Having a difficult week this week. I need to keep focused on the future and not slide back to the past. At times this is much easier said than done. The humidity makes all my energy disappear and with that my resolve and forward thinking ability. I seem to have spent most of the long weekend doing dishes and washing and too tired to do much else. I need food...water...sleep....and......
On to other things...the children's speaking and communication courses are going really well. Tuesdays group are all from the same school, so bonded well and there has been many surprises amongst the group with those most nervous wanting to speak. The 2 Wednesday groups have been a little slower to gel. This, I feel, is mainly due to the age range 7 - 12 and the fact that some turn up each week and some don't. The ages could be better sorted and I hope that this will happen for the second term. They all really enjoy the interactive exercises that control breathing and vocal volume. They also prefer someone else thinking up topics to talk about and being challenged. Which is really great and show wonderful learning and intelligence although tiring for me. We start on forming the first assignment this week so that will be fun too. Brought the lights as a timing device into play last week and that proved challenging.
All that is left to say is.....bring on the energy and it will all be go!!! :-)
Monday, March 24, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Observations
So how do we behave in an unfamiliar environment or one that appears to have no set rules? How do we follow the culture, know the boundries and work out what is acceptable and what is not?
These were the questions that I was asking myself this week. So I started to oserve situations and see what happens.
What do we do?
We observe, we look at how others behave towards each other. We see who is talking to whom, whose words are listened to and who makes the final decisions.
The first day on a new job quickly becomes about the personalities in the office rather than the skill of the job. We search out where the "gossip" station is and from whom we need to get essential information about the working of the office from.
The culture of an organisation does seem to start from the top. If the CEO arrives at the office each day dressed in a tatty T shirt and dirty jeans and expects the staff to be smart and well dressed it will not be long before he loses credibility and any authority his salary and title expect.
My recent experience is the small business set up by a charismatic person, by setting up this small business gave him great credibility within the wider industry. Eventually he bowed to pressure and took a step back from running the business, making the great sweep of handing management over to another. However, he really was still in charge as every decision with the small business was cleared with him. New managers were scared to make decisions without first running it past him for his approval. At the same time as there were no rules or boundries within the business employees started to look to him for clues on the culture of the organisation. How to speak to others. Who to speak to within the business,whos words to listen to and who to ignore. How to treat customers and how to behave.
Needless to say that as the person in charge cared less and less about the business and the people in it so did the employees. The way he dressed and behaved became the norm, and then suddenly he turns around and wonders why the business is failing. To suddenly start making demands on staff to pull themselves up will not work unless it comes from the top down.
If you are the head of any organisation people will look up to you and seek your approval or mimic your behaviour. You need to be aware of this and then act appropriately.
So it is human nature to learn by observing others. We have all done it, that is one of the ways we learned as children. We didn't need to experience everything to learn how to behave socially, generally we just observe how other do it. So... is it any wonder things get really screwed up sometimes?
Well that's my thought for today.....catch you next time.
These were the questions that I was asking myself this week. So I started to oserve situations and see what happens.
What do we do?
We observe, we look at how others behave towards each other. We see who is talking to whom, whose words are listened to and who makes the final decisions.
The first day on a new job quickly becomes about the personalities in the office rather than the skill of the job. We search out where the "gossip" station is and from whom we need to get essential information about the working of the office from.
The culture of an organisation does seem to start from the top. If the CEO arrives at the office each day dressed in a tatty T shirt and dirty jeans and expects the staff to be smart and well dressed it will not be long before he loses credibility and any authority his salary and title expect.
My recent experience is the small business set up by a charismatic person, by setting up this small business gave him great credibility within the wider industry. Eventually he bowed to pressure and took a step back from running the business, making the great sweep of handing management over to another. However, he really was still in charge as every decision with the small business was cleared with him. New managers were scared to make decisions without first running it past him for his approval. At the same time as there were no rules or boundries within the business employees started to look to him for clues on the culture of the organisation. How to speak to others. Who to speak to within the business,whos words to listen to and who to ignore. How to treat customers and how to behave.
Needless to say that as the person in charge cared less and less about the business and the people in it so did the employees. The way he dressed and behaved became the norm, and then suddenly he turns around and wonders why the business is failing. To suddenly start making demands on staff to pull themselves up will not work unless it comes from the top down.
