May 18, 2009

1. Communicating with Students to Increase Academic SuccessNichole Hobbs, School Psychologist/Liaison PGSMHITawana Doggett, Mental Health Clinician May 18, 2009 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

2. Prince George’s County Board of Education Verjeana M. Jacobs, Esq., Chair Ron L. Watson, Jr., Ph.D., Vice Chair Donna Hathaway Beck Pat J. Fletcher Heather Iliff R. Owen Johnson, Jr. Rosalind A. Johnson Linda Thornton Thomas Amber P. Waller Haywood L. Perry, III, Student Member WILLIAM R. HITE, JR., ED.D. Superintendent PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

3. Purpose, Process, Payoff • Purpose: Provide professional development to school staff by the PGSMHI • Process: Presentation will be delivered to the school staff at Isaac Gourdine Middle School during teacher planning time throughout the month of May. • Payoff: To provide information to ensure that all employees are effective and students’ environments are conducive to learning PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

4. Workshop Outline Introduction & Icebreaker Definition Types of Communication Ways to Communicate Positively How to Communicate During Conflicts How to Avoid Negative Communication Communication Builders Discussion/ Questions? PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

5. Communication is ….. • the sending, giving, or exchanging of information and ideas from one person to another. • Not just “What do I want?” but “Why do I want it?” • What do you see? PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

6. Verbal Talking Non-Verbal Facial Gestures Body language Appearance Types Of Communication PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

7. What is your communication style? • Passive • Passive-Aggressive • Aggressive • Assertive • Verbal • Non-Verbal • Emotional • Cognitive • How do people react to your style? PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

8. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People Knowledge (what to, why to) Habits Skills (how to) Desire (want to) PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

9. Positive Communication 9 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org • Inviting • Helps open the door to students’ examining and understanding the painful feelings behind their ineffective behavior. • Builds positive views of others. • Promotes problem solving • Individuals manage emotions

10. Active Listening Learn how to really listen. Teachers have to be active listeners. Active listening includes: • Staying focused on what is being said. • Empathize and try to remain calm during conversation. • Encourage your students to really say what is on his mind. PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

11. Questions phrased as statement…. 11 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org • The student can answer, give a nonverbal response, or just listen. • “Looks like you’re having a tough day.” • “Little things can feel like big things when there’s something on your mind.” • “Students can get upset at school when they’re worried about something at home.” (question by displacement)

12. Constructive Questioning….. 12 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org • Can’t be answered yes/no • Begin with words like How and Can • Encourage the student to respond not just to the question but also to the communication process • Require us to be able to tolerate and listen to the student’s negative feelings • “How can I be helpful right now?” • “Can you tell me what happened to make you so upset?”

13. Constructive Encouragement Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood Focuses on effort and/or strategies (process) rather than on ability or product Effort example: “Wow, Tony, you’ve really made improvements on your behavior chart this week! I can tell how hard you’ve been trying to get to class on time!” Nonexample: “Tony, your behavior chart finally looks respectable! See, you can do it! If you’d only try like this all the time . . .” 13 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

14. Constructive Encouragement 14 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org Uses phrases such as “you are working on” and “you are learning to” Doesn’t deny the reality that the student’s present performance leaves much to be desired Doesn’t reinforce feelings of inadequacy by reminding the student of how well he/she could do if the student just tried Validates steps the student is taking NOW to master a task and thus helps the student see the connection between effort and positive outcomes

15. The secret component in constructive encouragement Persuasion = trying to talk the student into displaying a desired behavior Example: “You should be doing your work instead of acting up like this!” Attribution = communicating that the student is already displaying the desired behavior or is trying to do so Example: “I can see you’re making a real effort to get your work in on time!” Promoting Positive Behaviors Through Attribution (ESI, 1999) 15 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

16. Summary: Positive Communication • Make eye contact. • Eliminate distractions. • Listen with a closed mouth. • Let your student know they have been heard. • Keep conversations brief. • Ask the right questions. • Express your own feelings. • Admit it when you don’t know something. PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

17. Communication BuildersTips for Teachers to help open linesof communication • “I’d like to hear more about it.” • “Tell me more about that.” • “ I understand.” • “What do you think about…” • “Would you like to talk about it?” • “That’s interesting.” • “I’m interested.” • “Explain that to me.” PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

18. Negative Communication • Interrogating • Reminds students that adults are unhelpful and critical. • Reinforces negative views of others. • Emotionally reactive PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

19. Destructive questioning…. 19 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org • Can be answered “yes” or “no” • Begin with words like Are, Have, and Do • “Are you roaming the halls again?” • “Have you been bothering Samantha?” • “Do you want to go back to the suspension room?” • Close off adult-student communication • Reflect our own negative feelings about our inability to help

20. Negative Communication 20 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org • Questions that can’t be answered in terms of the student’s self-understanding or in a way that preserves self-esteem • Begin with words like What, Didn’t, and Why • “What in the world is the matter with you today?” • “Why are you acting like that?” • “Didn’t I tell you not to . . .?” • “What do I have to do to get you to . . .”

21. Negative Communication 21 PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org • Stay away from…. • The Yes-But Speech • The You-Can-Do-It Speech • The Just-Do-Your-Best Speech

22. How to Avoid Negative Communication • Always start with the end in mind • Understand your motivation • Reprimands negatively impact compliance • Nagging & lecturing • Interrupting • Criticizing • Dwelling on the past • Using Sarcasm & Threats • Putting down • Lying • Denying feelings PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

23. Communicating During Conflicts • Stay in control of your emotions • Work on one problem at a time. • Look for creative ways to solve problems. • Be polite. • Use “I” messages. • Be willing to forgive. • Devise a future plan & debrief student and class PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

24. Conclusion • Communication is sending information from one person to another. • Communication can be verbal or non-verbal. • Communication can be positive or negative, effective or ineffective. • Practice communicating during conflicts. • Practice communication builders. PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

25. Resources/References • http://trainingpd.suite101.com/article.cfm/communication_styles • http://matrix.scranton.edu/humanresources/communication-styles-handout-leadership.pdf • www.natalierathvon.com PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org

26. Questions? PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS • www.pgcps.org