Tag:

empathy

Seven Tips for Avoiding Miscommunication

by Diana Benner November 29, 2023

written by Diana Benner

Miscommunication is a common occurrence in our daily lives. Often, it leads to conflicts, errors, and misunderstandings. Whether at work or home, miscommunication can create unnecessary stress and tension. Fortunately, there are several practical tips we can employ to enhance our communication skills and minimize misunderstandings. Let’s explore effective strategies for navigating conversations and avoiding miscommunication.

1. Listen Actively

Communication is a two-way process, and active listening plays a crucial role in understanding others. Give your undivided attention, maintain eye contact, and show genuine interest in the speaker. Avoid preconceived notions or interrupting, as it may cause misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Taking the time to listen attentively helps build stronger connections and ensures accurate comprehension.

2. Be Mindful of Nonverbal Cues

Communication extends beyond words. Nonverbal cues play a vital role in conveying messages. Pay attention to body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These cues often reveal the true meaning behind someone’s words. Promote open and honest communication by being aware of your own nonverbal signals and interpreting others’ cues accurately.

3. Clarify and Seek Feedback

Assuming you understand someone’s intentions without seeking clarification can lead to miscommunication. Whenever in doubt, ask for clarification. Paraphrase what you understood and ask, “Did I get that right?” Providing an opportunity for others to correct or elaborate on their message helps you fully comprehend their point of view. This will help reduce the chances of misunderstanding.

4. Use Clear and Concise Language

Vagueness and ambiguity are sure grounds for miscommunication. When expressing your thoughts, be clear, concise, and specific. Avoid using jargon or abstract references that may lead to confusion. Tailor your language to suit the audience, ensuring your message is easily understood by all parties involved.

5. Practice Empathy and Understanding

Emotions greatly impact our ability to communicate effectively. Developing empathy allows you to understand others better and respond accordingly. Be patient and considerate. Acknowledge that everyone has unique perspectives and experiences that shape their communication styles. Cultivating an atmosphere of understanding fosters open dialogue and minimizes misinterpretations.

6. Address Issues Promptly

By avoiding difficult conversations, misunderstandings can fester and worsen over time. Addressing concerns promptly allows for immediate clarification and resolution. Communicate your thoughts and feelings honestly while also being receptive to feedback. Discussing issues as they arise prevents assumptions and ultimately promotes stronger relationships.

7. Use Written Communication Effectively

In today’s digital world, written communication, including emails and instant messaging, is increasingly common. To avoid miscommunication in written form, take extra care in selecting the appropriate words, tone, and formatting. Read your written messages carefully before sending them to ensure clarity. If necessary, follow up to ensure your message is well understood.

We can minimize misunderstandings and foster better connections by incorporating these tips into our daily interactions. Remember, effective communication is a skill that can be honed and developed with practice and intention.

November 29, 2023 0 comment

Transitioning Back to School After a Holiday Break

by Diana Benner December 28, 2022

written by Diana Benner

For teachers, the holiday break is one of the best times of the year. When I was a teacher, I remember being so excited to get a break so I could catch up on sleep. I also remember the days leading up to returning to school and thinking about how I was going to get back into my school routine. It’s important that we allow ourselves and our students time to transition back to school. Below are a few tips to help make that transition easier.

Review Expectations

I always considered the first day back from a holiday break to be just like the first day of school. You will want to review classroom expectations and procedures. It’s helpful if you have these written or posted somewhere so that students can visually see them. There are many fun ways to review classroom expectations. You could play games such as two truths and lie, jeopardy, and more.

Ease Into Learning

Plan for a reflection assignment, group work, or something hands on for students. More than likely, your students won’t be mentally or emotionally prepared for a hard assignment right when they walk in the door. Give them some time to transition back into learning.

Be Empathetic

Remember to be empathetic. Not every student will return to school happy or ready for the classroom. Some younger students might have a hard time being separated from their parents or guardians. Have some extra patience and compassion. Practice empathy while consistently enforcing your classroom expectations at the same time.

Reflect on Your Strategies

Take some time on your break for a little self-evaluation. Consider your teaching strategies in general. What has been successful? Are there any that need improvement? Are you incorporating high-yield instructional strategies into your classroom? Make a few notes and use them in your planning when you return to school.

