Effective Communication Kit
For Parents of Teenagers
Learning Experience by Courtney Sanderl, Amherst Middle School, Amherst Central NY School
District
Member of the
Learning Context:
Effective
communication is one of the most important skills that families can develop.
The purpose of this learning experience is for students to create a kit that
promotes healthy, effective communication among family members. The skill of
communicating effectively is essential not only in families, but in everyday
relationships as well. The simple design
of the kit allows for people of all ages to develop their communication
skills. In the process of creating the
kit, students uncover the roles and responsibilities of a parent in the
development of effective communication within a family.
Guiding Questions:
·
How
do family members support and affirm one another?
·
How
do family members show respect for one another?
·
How
do family members develop trust for one another?
·
What
communication strategies support the well being of family members?
·
What
resources outside of the family are available to support healthy family
relationships and childcare?
·
How
can my actions make my family a healthier place to love and live?
Connection and Rationale:
The
Effective Communication Kit for Parents
of Teenagers is an assignment given to eighth grade students in health
education class. The task is used as a
summative assessment for the communication unit. The assignment requires
students to develop and demonstrate advocacy, communication, decision-making,
and self-management skills. These skills are necessary for students to become
responsible, respectful, and productive adults.
The emphasis of the task is to allow students the opportunity to view
situations from the perspective of a parent.
The
Effective Communication Kit task is
versatile enough to be taught in several curricular disciplines. As
aforementioned, the task is currently given to students in health education
class. The health content is infused
into the task through the problems students must solve at the conclusion of the
assignment. Thus, other curricular
content could be infused in the same manner.
The
Effective Communication Kit reflects
“best” classroom practices because it requires students to develop
proficiencies in two of the New York State Standard areas: Parenting and
Health, Physical Education, and Family and Consumer Science. Students must also
demonstrate adequate development of advocacy, communication, decision-making,
and self-management skills from the New York State Health Skills Matrix. The combination of these requirements fosters
effective communication. Students can see their role in the dynamics of family
communication. As a result, students
equip themselves to communicate better, and to develop strategies when
effective communication falls apart. The goal of the task is for students to
develop realistic communication strategies that make them a better family
member, a quality future-parent, and a model citizen.
Prior Knowledge and Tips for Success:
·
Create a good knowledge base in the areas of
communication and conflict management.
·
Practice answering questions from the
parents’ perspective.
·
Gather,
and make available, many resources on communication and parenting.
·
Distribute health skills matrix to each
student and highlight skills that will be assessed.
·
Have one example of an effective
communication kit or similar kit.
Procedure:
The Effective Communication Kit for Parents of
Teenagers is an independent project to be done outside of class. Students
use information from previous class activities about communication, conflict
management, problem solving and decision-making. Class time is used to
introduce the task, articulate expectations, brainstorm, receive teacher
feedback, and gather information. Accomplishing the task with success requires
students to demonstrate many of the skills necessary to enhance personal
health. A student’s ability to create a product that can be used to solve
realistic life situations in an appropriate, healthy manner illustrates that
student’s development of necessary health skills.
The
sequential planner included in the teacher packet outlines a procedural process
that will result in success for the Effective Communication Kit learning
experience. Below is an outline of this
procedure.
·
Day 1
-
The teacher explains brainstorming activity
used to introduce and define the five areas of investigation (words and actions
that show care &/or respect, components of effective communication,
roadblocks to effective communication, ways to develop trust, and resources
outside of the family).
* Brainstorming
Activity- five sheets of newsprint are placed
around
the room; each headed with a different area of investigation. Students are divided into groups of three or
four, depending on class size. Groups
are given a marker and an area of investigation to start at. The activity begins when each group of
students is at a different area of investigation. Groups are given four minutes to brainstorm as
many answers as possible for that area of investigation. Groups rotate through each station
-
The teacher provides and explains Day 1 Student Packet, Task Sheet and Process Rubric.
-
Students are given time to think and write
about day 1 reflection question.
·
Day 2
-
The teacher provides and explains Day 2 Student Packet, Problem Solving Packet(to be completed day 3) and Product Rubric.
-
The teacher provides examples of Effective Communication Kits for
student viewing.
-
The teacher makes available several resource
materials that students use for investigation purposes.
-
Students are given time to think and write
about day 2 reflection question.
