Fighting for Conversation
This week, I read a very interesting article called “The Flight From Conversation” by Sherry Turkle. This article expressed the need for students and teachers to learn to have conversations and communicate face to face, instead of always via email and text.
As a pre-kindergarten teacher, I have often come across a situation where difficult information must be conveyed by the teacher to the parents of a student. This information might in regard to a certain behavioral problem, a learning problem, or other. This is one of those situations where letting the parents know the information might cause an uncomfortable situation, anger or sadness, or some other emotion might be expressed and that might be awkward for the teacher. However, all of this said, those conversations are best had face to face, where the information is most likely going to be properly expressed and is less likely that a misunderstanding will form.
This is a situation where the teachers tone of voice and facial expression must be seen and heard, and neither of those things can be properly expressed through email or text. Unfortunately, in today’s world, most of us just want to quickly get uncomfortable things over with and we often fall into the pattern of giving information as quickly as possible. As teachers, we must remember that emotions and human connect are more important than a few uncomfortable moments.