If you are the head of any organisation people will look up to you and seek your approval or mimic your behaviour. You need to be aware of this and then act appropriately.
So it is human nature to learn by observing others. We have all done it, that is one of the ways we learned as children. We didn't need to experience everything to learn how to behave socially, generally we just observe how other do it. So... is it any wonder things get really screwed up sometimes?
Well that's my thought for today.....catch you next time.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Today
Well lets just say this week has had it's challenges.
Monday I was excited about attending Uni again but more so about the challenges that mobility would create. It was fun and although I enjoyed driving around I did feel more than a little car sick by the end of the day. Love the chance to get a decent coffee at campus but it sure costs.
Tuesday I decided to try the toilets. Something that truly mobile people take for granted. I now have a list of things to give to the Tamaki campus disability services, and I am sure that the list will increase.
I found it hard to not want to help the students and explain things to them. To give them real life examples or to hand out papers, pens etc. I need to remember that we are responsible for our own learning.
I am going to post a notice for proof reading assignment etc so that I can earn a little money (maybe).
Tuesdays childrens course went really well, if a little noisy. The addition of whistles for that big first breath went down well. Next week is getting them shouting!!!
A new course starts today so we will see how that progresses. Till then :-)
Monday I was excited about attending Uni again but more so about the challenges that mobility would create. It was fun and although I enjoyed driving around I did feel more than a little car sick by the end of the day. Love the chance to get a decent coffee at campus but it sure costs.
Tuesday I decided to try the toilets. Something that truly mobile people take for granted. I now have a list of things to give to the Tamaki campus disability services, and I am sure that the list will increase.
I found it hard to not want to help the students and explain things to them. To give them real life examples or to hand out papers, pens etc. I need to remember that we are responsible for our own learning.
I am going to post a notice for proof reading assignment etc so that I can earn a little money (maybe).
Tuesdays childrens course went really well, if a little noisy. The addition of whistles for that big first breath went down well. Next week is getting them shouting!!!
A new course starts today so we will see how that progresses. Till then :-)
Monday, March 3, 2008
Why do we want our kids talking
We live in a communication age where our ability to communicate is of paramount importance. Our young people need help to excel in this field to build strong self esteem, respect for others and develop strong leadership for a safer happier future.
To enable them to express themselves through their thoughts and feelings.
For them to be able to identify their goals for life and to clearly express those goals.
To be able to understand and appreciate others and to be able to respond appropriately to their communication.
To be able to confidently participate in discussion with both peers and adults
So how are we doing this?
Cornwall Park District School course started on February 19th 2008. We have 12 student and they all enjoy the chance to speak on a variety of topics. They have perticipated in difference exercises that encourage speaking, listening and the ability to think before they speak. Today we are starting week 3.
This week I also start a course at ACLC in Mt Eden. This course will follow the Cornwall Park course, but as they are a different group of student the course will be adapted to their needs.
I will let you all know how the week goes... I have also returned to University to study Psychology. This is challenging as I also have Multiple Sclerosis. The challenge is getting around the campus, to make friends and to enjoy the process. It will be an interesting year with courses and university.
We live in a communication age where our ability to communicate is of paramount importance. Our young people need help to excel in this field to build strong self esteem, respect for others and develop strong leadership for a safer happier future.
To enable them to express themselves through their thoughts and feelings.
For them to be able to identify their goals for life and to clearly express those goals.
To be able to understand and appreciate others and to be able to respond appropriately to their communication.
To be able to confidently participate in discussion with both peers and adults
So how are we doing this?
Cornwall Park District School course started on February 19th 2008. We have 12 student and they all enjoy the chance to speak on a variety of topics. They have perticipated in difference exercises that encourage speaking, listening and the ability to think before they speak. Today we are starting week 3.
This week I also start a course at ACLC in Mt Eden. This course will follow the Cornwall Park course, but as they are a different group of student the course will be adapted to their needs.
I will let you all know how the week goes... I have also returned to University to study Psychology. This is challenging as I also have Multiple Sclerosis. The challenge is getting around the campus, to make friends and to enjoy the process. It will be an interesting year with courses and university.
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