Tuesday, August 23, 2011

What is TEAM in Teamwork?


It’s funny how tutors, when giving feedback, tend to start highlighting the good things we did, right? I remember this great tutor who would start his feedback just like this:
‘Priscilla! Well... Your lesson was very good. You did this, this and that [bla bla bla... a long list of achievements]. HOWEVER...
And everything would fall apart.
As I have just come back from my DELTA Module 02 intensive course, lots of colleagues and friends keep asking how it was.
To write about it I have chosen not to follow the steps of my tutors. I will do it excatly the other way around. Not that I disagree with them, but I just have so much to talk about on the high points that I still need to digest the whole adventure before being able to post anything.
What you are about to read is a piece I started when it was week 03 of the course and carried out throughout the whole course. I hope this serves as food fo thought and help you not to let this happen in case you decide to embark in this crazy adventure!

Prix. =)
----
So sorry!

Expectation...
Why do we expect so much from others? It's been a while I've been meaning to write about teamwork again and its importance in such a tiring, hectic and suffocating course like the DELTA. Time has passed me by with all the essays and lesson plans that I had never had the chance talk about it with my peer colleagues.

Colleagues.
What an interesting word. In my own language and taking into account my personal view of the world - obviously - I see the 'co' in colleague as a means for collaboration, co-creation, co-working and why not comprehension and support...  It's just funny that none of these views were even referred to in this intensive course.

This is the word: intensive.
It's exausting, demanding, painful... So what? Who cares? No one. No caring and sharing! I even heard of a classmate that we were supposed to work on our own, that we shouldn't write each other's papers. Since when is sharing, proof reading, discussing and giving suggestions the same as doing someonelse's work? I'm sorry, pal, but where I come from sharing means growing!

I have to confess that being this course as heavy as it already is just judging by its content that the minimum I was expecting from a group was that we could really work as a group. This was never encourged. I did try a couple - well, more than a couple - of times to get the group together to share ideas... I have volunteered to discuss lesson plans with peers...  It never really happened. I'm so sorry. So many ideas not discussed, so much knowledge not shared, so much learning not...

So... So sorry!

3 comments:

  1. Pri,
    What you pondered is really important to mention. We, teachers, tend to lock ourselves in our own shells. Many try as hard as they can to be self-sufficient, but are often caught complaining about overloaded work, drepived sleep, burnout and the like. However, they do not imagine how collaboration and sharing and caring and loving and being passionate and fighting for a better world make the difference. I was born a sharer, but I confess I find a lot of difficulties even when I want to talk about something I know. People just won't listen. Perhaps this behavior comes from the idea that inside their classroom teachers are independent and asking for help would sound amateurish or unprofessional. I don't know. I just feel so frustared.
    Thanks for the lovely post.
    A lot of food for a small thought. Maybe I'll blog something about it as well.
    See ya! Take care
    Bruno Andrade (@brunoELT)

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  2. Hey Prix!
    Excellent post and oh so true... I also agree with what Bruno said above: some people mistake sharing, discussing and asking for help as a sign of professional weakness. I am very sorry for these people. On the bright side, there are plenty of other teachers like us, willing to share so I guess this means we aren't all doomed.Beijos

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  3. Thx Cris and Bruno for stopping by!

    It was just so frutstating to be among such great professionals (I believe if they were taking that hard a course they must be really good!) and not being able to learn a little bit more about them and their cultures and how they did things in their schools and ELT communities.

    I'm really glad I have this amazing PLN - I can just shout out and I know you will be there... I guess that's the reason for the increasing number of participants in #ELTChats and #BRELTChats - this need for sharing!

    I like to spread the word, you know?! I feel too selfish if I keep things to myself knowing a number of people would benefit from whatever it is that I am not sharing.

    This empowers me!

    We aren't know-it-alls. It bugs me that some teachers can't just admit they don't know something and ask for help. I don't think learning should be a lonely process...

    Thx againg for being there!!!!

    Prix. =)

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