Part C: Individual reflection paper

Tuckmans theory of group development is looking at the behaviour of small groups in a variety of environments, Bruce Tuckman (1965), recognised the distinct phases groups go through and suggested they need to experience all four stages before they achieve maximum effectiveness. He refined and developed the model (in conjunction with Mary Ann Jensen) in 1977 with addition of the fifth stage. During the first stage of Tuckmans theory which is Forming, our group mainly focused on getting to know each other. We focused on organizing and who was going to do what, and how we were going to do it, ex. / Typing, writing, looking up information, etc. We also did up a group guideline with fifteen rules and tasks for each individual to do. Also at the beginning, when we got put into groups none of us knew each other and we did not expect to get along with each other, but that wasnt the case at all, we all got along right from the very beginning and became very close and e-mailed and kept in very close contact with each other. During the second stage of Tuckmans theory which is Storming, important issues started to be addressed, such as the individual pieces of research and how it would be put together for part A of the project. Each member of the group had their own ideas, and minor disagreements developed. After group discussions we were able to come to an agreement on how the direction of the project would proceed, this enabled us to move forward to the next stage of Tuckmans theory. During the third stage of Tuckmans theory which is Norming, our group understood each other better, we listened to each other more clearly and we appriciated each others contributions. As we entered stage four which is Performing, the energy of our group was directed towards completing the task. We all worked together and trusted one another with collecting information individually, and we all knew our roles and responsibilities. I developed relationships with everyone in my group by starting off with earning their trust, knowing that I can count on them to have the correct information to bring to the group when we had our designated group times. I also got to know everyone on a

personal basics and knowing their values and beliefs and was open and honest with them in a positive way. I feel that the relationships I formed within my group were very positive and didnt there for didnt need change. Some differences between our group, was that there were two individuals out of the four of us in our group were slackers, and waited until the last minute to get anything done. That put the onus on myself and another individual to do most of the work and make sure everything was done correctly and on time. The similarities within our group were that we all wanted to have a good mark on all our assignments, we all wanted to share our own ideas and opinions, and we all gave each other praise when we brought something new to the table. If issues arose within our group we would talk about it and make sure we knew what the issues were about and we were all on the same page and no ones feelings were hurt or they were felt out of place for letting us know they had an issue. We set goals by writing down what it was we wanted to accomplish, and how we were going to reach them. Each member was given a task at every meeting and it had to be completed by the next meeting, such as researching an item for the project. I made sure the information I took to each group meeting could be understood by each member. I also made sure I stayed on topic and got as information as I possibly could. According to what I have learned in I&I, I was able to listen and respond to the other members in my group. I was able to stay focused on the topics the other members brought up in the meetings, I didnt argue or criticize their ideas, I feel I was supportive and positive with my responses. To get a community to listen you have to use good communication skills such as body language, facial expressions, and using the correct words to get the point across. Also your appearance has a big affect on how people will look at you in a professional manor. When you look professional people tend to look at you with more respect and focus on what the topic is about, and your point gets across more clearly. Poverty has as huge affect on wellness in the community, because when people live in poverty they tend to feel like they are not accepted within the community and there for they tend to withdrawal them selves from society in general. They also would not have the money to go and do the things that people not living in poverty would be

able to do such as go to the gym, or go skating, etc. Their general health would also be affected because they would not have the health coverage or dental coverage that most people would have. They also wouldnt have the money to get proper groceries and healthy food. Many people living in poverty in our community face many barriers that impede their efforts to experience success and have genuine life opportunities. Poverty forces people in it to deal with many barriers that emanate from the way our social system is structured. These structures put them in many challenging positions where they see no support or opportunities. Most people in poverty feel they have no one to blame but themselves. The blame for failure becomes internalized, creating internal barriers that lower self-esteem, extinguish their dreams, and limit their abilities to succeed. Some strengths in our community would be Mas soup kitchen, Salvation army, etc.. This gives people living in poverty the sense that they are not alone and there is a brighter side to things. If there wasnt as many people living in poverty today the Government wouldnt have to pay out as much as they are now, for example, most people living in poverty are addicted to drugs or alcohol, so there for it comes out of the Governments pocket to put those who are in need into rehab centers and long term faculties. Also if the Government didnt take away so many jobs or stop jobs from coming to the local area there would be a lot more job opportunities, and there for there wouldnt be as much poverty. How I used information in relating to others was as follows: Skills I developed when relating to others in my group was making sure what I said was understood. I also found I received feedback when my message was understood. My willingness to communicate with others in my group was a very important way of overcoming my shyness when speaking in the group and trying to get my point across. When speaking in my group I paid attention to the facial expressions and body language of the members in my group. This allowed me to see if they were interested or not.

When another member in my group was speaking I concentrated on what they were saying, and asked questions to make sure that I understood what they were trying to relay. I made sure the words I chose supported what I was trying to say, and I used words that described my own thoughts and feelings. I made sure that when someone in the group was speaking I didnt make judgments about what they were saying. I made sure that my body language was one of being interested. One positive aspect of myself in the group was that I did most of the research on the sociology portion of the project and made sure it was done correctly and on time. A weakness I had within my group was that I felt I was unable to say NO, when someone brought something to the table that had nothing or very little to do with the project or topic. If I had to do it over again and do things differently I would have built up the power and courage to say NO, and things would have gone a lot smoother, and we would have progressed a lot faster.