Reflection on Group Roles

Although many jokes were made about some of the dysfunctional roles listed, the overall list of role descriptions was a good way to introspectively consider the strengths and weaknesses that I bring to a group.  While working with Pam and Angela on high stakes testing and student motivation, I am trying to be mindful of the ways that I give or take in the group.  As I describe each role that I associate with myself, be it positively or negatively, I will add in any comments related to this specific group task in MEDU 500.

STRENGTHS:

* I see myself as an Information/Opinion Seeker because I am always concerned with everyone's feelings.  Therefore, I think it's important that each person is understood within a group, and that everyone feels she has a voice that is heard. Due to its description, I think this also makes me a good Orienter.  One way that I can bring this strength to my group is by making sure that we have all expressed our ideas before making a big decision.  I think we have already done a good job of this by clarifying what our expectations and specific interests were before committing to our clearly defined research question.

* In the same breath, I am not afraid to give my opinion when I feel it is relevant; I enjoy sharing personal stories or ideas.  Therefore, I think I am also an Information/Opinion Giver.  I know that I learn best by asking questions and talking about things, which makes me more willing to share information and opinions- through doing so, I clarify my own learning while hopefully serving the greater goals of the group.

* Many colleagues have commented on my passion and energy for my work, therefore I would be happy to believe that I can be an Energizer for my group.  I do my best to keep a positive outlook, even when things are most stressful in a group setting.  Everyone has bad days, though, so I don't want to sound my own horn too much!  However, I do feel that my upbeat nature is an asset for most group situations.

* I love writing things down and staying organized, so I think I make a good Recorder.  This will be useful as my group works to individually gather a variety of information for later use; my sense of organization and keeping things written down in a way that makes sense will help us to move forward in the short amounts of time we have together.  I think simple things like color coding highlights and typed up note sheets before sessions will also help us to be efficient.

* Lastly, in conjunction with some of the roles I've already described, I think I make a good Encourager and Harmonizer.  While checking in with other people's opinions and keeping the group moving, I am working to maintain harmony and offering encouragement.  I am non-confrontational to a fault, therefore I tend to gravitate toward the opposite direction- encouragement and harmony. 


WEAKNESSES:

* Now, Pam was mostly joking when she called me an Aggressor, however it is a concern of mine!  While offering information and sharing opinions, there is a fine line to be had between knowing when to open up and when to back down.  I do sometimes fear that I believe in my opinion so much that it may come out too forceful.  This doesn't match up with the exact description on our sheets, nor do I think the description on the sheet is something Pam believes about me, but I do think that the related ideas I've addressed are things I need to work on about myself. 

* It seems like my description of the Aggressor is borderline Dominator.  As I start to mention above, I think it's important for me not to get too excited about having things "done a certain way" or to flaunt my personal opinions.