Today was wonderful!
I went to the market that happens every 5 days. Its an outdoor market with fruit, fish, socks, and other random bits of excitement. It was very interesting and I took pictures, which I will put up when I am not exhausted. After the market, I got dressed and ready to go to school. I observed three classes and watched some lectures fellow teachers gave about teaching with Avalon. It was very eye opening and the whole experience makes me so glad that I am here. Its going to be tough to be thrown in with the limited information I have, but I am up for the challenge and excited to try to teach. I love to help people, and I love to explain things and do so in a way that makes sense to my audience. The challenge will be to really connect with my students, the material, and to adjust to each of the different levels of students I will teach. And to remember students names!! Ugh! I thought I was bad at remember peoples names before, now the names don't make sense!
In the last class (a higher level class) there are three girls. They are practicing writing for the TOEFL exam. They were supposed to decide whether or not the agreed with the following statement: Face-to-face communication is better than other forms of communication, such as letters, email, and phones. Cam, the teacher and I both agreed with the statement but all three girls disagreed. They said that, A) it was easier to collect ones thoughts and write something more meaningful in email. B) It took less time to communicate when you didn't have to go visit them in person. C) When you are shy, it is easier to communicate when you have time to think and not react to the person standing in front of you. Fascinating! They didn't seem to think that it was impersonal at all, they felt it was more personal... I have to think its a technology issue. Even though the kids are only 10 years younger, they have grown up using these other forms aof communication to the point that they find them more personal and better than a face to face conversation. I was impressed.... I guess my own communication with loved ones has taken the form of a blog, which has been perhaps more personal than I am with most people I come into contact with face-to-face... It is just instinct for me to say that it is better to communicate face to face.
Thoughts?
3 comments:
Like you said, face-to-face communication is more widely varied in how "successful" it is. written/email/other communication levels things out in both directions--it drives a wedge into really intimate communcation, but closes up gaps in less familiar conversations.
I guess it depends on how one wants to handle one's relationships in general, but I think saying either one is absolutely more effective is a bit draconian, or unnecessary, or something.
I find this form of communication less personal. I totally agree with you. Though, if I'm older, doesn't that imply that we are all getting old?
I think that non verbal communication queues allow one to better understand and react to their communicator. If one is communicating two ways, its impossible to work without those queues. For an example, I would reference the interview. Phone interviews are much more difficult than in person, because you are unable to gauge what your audience wants.
Thank goodness for our differences.Whatever works for each individual. Varies greatly. It's ok to disagree.Love Granny C
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