IDI Development Plan

In comparison to my pretest, I can say that intercultural communication means to

communicate with competence with the capability to accurately understand and adapt behavior
to cultural difference. My results showed that I am in the denial and polarization phase, creating
a large gap between my perceived and developmental orientation. Below I will give a brief
summary of the Development Plan that Colleen and I had discussed, with the chance to improve
my intercultural communication for Tiger Pride.
The steps in improving my intercultural communication include reviewing my results,
acknowledging my background and results, analyzing goals and progress indicators, identifying
stress points, and creating a plan. The reflection of this packet is positive, because it will allow
me the opportunity to develop my skills, later improving my score. Though my score is just a
number on a piece of paper, it is important to me that I have better knowledge on the subject of
cultural differences, so that if I am exposed to a particular situation where this is an underlying
issue, I am able to help resolve it.
Step 1: I am aware that I am in the denial phase, and that there is a significant gap
between my perceived orientation and my development orientation. I understand that there is
nothing holding me back from excelling into a higher phase.
Step 2: Relying on reflections on past experiences with culturally diverse groups is
difficult, because it something that I was not exposed to growing up. However, my most
influenced factors of viewing cultural differences include gender, nationality, religion, and
sexual orientation.
Step 3: This includes developing a plan that involves writing out a goal, and including
how I am going to attain it. Goals include learning more about a specific culture, in learning
traditions and specific ways of living.
Step 4: What are my stress points that I find challenging in cultural differences? These
could include situations that have ended in a negative way, or barriers that are preventing me
from being more accepting of other cultures.
Step 5: Creating a plan setting a list of goals and expectations for a time frame. My time
frame includes the eight weeks of Tiger Pride.
Colleen was a terrific resource in helping me develop my understanding of what it means
to have great intercultural communication. From this, I expect to see great progress in improving
my skills, as well as utilizing them in my teaching episodes at Cleveland Elementary for Tiger
Pride.