YOUR TASK: As a student in PSY3405 ID it is now your task to make any additions or suggestions you may feel are necessary. Ask a question about any particular policy and stimulate conversation among your classmates! If you chose not to add a rule, please be sure to elaborate on one of the rules presented above. You are encouraged to reply to others for a meaningful discussion.
Ground rules specific to discussions held in class and online: These are important to remember so that every member of the classroom feels respected and safe when discussing topics that are sometimes personal and powerful.
- Listen actively — respect others when they are talking.
- Speak from your own experience instead of generalizing (“I” instead of “they,” “we,” and “you”).
- Do not be afraid to respectfully challenge one another by asking questions, but refrain from personal attacks — focus on ideas.
- Participate to the fullest of your ability — community growth depends on the inclusion of every individual voice.
- Instead of invalidating somebody else’s story with your own spin on her or his experience, share your own story and experience.
- The goal is not to agree — it is to gain a deeper understanding.
- Be conscious of body language and nonverbal responses — they can be as disrespectful as words.
Reference:
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/activities/groundrules.html
I would add to policy # 5 to not judge and put your own feeling towards a person’s experience if you don’t agree with it.
I would add another Policy #8, which would be “Think about your choice of words before using them. Sometimes the words in our comments can offend someone without us realizing it. All of us are adults but we are also human and have to be careful with the words we use in our society today because we don’t know who we could offend.”
I would like to agree with Roger. It is imperative for us all to think before we speak and choose our words wisely. This is vital in every aspect of ones life.
Hi Roger, I think your policy is extremely crucial. I believe that tone and delivery is very important when conversing with an individual. Sometimes people don’t mean any harm when giving advice however, they fail to use the right words to get their point across and often times that results in offending the person instead of encouraging.
I agree with you Roger. Another thing to take into consideration is that some words may have different interpretations in other cultures. We should elaborate on our thoughts to avoid confusion.
you right Judith our class is very diverse in culture and nationalities and sometimes we take things in a wrong way because of this so we have to be clear with certain things we want to say.
This is so important because many times we use words that don’t mean anything to us but someone else might be sensitive to them. Thinking before speaking is more important than we believe. Words can belittle someone or commend them depending on our choice of words. I believe we should always attempt to commend those we love and care about.
I would like to add Policy # 9 ( after Roger), every time we need to say something in class we should present ourselves with: Hi, I’m (name), this is in case we want to reply to the comments, we can do it respectfully referring to the person with his/her name instead of he or she.
I agree with what Jessica and Roger is saying and also would like to add to Policy #3. For example, we cannot assume a person’s name based on their appearance. If I wanted to speak to someone and I don’t know their name. I can simply ask what their name is, instead of assuming it. In general, we should not assume to know anything about a person if we do not know them.
I think this is a good idea and should be implemented. Many times after a comment, people would say “as he/she said”. I think it would be more respectful if a person were to respond to a comment with the previous speaker’s name.
I like all the policies, however policy number three stands out the most to me. I believe the best thing I can do is ask a question. I ask questions for several reasons: to get information, clarity and understanding. When I don’t ask a question that’s when I start to assume ,which leads to my perception (world view), which leads to my approach and the outcome can either be success or failure.
I like the idea of asking questions rather than just making statements as long as other are mindful to still be respectful and not malicious in the way in which they pose the question. I also understand that sometimes a question is just that so the person responding hopefully does not take it personal.
Policy #10 – If someone is sharing a personal experience, flip it. Try to imagine yourself in their shoes before questioning or commenting on it. By doing that, it allows you to gain a greater sense of understanding and better comprehend why things panned out the way they did.
Love it! This policy is a great addition! Thanks Angel. Just as with policy 6, the idea is to listen to understand, and with policy number 10, putting ones self in the position of the student speaking, does help to understand the situation better, and with that, it helps refrain from any negative comments or misguided comments that may seem offensive.
I also agree with Jarvis on policy #3 does stand out for me also. because the process of learning is to ask questions to get a better understanding and clarity of whatever the subject or topic is that is being discussed, and not to assume you understand when you are having problems with understanding the topic of discussion.
I would like to add to policy #4. Don’t be afraid to speak up! I feel that the more engaged you are in class the more you learn. Absorb as much as possible because knowledge is power – major key alert!
