The beginning of summer is the perfect opportunity to reflect on goals and aspirations for the upcoming school year. Perhaps you are a teacher who would love to receive an award like teacher of the year or get into administration. Maybe you are a principal who would love to take it a step further and become a superintendent. Or maybe you simply want to develop deeper relationships with the parent community. No matter what your goal is, effective communication can help get you there. The summer is the perfect opportunity to reflect on your communication skills and where you are headed.

Effective communication is important both inside and outside of the classroom. Becoming an effective communicator can help you become the best version of yourself that you want to become. It can also help you advance your career and achieve whatever goals you have already set into motion. Effective communication will make you a better teacher, administrator, and support system for parents. So how can we all improve communication and get there?

Being Understood

According to Career Question, there are numerous signs of a good communicator. Good communicators are understood. Although this may seem simple, relaying how you feel to others can be difficult. If you are a teacher, this could involve talking to the administration about what you need to get your job done. When you’re talking to students it could involve setting clear expectations and deadlines.

Although both oral and written communication is important, using technology like Bloomz can assist in becoming the best possible communicator you can be. Sending students, parents, teachers, and colleagues clear updates and messages can help you get your point across and be understood. Digital memos and updates are a powerful way of getting a clear message across. It can also give you time to plan out what you want to say. Bloomz also makes it easy to look back on communication so that messages don’t get lost in the shuffle. It provides parents and colleagues a way to look back on what was said as a reference.

Understanding Others

In addition to being understood, good communicators understand others. Understanding others is all about maintaining good listening skills. It also involves letting others know they have been heard! Responding to emails and questions as soon as possible is a great way to let others know they have been heard. It is also important to always send a reply, no matter how small. Simply acknowledging receiving a message or thanking someone for their input makes others feel understood and that their time has been respected.

We can all agree that great communication is vital to any workplace environment. How do you communicate with those around you? Leave a comment below and let us know!

Sources:

• Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
• Career Quest . (2015, January 12). WHY GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS ARE ESSENTIAL TO YOUR FUTURE CAREER.