Communication and Collaboration

Communication and collaboration are essential in the lives of a teacher.  We must communicate with our students, parents, peers and administrator, however the mode in which I do that may differ.  I communicate with my students verbally and through Kidblog.  In the past, I tried to use Class Dojo for discipline. It worked well for the classroom, but I didn't have much parent participation.  It seemed that the parents who I would have heard from anyways checked it daily, but the students who I needed parental participation from, neglected to look or even open their account.  I was shocked by this and returned to the old fashioned notes home.  I also communicate with parents through emails and text.  I communicate and collaborate with other teachers and my administrator mostly through email and texts.  

2. Which modalities, strategies and tools do you use most often? Which modalities could you use more often?:

Anytime (asynchronous) communications:

 I prefer to use email communication for the majority of my school communication.  I like that I can receive messages, but I don't have to stop my teaching to respond.  I also like to think about my answers if the email is of importance.  It gives flexibility within my life and I can send and receive messages when it is convenient without the pressure to immediately respond.

Real-time (synchronous) communications:

The real time communication I use is chatting.  At work, I use Google chat and at home I use Facebook Messenger.  I enjoy the instant feedback that you get through these methods.  I can also have texting communications in real-time too.  Often, I chat back and forth with coworkers and family.   

  

Anytime (asynchronous) collaborations:

With our PLC meetings, we use Google Docs.  I love that we can all type into the same document at the same time.  I have to admit though that I don't use it much besides at work.   

Real-time (synchronous) collaborations:

At school, the real-time communication I use is Google Hangout.  Being from an outlying school, a few times I have used Google Hangout to participate in my PLC meetings.  I also Facetime my family when we aren't together.  I feel like I could use this modality more often than I do.

3. How could you improve your communications and collaborations?

I think that I am strong communicator, however I feel that I need to work on my collaboration more.  I think that I could participate in Google hangouts more.  That way I can spend more time in my room doing the things that need to be done instead of traveling to a meeting.  I would also like to try out twitter chats more.  I think that with more exposure, the task will become easier and I love the ideas that others share.