Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Post 6, The Element:
"Finding your tribe" can be an important part of pursuing your element --finding people with a similar passion, whether collaborators or competititors. Sir Ken adds that great creative teams are diverse-- have people with different but complementary skills , dynamic-- all are equals and play to strengths, and distinct--come together to do something specific not just represent interests/depts, etc. Have you had the experience of finding your tribe OR finding out you were in the wrong one? Have you ever been part of a true creative team? Does the structure of school have any impact on this for students? for staff?
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3 comments:

  1. cushmomJuly 29, 2009 at 7:43 AM

    When I was on the team that was developing Thinkgate for math a few years ago, I felt like I was in a tribe. It is nice to be in a group, talking about the same topic, with people who are on the same wave length.

    Also, when we (challenge teachers) were able to go to the Georgia Association for Gifted Teachers conference in Athens, I felt like I was in a tribe. Teachers from all of the state of Georgia talking about the same topic and sharing different ways to approach the same topic was energizing and I would always come back with more energy and more great ideas.

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  2. Trevor LedfordJuly 29, 2009 at 10:43 AM

    As a teacher I really found my tribe going through the leadership academy (and also for a short time at a Schlechty conference). I felt that these circumstances were rare times when people were there to truly work together to create a new paradigm for education. I thought to myself, "yes, this is what it's all about"! This group of people were as diverse as any group could be within similar organizations. But yet we all conversed as if we had known each other all our lives, and there was a level of comfort that made the conversations very honest and open. Differences were viewed as strengths. Opposing viewpoints were opportunities for debate. Commonalities were things we could all go to in order to gain a better understanding of our individual ideas. It was a true creative environment. Nothing but greatness can come out of those types of atmospheres.

    If we could be successful in creating that same atmosphere for each individual school the impact would be huge! There are pockets of "tribes" within schools, of course. But when those tribes have competing interests then there can be "tribal tensions" between the different groups. In theory, we should all have the same interest, which is our core business. But in practice, I think petty things get in the way. Over the years some people lose their purpose and go off track. Honestly, some people lose their original passion for teaching, but stay on because they feel that they have no other alternative or whatever. Those types of things tend to have an effect on the rest of the tribe.

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  3. lbhackneyJuly 29, 2009 at 10:07 PM

    Maybe I'm just old or I've been around for a long time....probably a little of both. I have experienced the power of the tribe many times in my teaching career. The power of this type of collective purpose and passion is truly beyond words. From small tribes to the mountain top experience of an entire school on point for several years in a row, I've been fortunate to know firsthand what can be accomplished when there is a true tribe. Of course, I have experienced the other end of the spectrum as well. It's not pretty, but it does make you realize the blessing of the tribe experience.

    I feel that the structure of school can make finding this tribal experience difficult particularly now in a world where many have a "one test" vision for both students and staff. It's not impossible, just difficult at times.

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