1 Running head: Effective Communication and Collaboration

Effective Communication and Collaboration

Renae Alston

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 495 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2015

2 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION

Effective Communication and Collaboration

One of the most important aspects of being a teacher is to have communicative
competence, the ability to use language appropriately in social, professional, and academic
contexts (Tompkins 2013 p.24). Teachers have to be able to effectively communicate with
parents, students, and fellow colleagues. Communication between parents, students, and
teachers all rest in the ability of all parties to keep the lines of communication, both written and
oral, open and have the realization that communication is a two way street. All parties must be
have the ability to listen to others ideas as well as express their ideas. Furthermore, not all
situations require the same method of communication so teachers must be savvy in their methods
and be able to code switch so that the most effective method of communication is used in any
given situation. Communication can range from emails, parent newsletters, and home-school
journals to feedback on student work and collaboration with fellow teachers to formulate more
effective lessons.
Parent Letter and Feedback
As parents, our childrens education is very serious and most parents pride themselves on
being informed of things that are going on in their childs classroom. I found it necessary to
inform the parents that a student teacher would be in their childs classroom. Fourth grade is a
testing grade and any parent would want to make sure that their child is getting the very best
instruction that prepares them to take SOLs in the spring. By simply informing the parents of a
student teacher teaching their students the lines of communication were opened up for any
questions or concerns that the parents may have. It also give the teacher and student teacher the
ability to address any of the concerns that may have come up.

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Majority of the time when one thinks of communication between teacher and students it
is limited to the scope of communicating expectations of the teacher to the students or conveying
content through direct instruction. Communication can be so much more with students. Open
discussions with dialogue between teacher and students or collaboration among students are
great ways to have effective communication. Another great way of communication is feedback.
Feedback on student work, either written or oral, allows the student to use more efficient
problem solving skills and revise their strategy; focusing less on what went well and more on
what did not go well (Bergin and Bergin 2012 p.154).
Polishing up Ones Act
Success starts with the will to be successful, but along the way one will have to have the
help of those who want them to be successful as well. Communicating and collaborating with
people who have the best intentions at heart fosters growth. Ephesians 4:29 (ESV) says, Let no
corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the
occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. As a student at Regent, I learned to
effectively communicate with students and colleagues. I did not learn this just because it is in
scripture or because it was written in a book, but from the actions of my professors. I never had a
professor that didnt provide substantial feedback that helped me polish the rough edges that I
possessed and still possess. The facultys feedback and actions gave me the confidence that I
needed to pursue a dream that I thought was unattainable for many years. Why would I not want
to be that same polishing cloth for my students?

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References
Bergin. C and D. Begin (2012). Child and Adolescent Development in Your Classroom.
Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Belmont, CA
Bible (ESV)
Tompkins, G (2013). Language Arts: patterns of practice. Pearson Education. Eight Edition.
Upper Saddle River, NJ.