foot in the school building. I believe that this is important for an administrator to do also, but take it one step further. They need to look at the business and the community that is around their school building. It is also important to inquire about the companies the parents work for or own themselves. This is a great way to start business partnerships. Also looking at what you could do to bring parents into the school building. Do the parents struggle with putting dinner on the table every night? Then why not have a spaghetti dinner after the PTA meeting. We have to look at our parents’ needs and try and help them so they in turn can better help their own children.
Governance
Step 1: Select-In my current school I am the Exceptional Education Department Chair. I am in charge of five different teachers and disseminating information to them.
Step 2: Describe-As Department Chair I sit on the Leadership Team in order to make decisions and bring concerns to a small group. Each year as an Exceptional Ed. Team we discuss different groups each of us will be a part of. Then throughout the year we meet on a monthly or bimonthly basis to discuss school related topics/issues.
Step 3: Analyze-During our meetings we follow the agenda I have planned in order to make sure we cover all topics that need to be discussed. I believe it is important for a meeting to stick to the topic so that all information can be heard and discussed by all members. It is necessary that all voices are heard. There are times in the meeting where I will have to “move it along” as sometimes people get sidetracked on one particular item.
Step 4: Appraise-I look at how I handle a team meeting and it follows along with my belief that our time is valuable and I do not want to keep people from doing what they need to do by keeping them at a meeting that goes on too long. It is like the teacher who complains for twenty minutes in a meeting that they have so much to do. To me they have just wasted fifteen of those minutes complaining. They do have a right to be heard and speak what is troubling them because someone else in the meeting may be able to assist them in some way. That is why only fifteen out of twenty minutes are wasted.
Step 5: Transform-I think it is important for people to know that you value their time and that you will not meet if it is not necessary. I believe that people appreciate that. If I am going to keep a group of people past their contract hours it is going to be for important reasons. Meetings are important, but I think they should be concise. Since I know I feel this way it is imperative that my team know that we need to state our points and ask for assistance if we need help. I know my team appreciates the fact that I do not hold unnecessary meetings and keep scheduled meeting to the agenda.
Philosophy of Leadership
As a leader I believe it is imperative that I consistently and effectively communicate with the stakeholders of the community. I will strive to learn about the community and the traditions, culture, values, and people. It is important to encourage a discussion with stakeholders to improve the educational programming at the school. When change is necessary, it needs to be done using a comprehensive process that involves all stakeholders. I believe, as a leader, it is important to lead through example not proclamation. My supervisory style would not be judgmental; rather use supervision to help other achieve their potential. I need to be open to and value others’ talents, ideas, opinions and personal time. Overall, I need to be honest with myself, be open when I need to learn, and when I am wrong I need to accept it and work to make it right.
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Last edited by National Council of Professors of Educational Administration on Jun 14, 2007 11:12 am GMT-5.