Observing Communication

Blog Assignment: Observing Communication

The communication setting that I chose to observe was taken from the film, “Rubie Bridges.” This film dates back to the 1960’s. It was a time of racial intolerance and segregation. It was a time too when the United States was making an attempt to integrate black students into white schools. From watching this film, I wish to focus on not only the communication strategies/ styles utilized by Mrs. Henry, (Ruby’s teacher) but also her honesty and painstaking efforts to help Ruby to learn despite the odds that were against both of them.

Mrs. Henry’s first encounter with Ruby spoke volumes for her credibility as an effective child communicator. She addressed Ruby with great respect calling her by her full name. Taking Ruby by the hand and speaking to her kindly, gave Ruby the confidence to work not only on the first day that she and Mrs. Henry  worked together but also all the other days during the protests. Mrs. Henry’s display of genuine care and acceptance of Ruby’s situation are carefully seen in her attempts to provide a safe environment for Ruby to learn. Mrs. Henry also sought to help all the children whom she invited to come into her class to be with Ruby to understand each other as they engaged in the playing of the game, “Duck, Duck, [and] Goose.” (Derman-Sparks& Edwards, 2010), refer to this part of anti-bias education as “an integral part to foster the development of the whole child” (2010). I also realize that Mrs. Henry had put into effect what Lisa Kolbeck stated in the media segment. She made all the children including Ruby felt accepted, listened to and above all she “did not close the children off with [any] walls of assumptions,” despite what the parents or other staff members were thinking about in a prejudicial way ( Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).

I am also impressed with the language that Mrs. Henry used to help Ruby to understand what slavery meant. I believe that in her teacher to student talk with Ruby, Mrs. Henry opened up a whole new world of understanding to Ruby. She started giving Ruby the empowerment to know what was not right about what she was facing. I found this to be developmentally appropriate and (Dangel & Durden, 2010) support this idea when they outline that teacher language should help students not only to relate to the context of the situation but also help them to think about the situation in positive ways. I believe Ruby came away more empowered to do right by her oppressors than they ever could imagine.

I believe that I have learnt so much from observing the strategies utilized by Mrs. Henry. The most important of these strategies is effective language to explain a very difficult situation. This is a skill Mrs. Henry utilized even when the situation would have escalated negatively. I also liked that both Mrs. Henry and Ruby could share emotions together as they cried about the crisis that they both were facing.

Finally, I believe in terms of their(children's) “social, emotional and cognitive abilities” teachers must learn about not only the power of words but also about that which will help children “be able to navigate the larger worlds of school and their communities” (Derman-Sparks& Edwards,2010). This, I believe is the biggest lesson that is taught not only by language but by “sensitivity, “reflective listening” and total acceptance” (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). This lesson was fully learnt when Mrs. Henry finally realized that eating with Ruby made a big difference in their lives.

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and

ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Rainer Dangei, J., & Durden, T. R. (2010). The nature of teacher talk during small group activities. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 74-81.

Ruby Bridges Full Movie retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09faLq3wT8c