Activity 1-1:
Affirming Communication

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to introduce the role communication plays in creating and maintaining positive relationships.

Trainer Preparation Notes:
For this activity, participants need to be seated next to each other, preferably around tables. It is most important that participants can easily speak with and hear each other. 

Materials
Easel, chart paper, overhead projector, Overhead I

Process
State that in order to explore communication in the program, participants must begin by communicating among themselves.

Let participants know that for the next few minutes you would like them to think about something positive about the person to their right. This may be something that person does that contributes to the program, a personality trait or some other positive characteristic. If any of the participants do not know the person to their right, they may ask that person, "What are three things that you are proud of about yourself?"

After a few minutes, ask for a volunteer to begin sharing thoughts about the person sitting next to him or her. Next proceed to that person, giving him or her an opportunity to react to what was said and then to share his or her thoughts about the person sitting to the right.

Encourage everyone to really hear and pay attention to the positive words that others say about them. Continue the sharing until everyone has had an opportunity to share, including yourself as facilitator of this process. (You may wish to share about the person who first volunteered to begin sharing. What is your impression of the person's willingness to participate?)

After each person has shared, ask participants to respond to the following questions. Record their responses on chart paper:

Debriefing
Show participants Overhead 1, Staff/Parent Communication in Head Start. As participants view this overhead, connect its messages to the activity just completed:

Every interaction is an opportunity to build partnerships. Positive statements can pave the way - they can set people at ease and make them more open to participation and partnership building. In addition, all interactions - whether in one-on-one conversations, group situations, or formal trainings - are opportunities for learning to observe and listen better and thus to improve our communication skills and strengthen our relationships.

As staff interact with families, they become better communicators. Families and staff are partners at Head Start. Positive language, as practiced in this activity, is the language of partnership. Approaching families positively lets them know that they are valued. This increases the likelihood that families will be open and communicative in response. Furthermore, staff can learn to be better communicators by paying attention to the way that others communicate. By observing and listening to the ways that family members communicate effectively with each other and with staff, staff can learn how to tailor our strategies to be most effective with the many individuals they communicate with each day.

People are constantly acquiring new communication strategies. This activity reinforced the message that a positive statement can create more openings for successful communication. From other moments, today, tomorrow, and throughout our lives, staff can learn other effective communication strategies. As you expand your range of communication strategies, you become increasingly better equipped to select the most appropriate strategies to use in any given situation.

Conclude the activity by explaining that the activities that you have selected for them to do from this guide will help them improve their communication skills.

Module 1 | Index | Activity 1-2

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