Running head: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION 1

Effective Communication and Collaboration

Chanmi Yang
Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience ePortfolio, Fall 2019

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Introduction

Effective communication paves the road for individuals or groups of individuals to

maintain strong working relationships, achieve productivity and become more innovated by

allowing everyone a personal voice. With effective communication comes the delegation of tasks

shared equally, conflict resolution, relationship building and an increase of honest transparency.

In this competency I have included a blank copy of our students’ weekly behavioral progress

reports, photographic evidence of a joint planning meeting among the language arts and math

and content teachers, and note copies from two different planning sessions with Rosemont

Forest’s math and technology specialists.

Rationale for Selection of Artifacts

The first competency includes a blank copy of our school’s weekly behavioral progress

reports that are sent home each Wednesday in the students’ red folders, along with a stapled

bundle of all completed and graded classwork from that week and packets of vital school

information and forms. The behavioral progress reports allow for the teacher to effectively and

fairly keep parents updated on how students are behaving in and outside of their classrooms

within the school building. Each section included in the weekly communication allows the

teacher to circle whether a student has done a positive job of modeling healthy citizenship,

participating and collaborating within the classroom, and consistently working productively or

not. AP represents proficiency. P represents proficient. DP represents developing proficiency and

N represents novice.

Sending home weekly progress reports has built a strong consistency among the students

and parents in knowing that they will get noted for poor behavior and are expected to make

necessary changes in their behavior, work ethics, and communication skills the following week.
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A teacher comment section at the end of the weekly progress report template allows for Mrs.

Wilson and Mrs. Chamberlain to briefly clarify why a student might have been marked for a DP

or a N under whichever category. Generally, the specific habit(s) the student continues to exert

that needs to be dealt will be are recorded in the comments. Then, a word of positive

encouragement is included as an incentive to encourage parents and their students to work on

being responsible and respectful citizens and fostering a healthy productivity during school hours

the following week.

Progress reports sent home prove to foster effective communication because when

parents are involved, the students are being instructed by a closer adult figure with more

consequential authority than the teacher. The students also tend to work on their poor habits

almost immediately after progress reports are sent home for signatures. Parents have also often

responded back to the instructors by adding an extra comment or two right underneath the

comments left by an instructor, asking how they could work with their children at home or to

clarify the root of any citizenship, behavioral, or productivity issues. As Texas A&M University

records (2016), “Sharing critical information, such as organized goals… is an essential

component of effective communication in the workplace.” The weekly progress reports welcome

proactive engagement from parents, provide a shared understanding of what is expected of

students in the classroom, and allows for a consistent, shared effort, balanced two-way

discussion among students, parents, and educators.

The second artifact includes photos of a joint meeting including Rosemont Forest’s fourth

grade learning instructors. In fourth grade, Mrs. Wilson and Ms. Deas oversee math and content

while Mrs. Chamberlain and Mrs. Garrison oversee language arts and reading. Generally, the

language arts and reading instructors will have their own objective to teach while the math and
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content instructors focus on math skills and science related objectives, but when a larger social

studies unit is approaching, the fourth grade hall instructors will gather together and plan

accordingly to support deeper student comprehension and learning. Historic events can be

learned and written about in both content and language arts; therefore, the school suggests that

joint planning meetings take place before the start and during key social studies units. Setting

aside extra time afterschool to plan with Mrs. Garrison and Mrs. Chamberlain was very helpful

because we went over each main objective that would have to be taught as a requirement. We

also refreshed ourselves with prior content that a few of us might had forgotten and brainstormed

different ideas of how we could introduce the unit through different and creative teaching

methods. If there were no joint planning meetings to discuss a universal approach to introducing

unit objectives, the school system would have educators beginning each unit with different

objectives, teaching various components at different times, generating mass confusion and

disorganization.

The third artifact includes my personal notes documented during two different planning

meetings, one with the school’s math specialist and the other with Rosemont Forest’s technology

and library specialist. Rosemont Forest’s specialists are always seeking to provide their teachers

with new resources, set aside time to model new programs or resources, and enhance student

learning through a variety of programs and projects, regardless of the grade level.

