It is easy to accept the importance of “Teamwork” in most sports. When we watched the mens' soccer team of Barcelona, this spring, win the World Soccer Cup against Manchester United, the synergy spun like a golden electric thread on the television screen. It was clear that teamwork would be evaluated in a point system that we could then see in the final score. Yes, each of the individual players, (say Carles Puyol or Andres Iniesta) were extraordinary athletes and could of course accomplish individual tasks on their own, but there was also something else that threaded them together so that they moved as one body, not five individual ones...anticipating the passes before they were conscious of the action. The same was true for the women’s world soccer tournament this summer between the U.S.A and Japan; except from a different perspective. In double overtime ties, the final determining judgment was decided as individual players kicked off to the opposing team’s goalie. This time, it was the individual skill levels that became evident. The two teams had functioned as perfect equal matches until the microscope was placed on each woman. The Japanese women were clearly more exceptional as individuals and in the end thus, they won. Soccer in my mind is one of the perfect team supports. It requires each individual to be and play at their personal best and also a flow of communication between members that is focused, committed, and generous. Why do we love to watch great athletes and teams? Anthropologists and psychologists might say we like identifying with the nationalism present; however, I believe that we all have some intuitive understanding of what it feels like to be and play better than we are alone. That is the essential determining ingredient for any successful team; that together they can accomplish more than they could alone. Sounds like a perfect learning situation, right?
Photo: 1984 North Carolina State Champions
Hence, Teachers and trainers all over the world in all organizations have been encouraging teamwork for precisely this reason--trying to reach greater flow, efficiency, and productivity. However, there are some easy pitfalls and some simple steps you can take if you happen to be a facilitator of learning and want to start improving your own team in whatever size, age group, or purpose--whether that be a sports team, governing body, classroom, or theater troupe.
Step 1. Don’t just break into groups for the sake of it...Know what you are wanting to accomplish. Is there any individual that can do it on their own? In the classroom, this is the first step to recognize, especially for the gifted student--what ever project that is at hand, has to be more complex and challenging than what the student can accomplish on their own, otherwise, they will never fully engage themselves.
Step 2. Determine your structure. Will it be heterogeneous mix? or designed by ability? Will you form the same groupings as last time? Can each member have a special role within the team? (Leader, materials manager, harmonizer, recorder, reporter, researcher, artist). What size will the team be?
Step 3. Clarify the process and lay the ground rules for communication. Agree on what makes a “successful team” and offer a “team rubrics” that describes the characteristics or healthy process. Or, even better, create one together with your students or coworkers. Challenge members to step outside of their comfort zone and assume a role that they don’t normally do. (This puts everyone on an equal playing field and helps to minimize individual dominance by an outgoing personality). Encourage members to record their thoughts and feelings of the process in a journal or written form. What is working well? How can they contribute to the success of the team?
Step 4. Building Trust. This step can take some time, depending on a lot of factors, but is critical. No one is going to be able to give and create their best in an hostile environment. The brain simply just doesn’t work that way. You are shooting for an environment of relaxed attention--the optimal atmosphere for creativity and flow. So in some ways you need to start slowly and with patience. You need to ask yourself, How long the group has been together, if there has been any new members added recently, how diversity tolerant is the group to begin with, and is their any previous group dynamic history that I should know? Then, select the appropriate warm up “game”. In every situation I have been in professionally, it has been difficult to allow the adequate amount of time to build the necessary trust because of external pressures of performance; however, you have to be firm. In the end you will reap the benefits. The second key here is to try and create and select games that are meaningful and bring the learning to a conscious level in your group. Even in my drama classroom, I tell my students that we are going to play a game today that will be fun, but that I will also expect them to learn something from it. Even introductory name games can build creative thinking and memory skills. And lets face it, who doesn’t need that?