I like all the policies especially policy number two. I believe that people should speak for themselves and not for others. If I want to hear about other people, I would ask them.
Hey guys, these policies that you came up with are really good. I would like to add to policy No. 1, which is to give the person that is speaking your undivided attention and not engage in separate conversations while someone else is speaking.
In regards to rule#7, I think it is important to remember that body language and non verbal responses vary across different cultures. Since not many people receive formal training in non verbal communication, it is a good idea not to perceive someone’s gesture as an insult immediately. If your conversation partner looks away, it does not necessarily demonstrates that he/she is disengaged or lying.
As adults in a college classroom one would expect professional behavior from everyone in the class.
My thoughts exactly Lora. Many people think that if they remain quiet, they will not offend anyone. However body language and even facial expressions can convey a different message and come across disrespectful. In a speech class I took, I watched a video on how the way you stand, cross your arms flex and extend your head can all mean something different. Her message was mainly to use our bodies as a way of feeling confident which of course is positive and will definitely not come off as disrespectful.
I believe that respect is very important. I’d like to add to policy #1 by saying : Treat people the way you are expect them to treat you”. It is a two way street, what you give is what you get.
Hi Fervy, I definitely agree with your comment on policy #1. Treating others with respect, means to be fully engaged and attentive. It shows that the other person have your full attention and therefore you are respecting their opinions and ideas. Also, i would like to add that active listeners are more capable of having a better interaction and understanding of the topic in conversation.
I like the policy list, especially # 7, where body language and non verbal expressions may be taken very differently by people in the audience.
I agree with policy #1, please be respectful and courtesy to other people’s personal experience
I agree with Jon. Not everyone is gifted with good speaking skills (including myself). It is necessary that everyone is given a fair chance to speak without any interruptions. Good manners promote a healthy learning environment.
All of the policies make sense. as many of us comment about policy #1 because it is important to have respect for each other. As Roger stated before we should think about our words before we speak. we do not want to upset anybody.
I like policy # 6, I think it is very important to pay attention and make sure that you understand what you’re being thought and not just agree with something that you think is wrong or just to avoid speaking. The whole purpose is to learn something that you can use in your life and also guide others with your understandings.
I agree with policy #3, constructive criticism should always be encouraged. Always ask questions to things that you aren’t knowledgeable about. Because there will always be another person that will do have the knowledge for particular subject matter. Asking questions can also ignite debates, opinions, and idea’s.
Besides all policies I like policy #10 proposing by Angel – if someone is sharing a personal experience, flip it. I always try to apply someones story on my personal experience, and think how I would behave if it happened with me. My basic rule in life is not to judge people, always put myself in their place, and understand them.
In general, I would like to add, that in terms of respect we should keep our classroom clean and neat. Not let any trash, bottles, paper etc. to float around. during or after the session. Its annoying to see trash resting on the floor, whilst there is a perfectly shaped trashcan beside the door.
And yes I agree with all of the people that are agree. I also support all of those courageous people that are disagree.
I would also want to add that these 7 original rules are absolutely fine to obey and that I have nothing to add to them.
I would like to add to number six.
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” ― Stephen R. Covey
I attempt in life to take a step back when conversing to listen and understand as oppose to hear and reply. Sometimes I catch myself agreeing to move on from a conversation someone probably needed more than just an agreement from.
Hi Glorialyse, I completely agree with your quote, I have encountered many cases where people listen to you just to reply not with the intention to understand. I have also encountered with individual who ask a question but also he/she has an answer when you giving your opinion. It is very important to listen very carefully when someone is speaking with the intention of listening and understanding.
I would like to add policy #11 – “Treat everything you hear as an opportunity to learn and grow” Thus, there will be less judgement and criticism
For policy # 8 Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Even if you think it is a stupid question. Ask because there is no such thing as a stupid question.
I love it, I have accent and my fear is always to ask something that the class would not understand or even laugh at me.
#3 From personal experience, if you personally attack someone, that person will mirror you back with those same feelings and emotions. Better to listen and understand to reach a common ground rather than to try to demean each other all the time when things don’t go our way.
