Hello all of you in the world of the ECE. This week we are talking about team building. Hummmm That is a big topic in the ECE world because we work in teams of two or more people and our team includes a classroom of children. An entire community can become a team when there is a common cause, vision, goal or purpose is clearly defined for the benefit of all the members. In the Montessori classroom or community the well defined purpose and goal is the normalization of the children. Dr. Montessori defined normalization as a child being able to fit into society for the benefit of the larger community. I think as we work together and play together and go through life together the importance of team work is something we should think deeply about. So how do we disengage or adjourn from this community?
In the Montessori Classroom the children are in charge of themselves. This does not mean they are unsupervised. We also have car line or pick up time with the parents meeting the child in a designated place at the school. Saying good by is as simple as a hand wave or a hug. I love to see the expressions on the face as they greet mom or dad. If we as teachers the expression will be one of joy. Joy at seeing mom and dad and the knowledge that they will be back the next day to once again be part of a larger "self"
As an adult I have been involved in several project committees The first one was when I was in college. Our town had a meeting to see how a program could be created for the youth who were disenfranchised in our town could be created and implemented. I was the only "youth" to show up so I got asked to be on the steering committee. We met for moths at 7:00 AM to form a mission, goals and programs. I worked with men and women who were "somebody"in our community. And when it was over we had a program called Attention To Youth who would be funded by grants ect.... and the prospect of a house for kids to stay while they transitioned either back home or to the next step in their lives. I also helped renovate the house removing layers of wall paper and cleaning. After that I go busy in college and lost track of the program and the results. But as I look back on it now I learned that working with people was a hard task and one has to bring an open mind and a ready to learn new things about people attitude. I try to still have that perspective as I work with small groups of teachers in a semi consulting role that seems to have developed during my home school years and now as a Montessori teacher. Disengaging from someone who I work closely with depends on how much emotional currency I have spent during that time. In the Attention to Youth group I was not aware of how much work we were doing. And when it ended I went on with my life. In the consulting, because I work on a more intimate level I find I worry about the people if things worked out and if as homeschooling parents they have the commitment and tenacity to really home school their child. In Montessori I just make some simple suggestions and let them figure the rest out.
As I come close to the end of my Master's program I will miss engaging with my virtual classmate. Some I hope to keep in contact with so we can mentor each other. I think that is the best was to keep a team going while at the same time adjourning.
thanks for dropping by
Peace and all good
this is a blog created for my MS in Early Childhood Studies at Walden University
