The Adjourning Stage

There’s always going to be both positive and negative experiences with every group thing you do in life. These experiences will differ based on the group participants, the situation, and the group size. Usually problems occur because of a lack of communication or when someone wants to be “too much” in charge and overtakes the rest. But overall, I have pretty many positive experiences when working in groups.

I do believe that high-performing groups are the hardest to leave because we have stuck together through all of the previous stages. We’ve become high functional and work effectively because there is strong communication and leadership with clear goals and trust has been built between all team members. At this level we have made team growth *together* and I think that’s what differs and makes the Performing stage better and more effective than the Norming stage where some groups get caught up in. Abudi (2010) states that during this stage “the team is highly motivated to get the job done and they can make decisions and problem solve quickly and effectively.”

The hardest group I ever had to leave was from my first teaching job. I started in the preschool room as an assistant teacher and quickly moved up to a co-lead teacher. Two years in, I was asked to also lead the before and after school program during the school year and then, in the summer, run the Summer Camp program as well. While working there I had the pleasure of teaching many of the staff children, through my preschool room and then as they grew up and continued through the summer camp program, so I really connected not only with my co-workers as staff members, but as parents as well. Since we were a smaller, privately-owned childcare center, all of the staff became quick friends, no matter what room we were in. Although stronger bonds were formed between the similar classrooms (like the pre-k and preschool rooms and the two toddler rooms) everyone was still able to work together as one and communicate well. We enjoyed planning lots of special events and participating in monthly staff meetings. When I unexpectedly was offered my current job, I was devastated to be leaving, but excited to move up in my teaching journey. My co-workers were sad I was leaving, but supported and encouraged my move to Philadelphia. Because I had been there for so long and created so many wonderful memories with everyone, it was hard to let go. My moving away from what I loved and was familiar with was scary because I did have to step out of my comfort zone and what I was used to, but I knew that I was ready and it was time to experience something new.

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Most of the closing rituals I have experienced were in forms of parties, and the one that is most memorable to me was my going away party at Springrose. Part of their decorations included everyone (including my co-workers and even my students from Summer Camp) creating a memory for me and pasting it around the room. So many wonderful things were said and talked about that made me tear up. Seeing the different ways I had affected not only my friends but also the kids that I taught made me bawl like a baby. Once I took them down and brought them home, I made a book out of them that I keep with me. It was so wonderful reading about fun memories or times that I had touched someone. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you which was best; my co-workers or the kids words. So many of them loved and appreciated my ability to act like a kid too and create fun and memorable activities and field trips for summer camp. They had even changed the activity for my last day to be Paint Wars, which they knew was my absolute favorite activity of all. They made me go outside and while I was setting up, they all signed a special shirt for me and decorated it. I couldn’t believe the effort that was made to let me know how much they loved and appreciated me… it was truly amazing, and of the hardest, yet most heartwarming days ever.

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I don’t expect the same amount of sentiment during Walden’s Adjourning stage as I did at my previous jobs, only because we don’t have the same connection working face to face. However, the online relationships we have created are still strong since we are all working towards the same goal and helping each other achieve it through our conversations in discussion boards and these blog posts. I know I have even reached out to some of my colleagues through Facebook and we have created relationships through there as well because of our similar teaching experiences or personalities. The ideas, feedback, and conversations we have all had together will be a connection I will greatly miss after our Masters journeys end.

The adjourning stage is essential simply because it brings closure to a good thing. It allows us to take the time to look back on what we have learned, how we learned it, and who we learned from. It brings good memories and connections to the people we worked with.

References

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html