Text Message and Gender Differences

Since the book I use briefly talks about gender differences in Communication, I decided to take it a step further. Here's a couple of points that inspired this lesson:

• Research shows that the differences in men and women’s communication has more to do with why we communicate rather than how.
-Men tend to talk to accomplish something or complete a task.
-Women often use conversation to establish and maintain relationships.
• Men view the purpose of communication as primarily information exchange. You talk when you have something to say.
• Women use communication for the purpose of relating or connecting to others-to know them and be known by them. Talking implies a relationship.
**The main reason we are different are in the motivations or reasons for communicating-the how may not be different, but the why may be.
(Beebe & Beebe, 2011, p. 143-144)

These points alone are enough to get most individuals thinking about how easily miscommunication occurs; when applying all this to text messages, it just could get even more messy! Therefore, we did a class activity. Ladies were on one side of the room, and men on the other.
We defined:
*Texting Rules
*When it is ok for either party to initiate text
*What certain text content translates to each party.

I have to say, it was quite interesting. What I have found is that guys say they text for an actual reason-to see action. The majority of the time, they want to hang out or make a plan to. In addition, my students say they are very annoyed by abbreviations ( like u instead of you or, brb instead of be right back) when you could just write the entire thing since most phones have a keyboard.

It's my Monday-and Friday!!!

This morning I decided to get in the Thanksgiving mood and buy my first class Duncan Donuts. They loved it! We worked on resumes and I told them that we would finish them next week.

I really, really enjoy my job. I love seeing direct impact in their lives; not only in the scholarly realm, but in the everyday realm. I enjoy when students trust me enough to open up and discuss things that they are going through. I had a student tell me the other day, "You trust us, and we trust you."


In addition to teaching them all kinds of amazing Communication theories and phenomenons-I get really listen to them. One thing you will learn in Communication is that most people just need someone to listen to them-whether they are

de-stressing, want someone to be excited with them or just need to talk after a long day; your job is to listen.

If they self-disclose information to you-it is your job to actually take interest and show good listening skills (good non verbals, good feedback and adapted messages that are tailored to what they just said). Sometimes it is not always when we would like it to be time-wise, but the fact is that you are someone they trust.

Good feedback!

Praise the Lord for a job! I go to work and still love it. I don't dread it, I thoroughly have joy from it! I feel like since I love it, it's not work-and that has been the goal in all my education. My dad always said, "If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life." Therefore, I decided to major in what I love to do-as opposed to what will make me the most money-and I just went for it.

FYI-I had to be kind of quiet in my video because I was in the library and no one else was talking-BUT I wanted to update you all so I did it anyways! Enjoy!

Do you See what I See

Ok ok, I know it is a tad early to start with Christmas songs, but it is now November so I feel no shame! This doesn't mean I skipped Thanksgiving, but what you may not know about me is I listen to Christmas music whenever I feel like it (not just in the last two months of the year).

Today was the 27th time I saw my George Mason students-and I still love it everyday! Now that we have went through the orientation phase and the awkward I kind-of-know-you phase, things are great. Some of my students are really growing (while of course others have stopped coming to class except for presentation and test days). For the sake of this post, I wish to focus on the students that I can see growth in.

One of the assignments is entitled "Conflict Essay Reflection" where students must

describe a conflict they were involved in, what type of conflict it was, why it is defined as that type of conflict and what possible solutions could be applied. Some stories are surface level, such as a conflict with a teammate in a sports game. Other conflicts are more personal that involve family matters.

What makes me proud is reading these students' hurts and conflicts and then seeing them dissect how to better themselves with looking at every angle. When they acknowledge these mistakes done to them and realize that they can't jump to conclusions to judge, then is when the growth spurt is evident.

Now most of my students are freshman, so of course they develop a lot. They change a lot, even in the course of just a year. But it is how they change that determines their life. Is the change one of a great unexpectedness? Or is it a disappointing downfall?

You know the individuals that if you look at where they came from-shouldn't be where they are, but something inside them says-I don't want to be like where I came from or what is expected of me. These are the most inspiring students and people who encourage me.