Graduation from ES2007S :)

~Click on VITAMIN C to view video & lyrics~

Goodbye ES2007S ! Although I bid adieus to you now, the things you have taught me have left an indelible mark in my view and understanding of what communication is.

I signed myself up for this module because a friend of mine recommended it, it was non-examinable, and the name of the module sounded really professional, for a lack of word! "Perhaps I'll be able to learn something that will help me in my Final Year Project presentation", I thought. I did learn more about the intricacies and subtle details of presentation skills, but it's not just that. 'Professional Communication' was not just about learning how to give an excellent presentation; for myself,  It has taught me how to communicate with my loved-ones, peers, and superiors more effectively.

Communication tools
The communication tools discussed in class, ranging from written communication i.e. the 7 C's, to non-verbal communication i.e. active listening, body language, form the basic of communication. Building on top of this foundation, I learnt how to be aware and sensitive of different cultural practices through the discussion on inter-cultural communication in class and the blogs of my peers. Using the tool of the 7C's, I had the chance of putting it into practical application through blogging, and writing of resumes, application letter, minutes, interview transcripts, and finally, the group proposal.

Blogging has given me an avenue of expressing my thoughts and feelings in an uninterrupted fashion. It has honed my language skills. and given me a chance to reflect on issues, structure my thoughts and finally, express them in a way that is coherent and understandable to my readers.

Learning on the Job
In my first post of my blog, I mentioned that effective communication is important because misunderstandings always arise due to the lack of it. Working together in a same group with people of different personalities, I have learnt to be more flexible, learnt to accommodate and adapt myself to different individuals' working styles, and learnt NOT to make assumptions and to always clarify.

Having experienced it first-hand, I have observed that the working dynamics of a team can be quite amazing - both in my peer teaching group as well as in Dandelion Student Impact Team. Developing rapport with fellow team members can be developed through spending time together, talking about subjects other than our assignment, and bantering with each other. Then somewhere in the beginning and in between, respect and empathy comes into the picture to further strengthen this bond. I am thankful to have the chance Yong Chean, Yong Xin, and You Sheng (Y.Y.Y.D), who are all very capable students in their own right.

Learning in Class 
My lecturer (Mr. Blackstone) created a learning environment that stimulates students to express their honest thoughts/feedback, and this has prodded me to be more honest with mine - be it my opinions or emotions i.e. frustration, stress, euphoria. As a result, I have learnt to better articulate my opinions and to manage my emotions for the purpose of communicating more effectively and hence, build better interpersonal relationships with my loved-ones, peers and superiors. As a future teacher, I am inspired to create a learning environment 'without walls', as my lecturer has successfully done so.

EDITED