We often talk about important skills for students to develop on an individual basis, but one of the most valuable skills is being able to work well with others. There are very few jobs available that do not require some level of teamwork. Gifted people do not naturally like working in teams. We want to make sure the job is done right, and we believe that that can only happen if we do the job completely. It’s not comfortable to give up complete control, and it is difficult to trust other people to get the job done. This is a hard skill to learn ,and many students will fight us on the necessity of learning it.

We have groups for all ages in our school. We call these groups “packs.” In a pack, students compete in academic, athletic, and skill-based challenges. They work together on a quarterly basis to receive a prize for earning the most points. This is a really important part of our students’ education. It gives them a low stakes environment in which they can learn how to work with others. These packs range in ages, so students are working with older and younger kids, and they are learning how to interact in a group. 

Some kids do very well in the packs, and some are resistant to relying on others. Many students display leadership traits while working in these groups as well. However a student behaves in the group tells us as the teachers a lot about them. We notice the ones who are encouraging and who participate. We also see the ones who don’t put any effort in. We see the ones who only put in effort in the final hour before a deadline. All of these behaviors tell us something about the student. 

While the stakes are lower for working well in a team in elementary school, the stakes get higher as children enter middle and high school. During these years they might play team sports, act in a play, or participate in a group project. All of these activities require teamwork, and for the first time, there are stakes attached. Not working well with your volleyball team can cost you a win or a chance at advancing to regionals. Not working well with your cast can make a play a flop. Being a bad team player on a group project can result in a low grade. These are all consequences that could have been avoided if one had taken the time to learn to work with a team.

As teens move towards adulthood, being a bad team player could cost a job, promotion, or opportunity. It might keep one from even being hired in the first place, unless he is good at hiding it. People don’t like to hire those who don’t work well in a team. It’s not productive or efficient for the company, and if someone is blocking profit, he is replaceable. Don’t let this happen to you. It’s so easy to learn how to work together. If you are typically a loner, join a club or team. Failing to develop this skill means that you are falling behind. You don’t have to love working with a team; you just have to be able to do it. Once you start working well with a team, it gets easier, and the longer you work with a specific team, the more you can trust them to help you get the job done. More hands make less work. Embrace working with others and start developing this skill now.

                                                                        Bria