Transforming a Group into a team : Transforming a Group into a team By
Based on work by Joan Richardson Work : Work Work : Work Professional Learning Communities don’t just happen because there is time set aside to meet
Meetings must be intentional-focused on helping groups of teachers become a community of learners
Make sure teachers know that Professional Learning Communities are a new name for team.
Time must be set aside for team development and understanding the four stages of teaming
Forming, storming, norming, and performing. Not All Groups are Teams: How to tell the Difference : Not All Groups are Teams: How to tell the Difference Not All Groups are Teams: How to tell the Difference : Not All Groups are Teams: How to tell the Difference Forming : Forming Forming : Forming It is the initial stage of teaming
Members have high expectations
Anxiety about how they fit in
They test themselves and each other
They depend on some authority or facilitator to create a structure for them.
They are likely to be:
Polite, impersonal, watchful, and guarded in their behavior Storming : Storming Storming : Storming Conflict characterizes the second stage
Group members rebel against each other and authority
Storming behaviors are individual’s response to being influenced by the group and the work required
They may opt out of the process or compete with other group members for power and attention. Norming : Norming Norming : Norming If groups can resolve their differences they move to the third stage.
Group members have overcome their feelings of resistance
They begin to feel they are a cohesive group
Harmony, trust, and support develop
The group begins to develop skills and agree on procedures for doing the work
They confront issues represented by their work, not other individuals. Performing : Performing Performing : Performing If the group can persist they arrive at the fourth and final stage.
They become a team and not a group
They work collaboratively and interdependently
Perform at high levels
They become flexible and resourceful and close and supportive. The Journey : The Journey The Journey : The Journey Groups may spend different amounts of time at each stage.
They may move through them in a different sequence but each group will experience each stage
Teams need to know the stages that they will go through.
It makes them feel better to know that conflict is natural References : References Richardson, Joan. "Transforming your Group into a Team." Tools for Schools 9.2 (2005): 1-3.
Alleman, Glen. “Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing” www.niwotridge.com/PDFs/FormStormNormPerform.pdf