Have a Plan for Stress Management

Upon returning, have a plan for how you are going to handle the stress of teaching. Brainstorm a few ideas over the break that will help you when you return to school. It could be something as small as meditating for five or ten minutes a day. This can make a big difference.

Five Tips for Transitioning Back to School After Holiday Break

Remember to take some time to ease the students and yourself back into the routine of learning. If you like these tips, you can learn more from Diana at TCEA 2023. She will be presenting a session on Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom where you can get tips for self-care for not only you but your students as well. She is also presenting a session on incorporating high-yield strategies into your classroom.

December 28, 2022 0 comment

Leadership

Five Tips for Transitioning Into a Leadership Role

by Diana Benner September 21, 2022

written by Diana Benner

Taking on a first leadership role is a huge step in anyone’s career. You’re entering unfamiliar territory, which can be scary. With the new role will come new responsibilities. As a new leader, you will want to make sure that you are navigating this transition smoothly. Below are a few tips you can use as you make that transition.

Listen to Others

When you start a new leadership position, it’s natural to be excited and want to get going on what you can do to improve things around you. However, before you do this, listen to what others have to say. Pay attention to the needs of everyone around you. What are their needs, goals, and priorities? What is getting in their way? How can you help them while still holding them accountable? Check out these tips for practicing active listening.

Practice Empathy

It can be hard communicating with those who used to be your peers. They might have even applied for the same leadership position you have now. Therefore, it will help to be empathetic. Focus on identifying with others and understanding their point of view. Take a genuine interest in the people around you. What angers them, what inspires them, and how do they feel? You will want to understand why people are the way they are. This will help you connect with them and build trust. Check out these ways to practice empathy.

Be Present

Make sure you are present and being seen. While you will have a lot of work to do, you don’t want to stay in your office all the time. Walk around and visit informally with those around you. Make sure others know you are accessible. This will help with building relationships as well as helping others to feel comfortable talking with you.

Inspire

As Simon Sinek stated in his TED Talk, great leaders inspire action. They don’t discourage. You will want to inspire others around you to do better and be better. Talk with them and find ways to inspire them. It will take active listening, empathy, and being present in order to know how to successfully inspire your team.

Own Mistakes

You’re human. You’re going to make mistakes. As long as you own up to them and don’t make the same mistakes over and over again, you’ll be okay. You don’t want to blame others when things go wrong. Don’t make excuses. Own up to the mistake and learn from it.

Have any tips you’d add to this list? Feel free to leave comments with your suggestions.

September 21, 2022 0 comment

Communication CTO/CIO Leadership

Effective Communication Strategies for Leaders

by Dr. Bruce Ellis August 29, 2022

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Effective communication skills are crucial for effective leadership. Listening to others is an excellent communication skill, and you’ll be surprised at just how much you can learn by simply listening to and observing others. Practice this, and you’ll soon find you have a clearer picture of what is expected of you as a leader. But adding empathy, conciseness, and upward communication to the mix can boost your effectiveness even more.

Active Listening

Active listening is an essential communication skill that many leaders fail to master. It’s essential to show interest in the speaker and give them your full focus. Your interest may be a result of your own personal curiosity about the topic or because you respect their opinions and value them as a person. To practice active listening, turn off your phone, set aside your laptop, move away from your desk, and make sure that the speaker has your full attention. By doing this, you’ll be much more likely to retain what the speaker is saying and remember the details later.

Leadership requires interpersonal relationships, and active listening is an important way to build these relationships. Ineffective listening may prevent leaders from understanding the problems that others, or the organization, are facing or from acknowledging them in a positive way. It may also prevent leaders from brainstorming and developing innovative solutions. Not actively listening may even lead to insubordination, poor morale, and reduced productivity, which can be detrimental to the organization. That said, set yourself up for success by creating space away from work distractions where you can give team members your full attention by actively listening.

Concise Communication

Strong leaders are able to convey essential information in the fewest words, both when speaking and writing. Their communication is tailored to the audience and situation. For example, if you get a follow-up question right away, you’ve probably not been as concise as you could have been. You might also be missing important details. Not being concise creates additional work for others and for you. It’s important to plan what you say before speaking whenever possible. What is essential for listeners to hear? Scrap anything that isn’t. Anticipate potential questions in advance and plan to address them in your speaking. If you can, bring notes or create a presentation containing important bullet points to keep you on track. When writing, start with bullet points and expand. Once you’ve written a message, go back and see if you can cut it down further.

