EDUCATION

Education

Education

Task 1:

Wesner (1995) has traced the history of team-building as far back as 1900. Her study is divided into three time periods. The first period, 1900 to 1950 resulted in the discovery of the value of teams. The second period, 1950 to 1969, resulted in an increased focus on the social interactions of managers, supervisors, and workers. The third period, 1970 to the present, has resulted in team-building becoming a stand-alone educational process focused on solving productivity and quality problems. Of all the tasks of management, managing the human component is the central and most important task, because all else depends on how well it is done. (Likert, 1967, p. 1)

Likert (1967) stated that high levels of job satisfaction are likely to produce the best results. Lipka and Goulet (1979) conducted a study of teachers which indicated that: altruistic needs were rated more important than pragmatic needs. Poppleton (1992) conducted a study using teachers from five countries, concluding that teaching is a profession that is either spoiled or enhanced by working conditions. Barnabe and Burns (1994) conducted research using a job characteristics model to study job satisfaction and noted that programs designed to improve job satisfaction should not be implemented until those factors affecting personnel motivation can be determined. Observations on team building Schneider (1993) explains that in any type of school change there is a need for administrators who are effective consensus builders, since several driving forces must be addressed. The first area is school restructuring. A second area is the trend in states such as New York and Kentucky toward mandating involvement with parents and the community in shared decision-making. A third area involves partnerships with major corporations which have shared team-building practices with the school district. The last area is that of taxpayer revolt. School budgets will not be approved without taxpayer support. Governing such support entails involving citizens in the budgetary process.

Schneider (1993) notes that team building is cost effective and necessary to meet these demands. He suggests that several strategies must be taught for teams to be effective; knowledge of problem-solving and decision-making skills, shared roles and responsibilities, strategies to start dialogue - not discussion, structures for equal participation, common definitions to promote clarity and focus, data analysis techniques, ground rules for communication, monitoring initiatives, and team evaluation of the decision-making process. It is noted that the biggest stumbling block to this process is time. However, the time spent initially on team building pays off when decisions must be made.

Maeroff (1993) provides arguments that team building is an effective method for attacking real problems facing a school. Team building may not be accepted by all in the school. However, when those teachers who are more inclined towards change take part in team building, it often encourages new practices that could permeate the rest of the school. Maeroff (1993) further notes some outcomes of team building. Team spirit is generated through common goals. Process skills allow teachers to work ...