·
Day 3
Day three gives students
the opportunity to use their kit, check for deficiencies, and to strengthen
design.
-
Students are to bring in their finished Effective Communication Kit and
complete the Problem Solving Packet. At
the conclusion of this, students are required to take their kit home to make
necessary improvements, and to have an adult complete a Problem Solving Packet.
-
Day
1 Packets, Day 2 Packets, Problem Solving Packets,
and the Effective Communication Kit
for Parents of Teenagers are due at the beginning of the next class.
-
Students are given time to think and write
about day 3 reflection questions.
·
Throughout the project, the teacher
conferences with students, students use computers to investigate and
design.
·
Students are encouraged to use graphic
organizers, checklists, and assessment rubrics (which have been provided to
them) as a means to monitor their progress, and assess their product.
This learning experience
incorporates technology in two specific areas. First, during the information
gathering and investigation session students are requested to search the
internet for pertinent, appropriate, and useful information. Secondly, students
are encouraged to use computer graphics and word processing to make their kit
look more professional.
Instructional/Environmental Modifications:
This task can be easily modified by
decreasing the number of elements required within each area of
investigation. Students could also be
permitted to work in small groups, which would require the instructor to
articulate job descriptions and responsibilities for group members. In cases of more severe disabilities,
extended time or teacher consultations would be appropriate.
Time Required:
Planning and preparation for the teacher:
·
Lessons in previous classes on communication
(180 min.).
·
Duplication of materials (30 min.)
-
Day 1 student packet
-
Day 2 student packet
-
task sheet
-
problem solving practice packet
-
rubrics
Compilation of resources
(1 hour).
·
Explanation of activities (5 min.).
·
Explanation of tasks (15 min.).
·
Assessment of Effective Communication Kits (10 min each project).
·
Assessment of student packets (15 min each).
Time and preparation for the student:
·
Previous class information on communication
(180min.)
·
Brainstorming Activity (20 min.).
·
Complete Day 1 student packet (15 min.).
·
Complete Day 2 student packet (1 hour).
·
Create, design, and complete kit (2 hours).
·
Complete problem solving practice packet (40
min.).
Resources:
·
·
Fetro,
Joyce V. Personal & Social Skills: Understanding and Integrating
Competencies Across Health content.
·
Materials provided by instructor or student
include:
-
newsprint
-
markers
-
a variety of packages to be used for kit
making
-
computer
-
resources on parenting and communication
-
folders to keep all packets together
Assessment Plan:
Formative Assessment Strategies:
Formative evidence of meeting the performance
indicators are achieved through the use of:
- observation
of students during class time,
- graphic
organizers,
- checklists,
- responses
to reflection questions.
- problem
solving packet
Summative assessment strategies:
A summative assessment will be determined based on
the following items:
-Day
1,2 & 3 Student Packets
-problem
solving packet
-Effective
Communication Kit for Parents of Teenagers
-kit
rubric
-process
rubric
STUDENT PACKET
Words and Actions
that Show Care &/or Respect
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Components of
Effective Communication
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Ways to Develop
TRUST
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
Roadblocks to
Effective Communication
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Resources Outside
of Family
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION KIT FOR PARENTS OF TEENAGERS
TASK DESCRIPTION SHEET
Role Title: You are a design engineer for a well-known
communication company.
Situation: The company you work for specializes in the production of
educational materials used to improve communication among people. Your company built its reputation by
facilitating communication among large groups of people in workplaces, schools,
and other institutions. They now want to
expand their services to smaller groups.
The company realizes the importance for a family to develop effective
communication skills, and have decided to start their effort there.
Role The company
has asked you to design and create a kit that incorporates the knowledge
Description:
of effective communication with the development of the skills necessary to
promote effective communication among
family members.
The Effective
Communication Kit will be targeted, initially, to parents with teenage
children. As a design specialist you
must create a comprehensive, user-friendly kit geared to this group. The kit must promote relationship building in
families via effective communication.
The following components are required as pieces of the kit: showing
respect, developing trust, community resources outside of the family, and
strategies to overcome communication barriers and conflict. Each component must be packaged separately.
As a design specialist,
the packaging of the kit is important.
The kit should be easy to use, portable, appealing to the eye, titled
and labeled correctly, and designed to develop effective communication skills.
BRAINSTORMING
KIT PACKAGE IDEAS
