Thank You to my Colleagues

I want to thank each of you for the support you have provided me with during this class. I have learned many new things and I think I will be a much better communicator as I continue in early childhood education. Hopefully, many of you will be in my next class. I wish you well as you continue on. Thanks again.

Adjourning

When considering the adjourning stage of a team development, I think about the group of teachers I used to work with before the school closed. We worked closely together possessing individual roles and responsibilities. Opinions were well respected and differences were valued. This team of teachers functioned at a very high level while obtaining trust, assistance from each other, and working toward a common goal. We worked effectively on many different projects with an abundance of energy and motivation. This school provided children with nurturing staff and save and welcoming environment. When the school closed, many teachers were transferred to other schools in the area. I was transferred to a school without any of my former colleagues. We said our good-byes, wished each other luck, and went on our separate ways. I have been placed in a wonderful school with awesome colleagues. Even though I am in another school, I still keep in touch with my former team.

I am excited about working with this program’s colleagues. When we adjourn, I think we will all feel a sense of accomplishment and wish each other well as we say our good-byes and begin a new pursuit. Being in an on-line class is not as personal as being in a regular classroom. I have thoroughly enjoyed the discussions we have had together and feel as though you have provided me with adequate support.

Communication Conflict

This week my grade level has been experiencing issues with our school’s literacy leader. It has been decided that each student will be assigned to a specific skills group depending on the Star Literacy Test. The students are ability grouped and for the first 30 minutes of each day they go to a specific class to work with other students who are on the same level. The disagreements or conflicts with this concept are that some teachers do not feel that this grouping should be only based on the one test. The teachers feel that they know each student individually and should have some input where they should be placed because some students do not test well and have been placed in a lower group. The request of the literacy leader is that students will be placed based on their test score. I feel that it is necessary to be respectful of the literacy leader’s view as well as the views of my grade level colleagues. While observing this situation I can see both sides of the conflict. I have suggested that we give this approach a try and see how it works out. We will meet back in a few weeks and discuss our thoughts. We need to keep in mind that we are here working for the good of all of the children and we need to always do what is in their best interest. Using strategies from the nonviolent communication principles and the 3 R’s will help us to be able to solve any issues with this matter. It is vital to make sure that any of our requests do not come across as demands.