Next Steps:
Ideas to
Extend Practice
- Ask participants what communication skill they want to continue to work on. Have them write notes to themselves stating their own learning goals related to these skills. Provide the participants with stamped envelopes. Have them place their notes in the envelopes, address them to themselves, and give them to you. Mail the notes back to participants, unopened, one month later as a reminder of their own learning goals.
- Discuss with participants how they show respect, open themselves to the conversation, pay attention, and offer feedback in conversations that take place by telephone.
- Ask the participants to observe a television or video conversation within the next week, and to note in their journal what opens up communication and what blocks it.
- Arrange for a speaker from a local college to address the group on communication skills.
- Create a work group to review the program's policies relating to communication with parents, and to make any recommendations they think appropriate to the policy council.
- Work with classroom teachers to create a lesson for the children, teaching the basics of "I Messages" in ways that three- and four-year olds can understand.