Apparently, there is a new sport in London this week-
hijacking billboards for media coverage.
It’s a form of protest, but to me it speaks volumes on where society places value. Main space media is like mainstream virtual spaces- real estate is key.
This week we’ve been talking about ACTIVE LISTENING, PARAPHRASHING AND ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS.
I’m pretty passionate about this. There is some incredible discussion happening on our Ning and I look forward to a synchronous discussion on the topic tonight. (I promise to highlight this in a future post.) What sticks in my head though, is a self-doubting thought- Am I hijacking our space?
Completely counter-productive, I know.
Here’s the thing. I’ve been examining and practicing my Active Listening this week in my f2f conversations. I believe whole-heartely that we have been given two ears and one mouth for a reason- double up the listening. I think I’m pretty good at it. Actually, when I picture myself as a child sitting in church, I was the one paying attention, while others around me fidget and doze. I have to have some skills here, right?
I’ve noticed a few things this week:
-My best friend and mom, not active listeners. (Sorry guys!)
-My paraphrasing expertise is at its best with small children.
-When I question to re-direct, I often have my own agenda in mind.
These are, in terms of observations, as good as any for a starting place. But what does this mean for my professional practice? Am I serving my colleagues in the best manner? How do you replace body language and physical cues in a virtual space? How do we leverage tech tools such as back-channeling, Twitter and chat, with distractedness and ineffective attentiveness?
As always, more questions than answers. I’ve been digging deep into resources though, and am thrilled with the potential for growth.
Check out this inventory on personal listening skills:https://docs.google.com/a/k12.kpdsb.ca/document/d/1FvMLbyTo9jOLJolDcjM_zwSED3KbC6H0iDOHzYwqAZk/edit
Talk about an eye-opener.
So back to the hijacking:
One of the THINGS I KNOW FOR SURE is that when I am passionate about something, you can tell. I talk a lot. I share a lot. I do more talking than listening sometimes. I read dozens of articles, view videos, research, create and collaborate everywhere I can. And sometimes, I ask really good questions that stretch the thinking of myself and others.
So to my PLP Group I’m sorry for the lengthy posts sometimes, but not really. Know that I’m reading yours as well, and that it is mostly because I’m finding bonus hours every day since my children learned how to sleep in. (And chances are, my love of the Olympics will re-direct my focus later this week.)
🙂
Media Madness 