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September 26, 2017

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Communication is the key to moving forward

When I first joined “Electrostatic Synergy” as a singer in January 2016, things didn’t go so well. The mix of the sounds from our voices and instruments that sounded nice by themselves were somehow detached from each other.

The eight of us had little consensus on what mood and musical message we strived to achieve. Fast-forward a year and a half, to a school community event, and we were able to complete a performance confidently and successfully. Yes, they say practice makes perfect, but really what made us improve was communication. It took more than just the communication between ourselves as band members, because it meant that we were communicating between our band and the student body, parents, and community members.

We went through many stages and interactions before we found a successful way forward. As a band, we had frank communication with each other, deciding which songs to perform. We had impassioned musical advice and feedback from our music teachers, that helped us realize how to perform better. We also listened to the pointers and recognitions from our fellow students and their parents.

Ideas of interaction apply to every aspect of our school and community. Starting with the healthy conversations between students to encourage each other, to teachers supporting student discussions in the classroom and consultations during office hours every day. Then they need to provide positive feedback for growth and the constructive learning processes. It takes many interactions to develop learning. At HIS, communication is an important part of all that we do.

Our faculty and leaders connect with parents regularly through weekly newsletters, announcements on the school homepage and our parents often visit the school for Back to School nights or Parent Coffee Mornings to learn more about what we are doing at school. Parents are also informed through the school WeChat group. As we move toward effective communication, it is important to use a variety of approaches so everyone knows what is happening. Just as in our band, we have to find a way to get everyone on the same rhythm.




 

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