Team Development

The five stages of team development include forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. The adjourning stage, in particular, involves terminating task behaviours and disengaging from relationships (5 stages of group development, n.d.). Group work that involves the most difficult adjournment include those of a personal nature where trust has been well established. I think that groups where a certain culture, mannerisms, and way of working together effectively and personably create greater apprehension in the termination of that group because it involves separating oneself from others who have become trustworthy and loyal individuals and includes giving up control and giving up inclusion in the group.  Those who find termination of groups the most difficult are those who appreciate routine or who have developed close working relationships with other members, especially if their future seems uncertain (Forming, storming, norming, and performing: Understanding the stage of team formation, n.d.). 

Having left personal relationships behind, moving to different countries, as well as experienced different group work in my educational as well as work life, I have been able to adjourn several group relationships. Because I separate myself, to a certain degree, from work relationships I leave these by saying farewells in a professional and courteous manner whilst providing others with the assurance that, if needed, I am contactable for future work related relations. On a personal level, ending group relationships with, for example, friends usually involve a large gathering and an open-ended farewell. This, however, can at times provide false hope for re-estbalished relationships that in the short term is beneficial but in the long term provides greater internal disharmony. Therefore, providing several points of contact but with a realistic mindset and a short termination process helps facilitate a simpler transition. 

Adjourning from the group of colleagues I have formed whilst working on my master's degree will be a bittersweet process as I complete my course but understand that I bid farewell to several individuals that have helped me gain insight to what I have studied. It is important to celebrate out success and to positively wish each other the best of luck in one another's future endeavours (Abudi, 2010). Saying goodbye is an essential part of teamwork as it closes and summarizes the accomplishments made together and finalizes the success of one's goals without hesitation that a part of the group has been left unfinished. 

Resources

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

Forming, storming, norming, and performing: Understanding the stage of team formation. (n.d.). Mind Tools. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_86.htm

5 stages of group development. (n.d.). Florida State University. Retrieved from http://med.fsu.edu/uploads/files/FacultyDevelopment_GroupDevelopment.pdf

Conflict Resolution

Working in a close-knit environment with few employees, tensions can arise and personalities are bound to clash. Each classroom has a ratio of 6 students to 1 teacher. My particular classroom has 4 teachers; 2 lead teachers and 2 assistant teachers. My colleague; the other lead teacher, let's call her Anna, has had some disagreements with other colleagues in the school. As I work closely with her, I often hear her perspective but am not privy to the other parties' perspectives. Therefore, I give Anna tentative and generalized advice based on her emotions and opinions when asked for my input. I am wary of the situation and do not want to create more animosity between the two parties if she reacts to certain ideas. When I am approached in such situations, I listen intently and let her articulate her emotions as well as explain the situation from her perspective. I have found it helpful to, first off, acknowledge her emotions and concerns so as not to dismiss them. Next, I help Anna brainstorm  potential ideas for conflict resolution (Approach problem-solving with flexibility, n.d.) in order to facilitate dialogue between her and the other parties involved to help them maintain a growing relationship. Being a third party mediator, I do not wish to confront other parties in an aggressive manner as I have not been privy to the other parties' views and, therefore, encourage Anna to approach the others in a neutral, non-threatening environment to initiate dialogue (Wolff & Nagy, 2013). Once this has occurred, I help mediate if tensions arise and if messages are being understood differently because of clouded emotions in order to reach a conclusion and compromise, which needs to be done without violent communication or hostile gestures (Foundations of NVC, n.d.). 

My colleagues have shared with me certain tools that they use in order to be more effective in communication. They have stated that when speaking with colleagues, they establish a personal rapport initially and, before starting a discussion, they make personal remarks to warm up. They also mention that when resolving conflicts between them and parents, they have been able to consider their perspectives first, act upon ideas that they want and provide feedback of how it went and what can be done in school and at home, which provides parents with comfort that their opinions have been considered and a solution may be possible. 

Resources:

Approach problem-solving with flexibility. (n.d.). Office of Human Resource Development. Retrieved from http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/onlinetraining/resolution/step6.htm

Foundations of NVC. (n.d.). The Center for Nonviolent Communication. Retrieved from http://www.cnvc.org/learn/nvc-foundations

Wolff, R., & Nagy, J. (2013). Training for conflict resolution. Community Tool Box. Retrieved from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/implement/provide-information-enhance-skills/conflict-resolution/main

My Communicator Profile

Evaluating my abilities as a communicator gives me that ability to improve and reflect on my own skill set. It encourages me to work on areas of communication where I am uncomfortable, such as in front of larger audiences, which will enable my communication strengths to establish long term relationships capable of producing effective early childhood programs as well as facilitate dialogue within the classroom and with families that evaluate other's needs. I consider myself an empathetic person, who is perhaps too trusting at times, and can establish my own opinions without an argumentative approach and be a mediator in many situations. This was re-enforced by my stepfather and colleague taking the same test, resulting in the same results as my own. It comforts me to know that I am seen as a reasonable, understanding, and trustworthy individual. However, I also considered myself as having high levels of discomfort when speaking to newly met people, being in front of a large audience, or speaking out in small groups. The individuals that took the same test to describe me, resulted in the description of me seeming confident and comfortable in all communication circumstances. This was a pleasing surprise as I feel positively towards the fact that my discomfort and uncertainty in situations is well concealed where I give an aura of calm that masks my true emotions. 

A large part of our communication is delivered by non-verbal means, which means that conveying a message that may conflict with another person's perspective can be easier to accept and be acknowledge by the other party if using positive and re-enforcing body language. It is important to combine what one says with what one does to convey the message effectively (Verbal and non verbal communication by percentage, n.d.). By understanding this concept and executing it in our daily lives, we would be able to work with colleagues to create early childhood programs that take into consideration many needs and can also establish relationships with individuals in our personal life that provide long term benefits as opposed to mere acquaintances. 

Being able to become an empathetic communicator, one needs to have a somatic awareness of oneself and others by understanding certain wants and needs (Green, 2014). With a greater understanding and appreciation for other's needs and being able to set aside one's own perceptions, relationships with children, colleagues, families, and all individuals will flourish as dialogue could exist with the removal of anger, resentment, and dismissal. 

Resources:
Green, J. (2014). Mediation skills: Non-violent communication and Aikido. Mediate. Retrieved from http://www.mediate.com/articles/GreenJ4.cfm

Verbal and non verbal communication by percentage. (n.d.). Study Body Language. Retrieved from http://www.study-body-language.com/Verbal-and-non-verbal-communication.html#sthash.8XH8gJGr.dpbs