Mrs. Smith, the technology specialist, always does a fantastic job of presenting her

information through decorative and elaborate PowerPoints that include hands-on examples and

in-depth descriptions, which has helped many of us instructors to follow along and comprehend

any new information. During the planning meeting, Mrs. Spivey, the librarian specialist, had also

offered to block off and set aside time slots in the library so she could take students and create
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hands-on science projects with the older kids in an attempt to support the teachers who might not

have enough content time to build mini-science projects. We call this opportunity “Maker Space”

for the students.

After the meeting with the math specialist, Mrs. Wilson’s students had a class visit from

Mrs. Seaford, the school counselor, which Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Seaford had planned at least a

month in advance a week before the start of the school year. Mrs. Seaford did and amazing job of

introducing herself to the students that week, and since then I have seen many of Mrs. Wilson’s

students approach Mrs. Seaford and take advantage of the resources available to them at school.

Without intentional and skilled specialists such as Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Spivey and Mrs.

Seaford collaborating and communicating with teachers to offer resources, schedule and organize

in-school programs and handle the issues outside of a general educator’s sphere of expertise, we

would have hundreds of educators leaving the field each year. David Grossman reported in “The

Cost of Poor Communications” that, among a survey of 400 companies with 100,000 employees,

the average yearly loss per company, due to poor communication to and between employees,

estimates to $62.4 million (as cited in Why Everyone Should Develop Effective Communication

Skills, para. 3). Thankfully, Virginia Beach educators have a strong system of support from the

the school system, but I know that not every county is blessed with such resources.

Reflection on Theory and Practice

Regarding this competency, effective and positive communication is emphasized in

almost every sphere in the workplace. Whether an individual is hired as an educator, a business

consultant, art director or a part-time employee at Mc Donald’s, constant communication among

employers and hired employees is always being encouraged. In successful school organizations,

the principal and assistant principals are intentional about taking responsibility of setting the tone
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of the work overall work environment and fostering effective collaboration amongst the staff

members and students. Here at Rosemont Forest Elementary, Mr. Furlich does a phenomenal job

of fostering a healthy, open, and positive work environment for its staff members. As the Society

for Human Resource Management (2018) suggests, effective communication may contribute to

organizational success by building employee morale, satisfaction and engagement. He

emphasizes the need for joint meetings and open planning sessions, which allows his fellow

teachers to voice their concerns and issues, provide feedback, and, in fact, increases staff

commitment and loyalty to actively participate as key contributors to the school’s professional

and academic success. The communication strategy of giving employees a voice here at

Rosemont Forest has “lessened the chances for misunderstandings and potentially reduced

grievances” (SHRM, 2018).

In addition, Mr. Furlich makes sure that his employees are having fun on the job. Sue

Dryer (2006) suggests that “teams that have ‘fun’ perform better (p.9).” The restrictions against

casual dress clothes have been minimized, allowing his employees to trust that he places an

emphasis on an educator’s commitment to teach effectively with results rather than an

instructor’s open-toed sandals. Which in turn creates a more open environment for the teachers

to work in and express themselves in the little ways, such as their choice of shoes. Just as our

instructors have always sent out newsletters, interacted with students via e-mail or face-to-face

seminars, or made themselves available on the telephone, school organizations use the exact

same methods of communication. Teacher, student, and parent newsletters are sent out regularly,

parent conferences are available to schedule, and frequent e-mail communication is required

from both the employees and students’ parents. As I finish up my last week at Rosemont Forest
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Elementary, I can only hope to be hired to a school whose staff group is as intentional and

productive as Rosemont Forest Elementary.

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References
Dyer, S. (2006). The root causes of poor communication: A publication of the american

association of cost engineers a publication of the american association of cost

engineers. Cost Engineering, 48(6), 8-10. Retrieved from

http://eres.regent.edu:2048/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.ezproxy.regent.edu/docview/220451868?accountid=13479.

Mills, G.R. (2018). Why everyone should develop effective communication skills. Association

from Talent Development. Retrieved from https://www.td.org/insights/why-everyone-

should-develop-effective-communication-skills.

Texas A&M University. (2016). What is the value of communication at work? Retrieved from

https://online.tamucc.edu/articles/what-is-the-value-of-communication-at-work.aspx.