I would like to add another rule but not to have too many rules i guess you can call it an amendment to rule or an addition. Please avoid One upping one another ( Example. If you think ____ is bad ( my experience is worst or better) this i think is the most obnoxious habit people have and completely nullifies a persons statement.
I agree with policy #1, people should pay attention to the person that is speaking and not be ignoring them, or on their phone or doing anything else so that they can ask meaningful questions instead of “What?” And they should not be asking another person constantly on what was being said from the person speaking.
I agree with all the policies. These policies should be enforced in the everyday environment. Top of the list is being respectful and nonjudgmental. You live and learn every day. Someone else’s story can be your next learning experience.
Jn Baptiste Mac
To me all the policies are very important and plays a vital role as well. However, policy number 7 stands out the most to me because body language can be effective, ineffective, respectful or disrespectful especially in the working environment or classroom. So being aware of body language can be crucial when communicating or conversing.
I highly favor policy #1. Also, I believe in order to listen actively, one must not jump to conclusions. Many times people jump to conclusions just by hearing the first few words of a statement which is wrong. After a person has finished their statement, and the listener(s) has comprehended what has been said, a response should could be delivered. This way, people will be able to get their point across the board fully without being misunderstood.
I strongly agree with all the pre-existing policies along with the additions made by my fellow classmates. The only addition I would make to policies 1 and 6 would be that we should all be open to new ideas and experiences. I believe that nobody is the keeper of all knowledge or better than the next person. Everyone can learn from the next person or see something from another perspective as long as the individual is open to it. We all have to realize that we enter the classroom with different backgrounds and experiences from which we all can gain a wealth of knowledge we didnt even know was available to us.
I agree with Gina. It is very important to give the person that is speaking your undivided attention and not engage in separate conversations while someone else is speaking. It is not only disrespectful to the person speaking but it also distracts the other classmates who are trying to hear.
In addition I would like to add policy #8 To be aware of one’s culture , race, sexual orientation, nationality when voicing opinion’s and responding to questions!
I like the fact we can relate our own stories and try to put a spin on another persons story . (policy 6). I would like to add that we have freedom to come up with new theories in health psychology.
Hi Eric-
The goal is to NOT put a spin on the stories of others and stick to telling your own experiences. As for the freedom to come up with new theories in Health Psychology, I am curious as to what you mean? We will learn more about what a theory is when we discuss research methods. I would discourage our classmates from freely making up their own theories— why enroll in the college course if you are just going to make things up? Thanks for sharing!
-Dr. A.
I would like to add another rule – Speak from your heart. Ask yourself if you REALLY believe in what you want to say.
I really like all polices and specially the one which is suggest by classmates. But I would like to add in policy one. Learn to listen and listen to learn. I would like listen everyone to learn something new.
I have embraced a stern policy after my fiancee survived her brain tumor.
Unwrap each day like a precious gift.
I like the number one policy which advises to listen others care fully , I think this is the best way to understand others and to give my opinion logically.
People like active listener and active listener acquire knowledge and ideas properly.
I like policy #2 because it validates what you are trying to prove. If you use “I” it shows your personal experiences and that seems more trust worthy.
I have a great appreciation for the policies set in place, particulary policy #6, which states that the goal is not to agree with what has been said but to gain a deeper understanding. This not only allows for a “safe” space, where an opinion, perspective or state of mind can be spoken, but also for an environment where judgment or criticism is not accepted. I feel that respecting what someone says is much more important than agreeing or disagreeing with them and may even open one’s eyes to a standpoint that was not previously held.
Another policy I would like to add is that everyone gets a chance to speak, even those who consider themselves to be introverts or modest. No one having an answer is just as bad as only hearing the same people talking every week.
Hi everyone, it was nice meeting you all last Tuesday night. My name is Yasmine and I would like to admire you all for your responds. NYCCT is a great place to learn about the diversity that highlight our city, and policies are great reminder how to address others. As for myself, I always try to follow the greatest teacher golden rule. “Treat others the way you want to be treated”. JC.
Thank you, and until next class.
I would like to add to policy #6″The goal is not to agree — it is to gain a deeper understanding.” I agree 1oo percent with this policy, it easy very important to treat your class with a deeper understanding. I would add to use what you learn in class outside in real life but also know why you should.