How to Be an Active Listener Essay

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Elements of Effective Communication in Building CollaborationLast year, I encountered a significant communication challenge with a special education teacher, Mr. Thompson, regarding a student, Alex, who has autism. Alex was new to my class and exhibited behaviors that were disruptive to the learning environment. Eager to find solutions, I arranged a meeting with Mr. Thompson to discuss strategies.Communication BarriersDuring our conversation, I realized several barriers were hindering our communication. Firstly, there was a lack of shared understanding. Mr. Thompson had extensive experience with students with autism, whereas I was relatively new to this. This created a knowledge gap that made it difficult for us to find common ground. Additionally, our differing perspectives on behavior management led to conflicting opinions. I was focused on immediate classroom control, while Mr. Thompson emphasized long-term behavioral goals.Effective Communication Skills NeededI identified several communication skills that would have been beneficial, including active listening, empathy, asking open-ended questions, and being clear in my words (Sanders et al., 2021). Active listening, for example, is important in any collaborative effort, especially in the context of special education. In the situation with Mr. Thompson, active listening would have involved more than just hearing his words; it would have required a genuine effort to understand the underlying meaning of his suggestions.
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…other and share valuable insights. Additionally, the prevailing implicit hierarchy in our school, where the opinions of more experienced staff members are given more weight, can be counterproductive. It can create an environment where newer ideas are not given the consideration they deserve, and open dialogue is stifled. Addressing these systemic issues is essential for fostering an environment where effective communication and collaboration are the norms, ultimately benefiting all students (Friend & Bursuck, 2019).ConclusionThis experience was a learning opportunity for me. By developing better communication skills and advocating for more structured collaboration at our school, I believe we can create a more inclusive and effective learning environment for all….....

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