Communication

This week, we talked about and learned about different kinds of communication skills and ways of communicating. I thought Lauren and Dylan did an awesome job in creating their lesson plan and it really helped me understand the difference between giving advice and using interpersonal communication. Before this week I did not know there was a right and a wrong way to help someone solve a certain type of problem. Giving advice is for more of a direct answer to helping them find other ways to solve their problem. It could also be my own opinion or what I think should be done instead of what the student might actually need to do. For example, if they don't know which major to choose, I can give them different resources that could better help them make a decision. For interpersonal communication, it is more like asking open-ended questions where I wouldn't give them a straight answer but where it would help them come up with their own answer to their problem. 

I think knowing when to use the two different types of communication will come in handy when we are peer mentors. The interpersonal communication is new to me and it is going to take a lot of practice in being able to come up with the right kinds of questions to ask. I think it is very important to know how to ask those kinds of questions instead of just giving the student your advice because most of my advice from my past experiences might not be the right answer for the student. It would be bad if they decided to take the same route I did and not get the same results. Everyone has different experiences or problems that need their own answers.