Several
of the groups that I participated in were continuing education classes that is
required in the early childhood field. Now looking back onto the classes I can
see the common task was to learn certain material that was needed to take back
to our centers or classrooms. Often the adjourning phase was a game that tied
everything together that we had learned in the class. It was nothing big but it
reviewed what we had learned. During some of the longer classes, saying
good-bye was not saying good-bye. We exchanged numbers and/or emails to help to
keep in touch with each other. We could use them as resource or for networking
in the field. The classes were valuable but it was not hard to leave because it
usually was a long class (Abudi, 2010).
The
leader or the teacher of the class made us become norm by assigning an activity
that corresponds with the topic she was currently discussing. We had to work as
a group and discuss answers together. It felt awkward at first but after a few
discussion activities we usually begin to gel together as a team. There was one
event that had several classes in one week where we stayed for a week in a
hotel with no televisions. We had a core group that we got to know. We ate
breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. By the end of the week it was bitter-sweet
that we were leaving each other. We had a closing event that Saturday night
that was fun and engaging (Abudi, 2010).
When
I finish my master’s degree in this program I will feel accomplished and I will
celebrate. I am not quite sure how I will celebrate but I will celebrate. I
will probably will take a great vacation as a graduation present to myself.
Adjourning is so important because it is celebrating a proud accomplishment. It
brings joyful closure to a project that is meaningful to either one person or
to several people (Abudi, 2010).
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.
