I feel as though when it comes to working in groups there are definitely some that I have had more difficulty breaking off from than others. I can think of one group, in particular, that was extremely hard to say goodbye to. In my final semester at Salisbury, I was part of a group of six other women who chose to do our internships off-campus in Anne Arundel County. This allowed us to move home and begin looking for jobs in the area in which we lived. The six of us formed a tight bond working on projects, and lesson plans that we used in our different classrooms. Our final project allowed us the opportunity to work with each other one last time. "The group members reflect on their accomplishments and failures as well as determine whether the group will disassemble with a final-get together or a termination ritual (Keyron, 1993)," (O'Hair, Wiemann, Mullin & Teven, 2018).
I feel as though taking the opportunity to have that final meeting allowed us the chance to speak about what went well and wrong during the semester, but also take the chance to congratulate one another on the different milestones we had reached separately as well as as a group. I think that adjourning is essential to a group because it allows for opportunities of conversation and honesty, but also the opportunity to decide whether or not the goals of the group had been met. I believe that in the future this type of ritual is important for other groups in order to reflect individually as well as a group.
Resources:
O'Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J. (2018). Real communication: An introduction (4th ed.). New York: Bedford/St. Martin's
Heather, it can be very hard to leave a group when you have established a trusting and heartfelt relationship. I am hopeful that the day will come when you all will be able to reflect on life's experiences after going in different directions.
ReplyDeleteHeather, when a group goes their separate ways it can be very difficult. When you work with people for a period of time you sometimes become close and value the friendships that were established. The tone of your sharing in the blog gave me a glimpse of how special your relationship with your classmates is to you.
ReplyDeleteHeather,
ReplyDeleteThank you for both your personal and professional experiences that you have shared over the course of the last 8 weeks. I genuinely appreciate having the exposure to hearing your perspectives on communications and conflict resolutions. I wish you the best in your next chapter in all things. I have a couple of social media but am more of an email or phone call person, if you ever need a supportive ear or voice please feel free to reach out to my personal email at ssagi1213@yahoo.com.
Violanda