Hello Everyone,
Each Group MUST post what they put on the board today in class. Each week I want this to happen. Weekly minutes are so important and without these we cannot have successful communication. You MUST also post your weekly minutes for this weeks meeting.
I understand that many of you may have felt offended today when Amanda and I addressed our concerns. Please know and realize that this is all a part of the learning process. We expect that things will not always go smoothly, that communication will break down, conflicts will arise, and emotions will take control of our actions at times. Learn from these experiences. Communicating with your peers, teachers, campus, as well as the community is all a part of this process.
Advice:
Do the things you say that you are going to do, take control of your event, take responsibility, and follow through so task can be competed.
I would like to share some of the things today that I noticed in class that were NOT examples of effective communication. Being aware of what we are doing that is not effective, teaches us what we should do to be effective. If you are not sure how to correct something, do not hesitate to ask.
~Students did not have information (weekly minutes) for each other so each committee could be aware of what that committee has accomplished or wishing to accomplish. This is something that Amanda and I have been reminding you from the beginning.
*weekly minutes need to be completed prior to each class meeting. Students need to be ready to share with their classmates
what they have accomplished and what they are working on.
~Students finger pointed at each other for things not being completed.
*Everyone in the committee is responsible. Check in with each other to make sure things that you say will be completed before the next class period are. Create a check list and provide it to each other if necessary. I would suggest starting this right away.
~Students were not taking responsibility for their errors.
*take ownership in your error, apologize for them, and do what you can to correct them.
~Students failed to complete tasks that were assigned weeks ago and the excuses provided were not acceptable.
*There are excuses and reasons. Reflect and ask yourself is this a reason or an excuse. If something is not working and things are not going as planned, take a different route of action( a student suggested to physically go to a place that was not getting back to them(Awesome!)).
~ When students were faced with roadblocks they did not troubleshoot and try to find solutions instead things were left not completed.
*Seek help contact Amanda and I if all else fails. We are not going to do this event for you but from the beginning we told you we will help you if needed.
~Students spoke over each other.
*Raise your hand! Take turns!
~ When committees were reporting their information students were not paying attention.
*everything else should be put away and all students should be paying attention to each other. Give each other that respect (a student physically got up in class to address why we were doing something and questioned what we were doing and why(Excellent!))
~ Students did not provide each other feedback that could help each other accomplish goals.
*Give feedback both critical and positive to each other. Accept this feedback and learn from it. Becoming defensive and finger pointing will get us no where.
~Students still have not completed things that they said they would do weeks ago (many of these things were NOT because of the location issue)
*Create a list and give yourself deadlines to complete your tasks in a timely fashion. Do what you say you will do.
~Some students were completely disengaged .
*When things are chaotic, students that are very organized in their everyday life, often cannot handle when things are not going smoothly. They begin to pull away and not become involved. If you see this with a committee member, draw them back in. Their input is valuable and we need everyone. People that may not be "holding their own" may feel overwhelmed and not know what to do. Give them your support. Ask them what they wish to be doing and if they are not sure, give them a task.
I would like to share some of the things today that I noticed in class that were examples of effective communication:
~Individual students were working together to complete goals.
~Students expressed opinions, ideas and thoughts.
~Students questioned each other and me to get things moving along.
~Students began to work together and try to accomplish things in a timely fashion.
~Students shared information that other committees could use to complete their goals.
~Students communicated the need to move forward and began to take control of their event.
Personal Note:
I too feel frustrated and extremely fearful that this event is not coming together. I have pondered if I should pull this event and give the college back their money. I too have left class in despair and had several discussion with Amanda about what to do. But, I have not given up on you and you should not give up on each other. I want this to be YOUR event. I want you to be proud of what you accomplish. I cannot do this for you but I can guide you. Pull together, become a community not just a classroom filled with individuals. Tap into the resources that are right in front of you and do not wait for others to get the job done for you. Do not put things off. Troubleshoot and work on your roadblocks before the next class meeting. Inform us of the problems you are facing but the solutions that you have come up with that we can ponder on with you. If you are not getting the response you need, try approaching it differently. Coming to class with only problems and no solutions, do not move us forward. If you do not know where something is on campus then ask people to help you. Do not wait a week to come to class informing us that you didn't know where to go. This project allows you to learn and explore your campus and community. You will be here for 4 years or longer, you will need these tools to be successful here.
We are learning, but you may not even be aware of it:
The last few weeks we have learned that what we have been doing has not been successful so what are you going to do to change it? Our communication has not be effective. How can we make it effective? We have disengaged because we could not handle the chaos. Life is not always smooth. You will experience a lot of this in your college career and future employment. Take a moment, embrace this, learn from it and push forward. Do not give up. Effective communication is also recognizing what doesn't work and changing it.
