In my opinion, the
groups that are hardest to leave are the groups where norms are established and
trust is strong. Of the four years of my teaching career, not one year have we
all had the same people on our team. Each year it depended on how strong and close
our team was. Last year, although there were many conflicts on our First grade
team, we worked together and made it through. At the end of the year, we all
went out to dinner together and had drinks, talking about the year and sharing
stories. When playing softball, I think my senior year was the hardest group to
leave. We had been together for four years, and we had such a great morale.
After our last game we all went to one of the player’s houses for a pool party
and had a blast together one more time.
I have already thought
about what it will be like after my current course, when some of the colleagues
I’ve talked with and gotten to know, will be in different classes because of
their program of study. Because we don’t live near each other or see each
other, I think it will be a different kind of closure. I’m not sure it will be
as “personal” or true “closure”. I believe that through social media and other
lines of communication we will continue to stay in touch. Adjourning is important
because it helps bring our time together to an end so that we can start fresh
and new, continuing on our journeys together or with other people. I am
reminded of my small group of “best friends” from elementary, middle, and high
school. We eventually parted ways, and although all of the adjourning stages
were not how I expected, I think there was a reason for it; so that we could
move on to bigger and better things.
Caitin, I can certainly appreciate your blog and agree… implementing the concept of adjourn allows us to reflect, bid farewell and start off fresh with a new project. The strategies we assimilate assist us in becoming creative and working collaboratively with other. And as so, this allows us to be more productive.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCaitlin, I really like the idea of having to come together to have to share the story of what happened at the end during the adjourning stage. It would to see what worked well and what didn't work well.
DeleteCaitlin, This is the same feeling I had about the "closure" with this course. No one has met physically, so it will be a different kind of closure. To me it will lose some of its emotional connection that one would have in a normal classroom. Great post.
ReplyDeleteCaitlin, I can relate to how you felt leaving your softball team your senior year. I was a dancer in high school and my senior year was the hardest as the time I shared with such a wonderful group came to a close. When you have spent so much time working with a group of people who become like your family leaving is very hard. I enjoyed reading your post!
ReplyDelete