Step 5. Reflection. Everyone has been in an unproductive team at some point in their life and it is usually a memory that they can recall easily. The most common unsuccessful experience is “I did all the work...or there was this guy who did nothing and got a good grade anyway.” It is not only boring but it feels personal. Our social needs to be accepted, to be important, to be competent are big. Being in a group requires a vulnerability for many. As the facilitator, you are trying to optimize the effects of teamwork as best you can. Everyone has a certain learning intensity that they enjoy and function at optimally. Some like to be challenged and stretched; others, want to stay closer to what they already know. No matter what you do, everyone is going to be challenged just by the mere presence within a team. My favorite reflection is done at the end of every session and can be very simple. “What is one word to summarize your experience today?” or even non-verbally, I ask, “Please stand silently in a circle and close your eyes. Now make your body into an expression that shows how you are thinking or feeling about your experience just now.” Then staying in that position, they slowly open their eyes to observe what others are showing. Of course reflection can be written and guided questions can help; however, whatever you do, it needs to be included throughout the process; not just at the end.
Step 6. Observe and Adapt. Observe the workings of your groups. Some might need your direct attention and personal energy to give them a jump start. Keep an eye on the dysfunctional group. You may have to adjust the task. Monitor the overall group energy and focus closely. This is not a time to sit back and relax. You will find that you will be thinking constantly of how to better facilitate.
Step 7. Celebrate! Again, this can take time and some organization but it is important. Once your project is complete, try to document it in some way so you have something visual to show your success. Capture the successful moments some how! It is what everyone will remember and be the beginning steps for continued success. Video and photography and internet is so accessible these days that there really isn’t any excuse. If you don’t have the technology or know-how yourself ask one of your members or students! This picture above was taken by one of my friend’s parents in high school during the 1984 volleyball state championship--when I think of my teams’ success from twenty-five years ago, I always think of this picture.
Photo: C.E Jordan Jazz Quartet at Disney World
One of my passions as an educator is bringing a strong understanding of “Teamwork” into the Arts. My recent experience in Morocco last year was my greatest challenge. Coming new to a position in the “middle east”, I found students to be strong in their “collective” nature, but not at all capable in their ability to work together towards the accomplishment of a common goal. Yes, they trusted certain people in the group or class, but they completely didn’t trust the person sitting across from them or to the other side. There were also other challenges unique to the school and culture, particularly, getting students to show up for rehearsals on time--or even close to, on time. I will share just one example here. It was the school production of “Hunchback” and my lead student was an IB Theatre student who needed the experience for his oral exam and final diploma. However, he never once came to rehearsal on time. Mostly, he missed entire rehearsals and never gave an explanation. One colleague advised me to “alter his grade so that it reflected this”;however, I feel that the IB Theatre program and it’s final evaluations are much more complex than this. The nature of the IB Theatre program requires personal commitment and independent learning. It assumes you have this to start with. I can also personally reflect, “Maybe I shouldn’t have picked this student for the role? Maybe I should have picked another play that was smaller?” There are a lot of considerations for the theatre director when they select a high school play: How can each IB Theatre student be involved in a way that is challenging for them personally? When can rehearsals take place that don’t conflict with athletics? What is something that a range of student ages will be interesting and at the same time appropriate for the general school audience and community? What size and style of a production can be supported both financially and by the faculty (later on when you need their help for extra rehearsals or the final production?)
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My middle school drama classroom in Zambia-- Listening to each other is the key! Some cultures and groups seem to do this naturally!
As a director, I knew I was challenging my students by the size of the show we would produce. But I also hoped that the size would be part of a vision that they would get excited about and work hard to support. In the end, it was my younger, middle school students who showed the most commitment, and my older high schools students who made the most reflections on their lack of commitment and hoped to apply their learning to the next new project. As a facilitator in a new community, I am continually adjusting my speedometer and plan. One of my strategies for this year, is creating a large school production with mostly 9th and 10th graders who are already present in the classroom on a daily basis then working after school with IB students to design the show. It will require a creative crafting of the classroom curriculum to align with the demands of production, but I am hopeful that it will again be a great learning experience for all.
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