Adjourning From a Group

Adjourning from a group can be difficult or quite easy depending on the relationships I have formed while in the group. Before going through my bachelor’s program, I went through a two year course designed for early childhood educators working in child care centers. The program discussed child development, family relationships, and community partnerships. It lasted four semesters and you remained with the same people throughout the entire two years. Lasting relationships formed around the program. Many of us only knew each other from class, but even still we were quite taken aback at how upsetting it was to say goodbye at the end of the two year period. After learning and growing together as early childhood educators, it was difficult to know that many of us would never see each other again. We collaborated on projects together, helped each other through professional and personal troubles, and supported each other’s learning. The rules of respect had been established in the beginning and maintained throughout the course. Before the last class, we decided to have a pot luck dinner celebration on the last night of class. We signed up to bring different dishes or drinks, and on the last night, we turned in our final projects, ate, and talked for a bit. Then we all said goodbye. Some good byes were tearful because we knew we would never see each other again. Some goodbyes were full of laughter as we shared silly stories about things we had said or done in the previous two years. Overall, the adjournment of this group was by far the worst I had experienced, with regard to emotional goodbyes.

I expect that adjourning from the other graduate students in the program will not be as difficult as adjourning from the previous group I described. Even though many of us spent a great deal of time together within the same classes of the program, many of us have never met and we haven’t really formed an emotional bond. There are several other students that I have relied on when I had some confusion about an assignment. We would email each other back and forth. There is also a great deal of support in our blogs, but without the face-to-face contact, I’m a little detached emotionally. It was established in the beginning that we were to listen respectfully to each other (or read comments and respond respectfully as the case may be). We are a learning community and I feel that I could comfortably participate within our group discussions. I think our adjournment will focus not so much on goodbyes, but on congratulating others on their accomplishments.

I believe that all groups need the final stage of adjourning (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 235). It not only provides closure to the project, but also allows members to feel that something worthwhile has been completed. They will now feel comfortable moving onto something else. We in the master’s program will feel an accomplishment. We will feel that we have completed a goal to expand our education further and are now comfortable taking the next step in our careers or our educations. Adjourning allows for one project to end so another project may begin.

Reference:

O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.