Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts

Saturday, February 11, 2023

Elements for Effective Learning Teams

 

Important Elements for Effective Learning Teams

 

  1. Good and effective leadership.  In self-managed groups this would be shared leadership.

 

Our team has decided to operate as a self-managed team.  We have created a team charter to follow and it clearly states each member’s responsibilities.  This way, we share the leadership.

 

  1. Interdependence among the members.

 

This is based on our honesty, communication and skill settings.  We agree that it is important to remain true to your self.  Remember not to take on a task that you are not comfortable with or that you feel you cannot assume full responsibility for.  Own your part.

 

3.      Members must be committed to the team and its goals. 

 

In reference to the team charter-reminding each other to stay focused on the task at hand.  Adhere to the time management by setting a realistic time to complete each task.  Remain committed to reach to the final goal.

 

4.      Must have access to resources.

 

We utilize email, phone, scanner, Internet, laptop and our meeting place is the public library, which provides a pool of resources. 

 

5.      Have the ability, both interpersonal and technical, to accomplish its task.

 

We have found that we compliment each other’s skill sets.  First we rely on our human resources. Each member brings their talent, time and knowledge to the table.  Second we make use of the library where our meeting is held.  As far as technical resources, as a team we have access to Internet, allowing email communication, one member has a scanner, another, a laptop to bring to the meetings.  Each member has some degree of knowledge in a particular software application such as PowerPoint, Word or Excel.

 

6.      Cooperation between members.

 

We have found it successful to combine our ideas to accomplish the task at hand.

We respect each other’s opinions and show respect by avoiding cutting each other off while talking.  We are learning about each other’s personalities and learning styles. 

Also, there is a discovery time we share in the meeting where we discuss other topics such as writing styles, school interests, work, hobbies, personal interests, etc. 

This builds camaraderie and rapport.  Our cooperation is imperative to our success as a team.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Higher Calling

Life is funny sometimes. Makes us wonder at the end of the day, what is the point? Does anything I do really matter? Believe it or not. YES. You have heard me say time and time again on this site, you DO matter. Your existence is not without merit and importance. You were called to be more than just a fan of life. You were called to be a part of the entire experience. Your purpose does have a higher calling.

Life asks of us to be FOLLOWERS.  Now before you say, what? That's lame! I'm not a follower. Think about it. We all know in order to lead you must follow. After all, every great world figure that made a positive, motivational influence on humanity started out as a student and then became a teacher. 

 Discipline is a helper to knowledge just as patience is a helper to virtuosity. Take an oak tree for example. Without any extraordinary influence, it knows that it is called to be large, provide food, shelter, shade, oxygen and will be expected to live out hundreds of years. The tree knows that it is called to GROW and FLOURISH. There is an oak tree at the core of all of us. Some of us will carry out our callings as providers, parents, laborers, medical professionals, supporters, caregivers, etc. Others will carry out their calling as officers, military or homemakers. No matter what, the one thing that connects all of us is our calling to fellowship. We are designed to reach one another, love each other and steer each other in the way that we should go. We were not created to hate, kill, steal and destroy each other. We are loving beings, created in the image of love and were called to carry out this love throughout our lifetime.

Now before you get discouraged and think this is just a bunch of "feel good" talk that never makes a difference, have you ever thought about what the world would look like or be like if we all "chose" to love instead of hate? Have you ever said, that's boring or that's no fun or how dull! Well, I feel for you, because it's that same "freedom" to hurt that allows us the "freedom" to help! You were called to be FREE. Free from stress, pain, overindulgence, hurtful things and destructive environments. You were called to be FREE of filth and degradation. You were given the FREEDOM to choose to love - not because you had to - but because you wanted to! You think that sounds dull, boring and no fun? Ask the unsung hero, the committed lover, the caring parent, the supportive friend, the passionate leader, the devoted husband, the faithful wife, is their life boring?! I gaurantee you and will be your life on it - it is far from it! 

What if I told you that you were NOT created to be bad! To do bad things to yourself and others! But instead you were created to love and be loved and live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life - would you believe me? Would you choose to believe me? 
I would certainly hope so, because, you were called to make a DIFFERENCE. I pray that we all find our higher calling and truly apply our skills, talents and blessings to the best benefit of self and others. It is my personal goal to be in line with the will and purpose of my Lord and Savior and my creator. By doing this, I know that I am giving my best to life and good works to those whom I love and who love me. I wish to make a difference by living in accordance with the will of God. What is your calling? How are you making a difference?

 "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep."
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

These are just a few of many examples where ordinary people have made extraordinary choices to apply their talents to eternal change, ultimately making an eternal difference. At the end of the day, we only get one life-will you spend it doing what is wrong for the world or doing what is right for you and your God? You decide.