This week you read about the five stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Consider the adjourning phase for several of the groups in which you have been involved. Think about which aspects of the groups made for the hardest good-bye. Are high-performing groups hardest to leave? Groups with the clearest established norms? Which of the groups that you participated in was hardest to leave? Why? What sorts of closing rituals have you experienced or wish you had experienced? How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master’s degree in this program? Why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork?
Well, March has been a very interesting month. I have kind of been on an emotional roller coaster. I went from telling my school I was leaving (and I love my school) to deciding I was going to stay. I have a unique classroom being that yes, I am the teacher of specially designed instruction but I work so closely with my Speech Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapist, and Psychologist. When I told them I was going to leave we were all in tears. I think that it was so hard to tell them that I was leaving is because we all shared the same vision and goals for all of our shared students. So, I think that over the years we have established our performing stage and worked hard to solve problems together. But, I am no longer leaving so I get to save all my tears for something else. :)
Also, when I was working with Camp Adventure on our last day we flew home to all around the United States and I wish there was some sort of Adjourning or reflection period. I think that when you put so much into something you need to be able to reflect on what went well and what did not, it is important/essential stage of teamwork.
It will be odd not to be around our Master's peers, we are very connected working for the same goal. When our program is over it will be harder to keep in contact with professionals from around the world and country. I feel like it will be important for us to have some sort of closing farewells. I am not sure what that will look like being that we are in a virtual world but I think that it is all something we should ponder!
I agree it will be weird when graduate school is over and we won't be in constant contact with one another. It has been exciting for me when each new class starts to look through the list of classmates for familiar faces. Some of our classmates have been in each of my classes so far!
ReplyDeleteCaitlyn
Abby,
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is a hard to leave a team that we aere a member of and that has performed well and especially in your situation. I enjoyed a ot my learning experience at Walden university and I really feel that adjourning is going to be very hard.Thanks for sharing.
Abby,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if you did some pretty serious soul searching in March! I'm glad you made the decision that feels right for you.
When I started the Master's program last year, I was concerned about how it would feel like a "real" classroom when we would not be meeting face-to-face. Looking back, those concerns were not necessary. I think we've all built relationships that will have to change focus six months from now when we're done. Hopefully, some of us will stay in touch through e-mail.
Ending a virtual group is difficult, but closure is indeed needed. That is one of the downfalls of online learning. We have shared so much professionally and personally, but few (if any) have ever met each other in real life. I would of liked to have used webcams more for random discussions...
ReplyDeleteAbby:
ReplyDeleteWe can keep in touch... You just need to email me, and I will email you my phone number. Further, when is the moment we need something related to the field in the future just ring the phone or send an email. Is not necessary to think that we are not going to communicate. We have learn more than that in this course.
Thanks;
Jessy