Empathy

Leaders who use strategic empathy report less stress, greater happiness, and professional success. This communication strategy can help you build relationships with your team and make them feel heard and appreciated. Even if you’re working with people remotely, people can feel connected to their leaders if strategic empathy is used effectively. The key to effective remote collaboration is understanding your coworkers’ perspectives, assuming good intentions, and imparting your best thinking.

Leadership that focuses on empathy is the most effective way to inspire people to work hard. Empathic leaders are willing to acknowledge their team members’ difficulties and strive to help them. It can lead to better performance, higher employee satisfaction, and increased retention. Empathetic leaders also acknowledge that their team members may have personal concerns but do not let them interfere with their work. Ultimately, empathic leaders build relationships with their team members and are more engaging, understanding, and solution-oriented.

Upward Communication

Most managers and leaders operate within the chain of command, which is the process of employees communicating with direct supervisors and moving up the chain. However, it doesn’t mean that valuable lessons can’t be learned from upward communication. Upward communication is direct communication between upper and lower-level employees, where the communication flows from the lower level to the upper. Upward communication can look like focus groups, surveys or suggestion boxes, and various types of meetings. The purpose of upward communication is for managers and high-level leaders to get direct feedback from team members. This can help inform decisions, make employees feel valued, offer valuable insights into how the team feels, and more.

What communication strategies and skills do you think are important as a leader? How would you recommend someone implement these in their workplace so they can be more effective? Let us know in the comments!

August 29, 2022 2 comments

Social-Emotional Learning

Eight Tips for Practicing Active Listening in the Classroom

by Diana Benner October 29, 2021

written by Diana Benner

Active listening skills are necessary for developing an empathetic classroom. As mentioned in the Six Strategies for Building Empathy in the Classroom, we must make our students feel heard and express an active interest in what they are saying and feeling. As teachers, we do a lot of talking, but we must also invest time in listening. It is imperative to the health of our classroom community that we have excellent active listening skills. So let’s take a look at some information on active listening and go over some tips for practicing it in the classroom.

What Is Active Listening?

Active listening means, as its name suggests, actively listening. When actively listening, you are fully concentrating on what is being said and not thinking about what you will say next. It means listening with a genuine desire to understand the speaker’s feelings and perspective without placing judgment. In addition, active listening involves listening with all your senses. Interest can be conveyed to the speaker by using both verbal and nonverbal cues, like nodding your head or agreeing by saying “yes” to encourage them to continue speaking. By providing these cues, the person speaking will usually feel more at ease and communicate more easily and openly.

What Are the Benefits of Active Listening?

There are many benefits of active listening, including:

Better teacher-student relationships
Reduced tension and hostility in the classroom
Improved communication and trust among students and teachers
Positive classroom atmosphere and safe environment

In this article by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, active listening is also described as a sign of respect for what students bring to the table. It can be a way of showing them what they are capable of and modeling the importance of listening to each other. Waterford.org presents the benefits of active listening in the areas of communication skills, social-emotional development, and student confidence. Students are better able to communicate ideas and feelings since they have heard others do so. Those who develop active listening skills are less likely to feel frustrated and more likely to feel prepared and confident in their abilities. And active listening promotes mindful thinking, which can reduce anxiety and depression.

Tips for Active Listening

If you can, find a quiet place where you can talk with a student without interruption or distraction. Ask the student to share what’s on their mind. As they do so, try to incorporate the tips below.

Paraphrase

Once the student has finished expressing a thought, paraphrase what they said to make sure you understand and to show that you are paying attention. Things you can say are “What I hear you saying is…,” “It sounds like…,” or “If I understand you right….”

Ask questions

When appropriate, ask questions to encourage the student to elaborate on their thoughts and feelings. Try to avoid jumping to conclusions about what is being said. Instead, ask questions such as, “When you say_____, do you mean_____?” to clarify their meaning.

Use body language

As the listener, show that you are engaged and interested by nodding, facing the other person, and maintaining an open and relaxed body posture. Try to avoid attending to distractions in your environment or checking your phone. In addition, be mindful of your facial expressions. Avoid expressions that might convey disapproval.

