Action plan for Miss Lee
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Plan of Action for Miss Lee
Miss Lee expresses concern for her student’s recent change in behavior. His previous enthusiasm with learning has shifted to a monotonous and sluggish response to inquiries about his wellbeing. Miss Lee’s dissatisfaction with Siu Ming’s claims of being okay requires her to formulate a plan of action appropriate for the student. The procedure of action requires Miss Lee to identify proper communication strategies for both Siu Ming and his parents because they will help them express their actual feelings.
The first course of action for Miss Lee would be to communicate with Siu Ming’s parents and gently explain the changes she has noticed with their son. Communication between teachers and parents often causes a point of strain for collaborative education. According to literature, language helps people form bonds and associations that define future relationships and communication (Higgs, 2013). Effective communication for Miss Lee and Ming’s parents would be through gentle explanations without exerting personal opinion.
Second, on Miss Lee’s plan would be to give a second try in asking Ming better-structured questions that would narrow down his response. Stanford University outlines communication strategies for students in a classroom; top on the list is asking valid questions (“Student-Teacher Communication | Teaching Commons,” n.d.). Miss Lee would try to rephrase her questions and ask narrow questions that require specific responses rather than general responses. This strategy needs Miss Lee to be creative and to ask non-suggestive but information eliciting questions. Several professions use self-disclosure to build trust with the people they are communicating with and help them express themselves better. As Crystal suggests, “Students often feel the distance between themselves and their teachers because they do not know who they are as people” (Higgs,2013, pp.1). Self -disclosure needs to be relevant to the child’s current situation, similar struggles that she experienced when she was the same age. This strategy is efficient in helping children trust their teachers and open up to them.
Later, Miss Lee can teach Siu Ming communication strategies that may help him express himself better. Although people rely on verbal communication to express themselves, children might find it hard to express themselves verbally because of the internalization of their environments. The teaching channel summaries different silent signals employed in the classroom to teach them alternative communication strategies. For example, when a child answers a question with only one word or a fumbled sentence, other students gesture to encourage them to give a more coherent answer (“Communicate Learning with Silent Signals,” 2018, 00: 34-00:35). These strategies would help Miss Lee employ an alternative way of communication that may encourage Siu Ming to express himself.
A joint discussion between students, parents, and teachers also proves useful in identifying possible stressors and behavior change for children. In her action plan, Miss Lee would include a similar discussion that would help them put together two different environments that may be contributing to his behavior change. Stanford University’s strategies for effective communication propose office hours to organize schedules and interact with students (“Student-Teacher Communication | Teaching Commons,” n.d.). During these in-office hours for Miss Lee, when she is tutoring Siu Ming, she could take the initiative to discuss Ming’s behavior with his parents and in his presence. This strategy creates a holistic approach to helping Ming as it involves all parties involved in Ming’s education.
Communication between teachers and children is essential in ensuring children have better academic outcomes and communicate their feelings whenever they are in distress. A detailed action plan, acknowledging research-approved strategies that are practical and appropriate for children, helps teachers handle different classroom situations and at home. Modified communication strategies are particularly useful in assisting children in expressing themselves better and more often. The vast availability of these strategies required educators to be particular and identify the most fitting.
References
Communicate Learning with Silent Signals. (2018, June 27). Retrieved May 24, 2020, from https://learn.teachingchannel.com/video/classroom-silent-communication-signals/#
Higgs, C. (2013). Connecting with students: Strategies for building rapport with urban learners. R&L Education.
Student-Teacher Communication | Teaching Commons. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2020, from https://teachingcommons.stanford.edu/resources/teaching/student-teacher-communication