What you are experiencing will help you learn:
The frustrations and roadblocks that you have been running into is only an ounce of what people with disabilities face everyday. Embrace this, it is teaching you more about privileges than possibly any lesson could. They do not give up,they can't. They continue to push ahead. Feeling like you are not being heard, not getting responses from people that you need, not knowing where to turn for help or assistance, not being understood or respected, and things you need to happen so you can be successful that just aren't, are what people with disabilities are faced with over and over again. You may feel like you are not learning anything and I am not teaching you much, but keep in mind much of what you will learn this semester is indirect and depends on what you are willing to put in. This semester is not meant to be a lecture orientated classroom. I am not leading this class as I did last semester; I have give you the reins. Often education does not do this and it may be very unfamiliar to you. It is okay to ask for guidance but I am not going to tell you what to do, how to think or how to do it. You can do this. Practice it here in this class. it will prepare you for what is to come.
********HOMEWORK********
~powerpoint draft must be at least 20 slides and will be turned in after our next class meeting. Each group will email me their powerpoint after it is viewed in class. You must provide me with a hard copy of your powerpoint ( so I may write comments) and email your power point to be as well so I may view how the transitions take place.
~Research agencies that work with people that experience your disability. Be sure to consider this campus as well. Provide contact information (Name, address, phone number, contact person and a brief summary of their services) Contact this agency and let them know what we are doing and ask if they would like information so their clients can attend. Ask them what they think is the most important information to share with others. Ask them to send you materials to help you learn as much as you can. Keep these materials for the event for your disability tables. I strongly encourage you visit the agency if possible. Learning about your disability is crucial for a successful event.
~Begin thinking about ideas for your poster board that will represent your disability.
~Storm the Dorms on Thursday Evening if you cannot attend find another way to sell your bracelets
~Provide the class with your meeting minutes and work on accomplishing what you have told that class you planned to do this week. Do NOT put this off any more. These minutes MUST be posted on this blog each week by Monday at 12:00 am AND A HARD COPY IS TO BE TURNED IN AT THE START OF CLASS (TYPED).
*********STUDENTS MUST CREATE AND SIGN THE WEEKLY MINUTES FOR BOTH THE COMMITTEES AND DISABILITY GROUPS TO SHOW THEY ATTENDED AND THIS IS TO BE GIVEN TO AMANDA BEFORE CLASS. STUDENTS THAT DO NOT ATTEND WILL NEED TO PROVIDE THE REASON AND PROOF OF ABSENCE, IF FOR EXAMPLE IT IS SPORT RELATED, YOUR COACH NEEDS TO EMAIL ME***********IF YOU DO NOT ATTEND YOUR MEETINGS YOU WILL NOT PASS THIS CLASS. THIS CLASS IS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN GROUPS MEANING YOU KNEW WHEN SIGNING UP FOR THIS CLASS GROUP WORK WOULD BE BE REQUIRED.
I have allowed you to take minutes whatever way you wanted but since I have not gotten them I am setting up what I want from you.
Formal or Informal Meeting Minutes Format?
Formal meeting minutes formats are often governed by company policy, and must be recorded and communicated in a pre-determined way, such as company annual general meetings. If in doubt, ask for a copy of previous meeting minutes to establish the normal meeting minute format.
The Role of the Minute Taker
Your role as minute taker can affect how you interact during the meeting. Traditionally secretaries sat quietly taking notes, but chances are you will be expected to take part in the meeting AND take notes.
Top Tip - Make it easier to take good notes and provide valuable input by agreeing with the meeting owner what your role is. It's often best if the meeting owner, facilitator and note taker are 3 different people.
Choose Your Weapon Wisely!
There are plenty of gadgets to help you take better notes, for example you can type directly onto a laptop, use a voice recorder or even get hold of a white-board that print what's written on it. But beware; even the shiniest, fastest laptop is worthless when the battery life-span is shorter than the meeting.
Top Tip - Always take a backup pen and paper!
Standard Meeting Minute Template
Meeting minutes normally include these elements as standard;
Time, date and venue.
Attendees and apologies from absentees.
Key outcomes from the meeting - decisions made, actions agreed and open issues.
Top Tip - Remember who said what by making a named seat plan at the start of the meeting when introductions are made, and referring to it as necessary.
A good meeting will have a pre-prepared agenda, and all attendees will be clear about the meeting objective and expected outcomes. Use the agenda to structure your note-taking, and be prepared to clarify points as the meeting progresses.
Top Tip - Aim to record key themes not verbatim comments
Some meetings work better if the notes taken are available for all to see, for example on flip charts or on over-heads. If so, remember to take these notes with you and write up the meeting minutes while they are fresh in your head.
Before you circulate the minutes, spell check and if necessary, ask the meeting owner to proof read the minutes. Well written, clear minutes, circulated in a timely manner are always well received!
These tips on how to take meeting minutes will increase the quality of any further meetings and increase the teams' effectiveness.
~Really look at our campus this week. How accommodating is it for someone with the disability that you are studying? Become aware.
How you are being evaluated:
Effective communication during class meeting, work performed leading to event, peer's evaluation of your performance, and participation in event 55%
~Final reflection on your growth as a student, individual and a community member: 5%
~Poster Board and Table Education at the event: 5%
-powerpoint: 30%
-Weekly Minute Reports: 5%
Hang in there. Take a deep breathe and realize the power that you have as a class to make this one of the most memorable experiences in someone's life. Be a part of the movement.
As always, your partner in learning,
Monica
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