Show empathy

If the student voices negative feelings, try to validate them rather than question them. Try to consider why they feel this way and put yourself in their shoes. You could say, “I can understand how that situation could cause frustration.”

Avoid judgement

Your goal is to understand your student’s perspective. Try not to interrupt with your own opinions while the student is speaking. Getting emotionally involved, angry, or upset is something you don’t want to do. You are a role model, and students are looking up to you.

Avoid giving advice too quickly

Allow the student to finish speaking before attempting to give advice. You want to make sure that you fully understand them first. Moving too quickly into advice-giving can be counterproductive.

Evaluate

After you have fully interpreted what the student has said, take a moment to evaluate the conversation.

Know that just listening is sometimes enough

Sometimes our students just want someone to listen to them. As teachers, we tend to want to “fix” our students’ problems for them. But if our minds are busy coming up with solutions for them, we fail to truly listen.

Active listening takes thought, practice, and a desire to put your student’s feelings above your own. Using active listening skills can make a meaningful difference in a student’s life. To learn more ways to practice empathy, as well as get tips, tools, and ideas for integrating it into your classroom, join us for our upcoming Lunch and Learn on November 3, 2021. The webinar is free to all members and will be recorded if you can’t attend the live event. In addition, don’t forget about our self-paced Social-Emotional Learning online course. This $29 course offers more ways to build upon social and emotional practices in your classroom and comes with a free TCEA membership!

October 29, 2021 1 comment

Social-Emotional Learning

Six Strategies for Building Empathy in the Classroom

by Diana Benner October 7, 2021

written by Diana Benner

Practicing empathy in the classroom is one of the most important skills a teacher can have., but it’s not always easy to respond to student behavior with empathy. However, you build mutual trust and rapport when you show students you understand and respect their feelings.

What Is Empathy?

According to the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, empathy is “the ability to sense other people’s emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling.” Empathy is a way of connecting with others that shows you understand that what they’re experiencing is something meaningful. Empathy is a powerful tool that can help you better understand what’s driving your students’ behavior.

What Empathy Isn’t

People often think that empathy is the same thing as sympathy; however, it isn’t. When you are sympathetic, you may feel sorry for or pity toward students. These sentiments might lead you to lower your expectations of them. Being empathetic does not mean you have to lower your expectations. In fact, being empathetic will reinforce your belief in your student’s ability to succeed.

Ways to Practice Empathy in the Classroom

There are several ways you can practice empathy in the classroom. Below are a few:

Listen actively. Express active interest in what your students are saying. Make them feel heard. Avoid being distracted by other things and don’t immediately try to “fix the problem.” After you understand the problem, you can then talk with your students about finding solutions or about how they want you to support them.
Withhold judgment. Don’t make immediate judgements of right or wrong. Set aside your own reaction and focus on listening to your students.
Be understanding. Try to understand your student’s feelings. If you can, look at your own experiences to find a way to connect with what your students are feeling. Put yourself in their shoes., and think about a time when maybe you felt the same way.
Ask open-ended questions. When you ask open-ended questions, students can share what’s really on their minds. They will open up more as opposed to asking them yes or no questions.
Practice mindfulness. Being mindfully aware of your student’s behaviors is crucial for empathy. Practicing mindfulness will help you take the perspectives of other people. Check out some of these ways to practice mindfulness.
Show empathic body language. Empathy is expressed not just by what we say, but by our facial expressions, posture, and tone of voice. Is your posture open? Are your eyes focused on them? Are you speaking in a positive tone?

By using these tips, you’ll show students you want to understand them better and value them. To learn more, don’t forget about our self-paced Social-Emotional Learning online course. The $39 course offers more ways you can build upon social and emotional practices in your classroom.

October 7, 2021 4 comments

Google Tips and Tricks Social-Emotional Learning

Social Emotional Learning Activity Templates for Google Jamboard

by Diana Benner March 1, 2021

written by Diana Benner

Have you been looking for Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) activities to make a part of your regular classroom routine? If so, I can’t think of a better way than to utilize Google Jamboard with some pre-made templates that you can share with your students.

Why SEL Matters

As we saw in this blog, it is important to bring SEL practices to your classroom. Some students might be feeling anxious; therefore, we want to create a safe space for learning. When students feel safe, they find it easier to learn. You can help build that safe space for learning by incorporating SEL in your teaching.

