Reflection

Take a moment to look back at the past weeks and note the breadth and depth of your studies. Throughout this course, you were encouraged not only to study the resources and apply your learning, but also to relate all that you read and thought about to your own professional path and growth.

During this journey, you explored basic communication skills, strategies, and styles, as well as how people communicate verbally and nonverbally through language, listening, expressions, and gestures. You examined the complexities of intercultural communication and the importance of understanding perspective and self-awareness. You assessed your own communication skills, while examining how your personal schema can influence the ways in which you communicate with others. You then moved deeper into how communication skills and dispositions are particularly relevant to your work as an early childhood professional through nonviolent communication, conflict resolution, team building, and collaboration. You learned that each of these elements of communication is not only relevant but absolutely essential in working effectively with children's families, colleagues, and community and government organizations and agencies.

Along the way, you also applied what you learned to developing a series of communication goals. These goals summarize what you value with regard to communication and the ways in which you intend to improve your communication with others within the early childhood field in order to foster the well-being of young children and their families.

Reflect on what you have learned; the course objectives and your responses to the course discussions and assignments, the feedback you received from your instructor as well as from your colleagues, and your experience with creating and contributing to your early childhood blog. Then, write a paper that includes the following two parts:

Part 1: Course Reflection

Summarize at least three insights you have gained from your coursework with regard to communicating with young children and their families, colleagues, and community/government organizations and agencies in the early childhood field.

Describe the ways in which your professional aspirations, dreams, and goals have changed and/or have been strengthened by these insights.

Part 2: Communication Goals

In Weeks, 4, 5, 7, and 8, you identified at least six communication goals that would help you in your work as an early childhood professional.

In light of all that you have learned in this course, and considering your professional and personal growth since the course began, revisit these goals and answer the following questions:

Has your perception of yourself as a communicator changed from the first week of the course? If so, how? What insights did you gain about how you communicate with others?

How have you grown as an effective communicator? In what ways did you improve your understanding of effective communication, and how you can use these skills to improve your relationships both personally and professionally?

List the original communication goals that you developed throughout the course. Next, based on what you have learned, revise and refine your communication goals, including any suggestions for improvement.

Assignment length: 2 pages.