Increasingly I feel the desire to strengthen the teaching of listening within my communication courses. So many people seem to feel unheard in their lives, even as they are afraid or at least unaccustomed to really listening to others. As a communication professor I am excited to have to opportunity to bring students together and help them increase their willingness to learn from one another, as they learn more about themselves. The content of a speech communication should be so relevant to the lives of its students. My task is to provide learning experiences that connect to students' lives across their gender, age, religious, racial, economic, occupational and social differences.
Some students begin a speech communication class as strong listeners but anxious speakers.
Their ideas have gone unheard and their feelings often unexpressed. For them, the growth in their level of confidence is sometimes satisfyingly visible through a semester. So my goal is to challenge students to stretch their speaking and listening experiences and strengthen their skills as they learn about communication's strategies and impact. I try daily to provide a safe, supportive and relaxed atmosphere in which students can take increased risks to speak and listen. Talking about our cultural backgrounds is a crucial part of who we are.