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L
EARNING
TO
L
EARN
: B
ECOMING
A
S
ELF
-G
ROWER
217
E
XPERIENCE
8: P
ERFORMING
IN
T
EAMS
AND WITHIN
A
C
OMMUNITY
READING
Sam, Fred, Jennifer, Sandra and Ken sit in the small, overly air-conditioned,
windowless classroom the teacher has assigned them to with instructions to “get to
know each other” and “examine team roles.” No one is talking yet. Jennifer can hear the
clock ticking in the hall. Sandra and Ken exchange looks of impatience. Sam just feels
sorry for everyone—including himself—but doesn’t know how to break the ice.
What the heck, he thinks.
“Uh,” Sam says. “I guess we need to get started as a team with our team roles. We’re
here, we have to complete the assignment so we might as well dive in, right?”
“Technically, we don’t
have
to complete the assignment’,” says Fred.
Ken laughs out loud, a bit nervously.
Jennifer’s mouth twitches.
“No, you’re right…we don’t have to. But I like my grades and this class and plan to do
what I can. So let’s give it a try, OK? For starters, who wants to be the Recorder and keep
track of all this exciting dialog?” Sam looks around expectantly.
Whoops, Fred thinks. He raises his pencil. “Yeah. I will.”
“Great,” Sam says, nodding.
“Wait,”Sandra says.“Dowe even knowwhat the performance criteria are for that role?
Maybe we need to look more at these roles before we just start assigning or claiming
them. What do you think?”
“Sandra, you’re right,” Sam admits, as Fred, Ken and Jennifer all nod.