Google Jamboard

Jamboard is a digital whiteboard created by Google. You can create a jam and add up to 20 frames per jam. Students can brainstorm and share ideas with sticky notes, text, images, and more. In addition, jamboards can easily be assigned to students in Google Classroom.

You can get to Google Jamboard in several different ways. Usually, I just type jamboard.google.com in my browser, making sure, of course, that I am logged into my Google account first. Also, there is a Chrome app for Jamboard that helps with easy access.

SEL Jamboard Activities

The activities below allow you to check in on your students in a way that values and acknowledges their emotions in an engaging way. By taking part in these activities, students will gain self-awareness, develop relationship skills, and more. Assign them to students individually, in small groups, or as a whole class. Many of these activities were found on the awesome Jamboard Facebook groups. To make a copy of the jamboard, simply click on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner and scroll to Make a Copy. Make sure you are logged into your Google account first.

Sample SEL Jamboard Activities Include:

Checking In – It is important to check in with your students to see how they are doing. Ask you students to indicate how they are feeling with this activity.
Empathy Shoes – Ask you students to put themselves in another person’s shoes to perceive and interpret what another person is feeling or maybe even thinking.
Gratitude Jar – As we see in this blog, students who regularly express gratitude appreciate close relationships and feel better about their life and school. Ask your students what they are grateful for.
How Are You Feeling Rollercoaster – Ask your students to add their name on a sticky note and place it on the spot on the rollercoaster that represents how they are feeling at the moment.
Kindness Challenge – Challenge your students to be kind. Have them list kind things they have done or will do.
Love Your SELFie – This activity will help students with their self-esteem and build their confidence.
Marshmallow Wellness – This activity focuses on your student’s well-being. Once students complete the wellness activity indicated on the marshmallow, they will move it into the hot chocolate. This jamboard was created by Karen Stepic.
Three Good Things – Take time and ask students to reflect on good things they have experienced. This activity will help students seek out and amplify positive feelings and experiences.
What Went Well? – This activity will show students that you care about them and will help you build and strengthen relationships with your them.
Worry Monster – Ask you students what they are worried about. Have them type their worries on a sticky note and feed it to the worry monster. This jamboard was created by Karen Stepic.

Get Jammin’

The great thing about these activities is that they can be revisited more than once, so get jammin’! If you would like to explore additional Social and Emotional skills, be sure to check out TCEA’s online, self-paced Social and Emotional online course. Priced at just $29, the course features seven modules designed to help your students understand their own self-awareness, build positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and more. Enroll today.

March 1, 2021 5 comments

Good Teaching

Misconceptions I Had About SEL

by Diana Benner September 4, 2020

written by Diana Benner

While researching Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) for TCEA’s new online course, I realized I had several misconceptions about the topic. If you are not familiar with social and emotional learning, it is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

I wanted to expose the errors in my thinking since they might be common misconceptions that we all have about SEL. Here are three fallacies I had about this topic and the truth I learned.

Misconception #1: SEL is only about feelings.

I always thought SEL was only about emotions and feeling. I was so wrong about this! I learned that SEL encompasses many skills. Emotions and feelings are only one part.

SEL not only helps students understand and manage their emotions, it also helps them set and achieve goals, show empathy for others, maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. I was shocked by the numerous life-long skills that our students can gain from SEL.

Misconception #2: SEL skills don’t need to be taught.

I always thought SEL skills were something we were born with. I soon realized that students need to be taught SEL skills. Knowing how to manage emotions, get along with others, and solve problems are skills that students must learn. These skills also need to be practiced regularly in order to be perfected over time.

Misconception #3: SEL is only for students who don’t behave in class.

I believe this was my biggest misconception of all. I now understand that SEL is for all students, and not just those who act out in class. All students can benefit from SEL as it provides them the foundation for being successful, not only now, but for the rest of their lives.

I realize how wrong my perspective about SEL was. I now know that SEL can have long-lasting, positive effects on students and help them thrive in school and throughout their lives.

If you would like help in implementing SEL in your classroom, check out our self-paced Social and Emotional Learning online course. Priced at just $29, the course features seven modules with short video segments and useful tips. Help your students understand their own self-awareness, build positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and more by enrolling in the course today.

September 4, 2020 0 comment