For your blog this week, think about the similarities and differences between how you evaluated yourself as a communicator and how others evaluated you. What is the one thing that surprised you the most? Why? What other insights about communication did you gain this week? Choose at least two to share with others through your blog and consider how each might inform your professional work and personal life. I realized through the different evaluations that often others may perceive me in a different light than I view myself. In order to be a role model for young children and to communicate effectively with parents, teachers, friends and colleagues, it is important to develop effective skills in communication. This means avoiding gossip and any negative self-talk, it means self-monitoring and carefully watching how we present ourselves to others. This doesn’t mean that we should pretend that everything is perfect or convey a “fake” image, rather it means being selective about disclosing private information. Learning how to behave in an appropriate manner also means taking cues from other people in the situation. Behaving in a domineering and controlling manner without listening are not skills that would work with a young child. Rather, learning how to listen and convey positive attention which is responsive to the young child is an effective way of communicating.