I spent all last week with a group of graduates (65 in total) assisting a team of people to deliver a “Graduate Impact Week”
What a fantastic experience and something, that, I took so many lessons from. (Thank you ‘Team Brenscombe’)
Organising timetables, logistics, meeting rooms, activities, lunch, dinner, shower times, reflection time and much, much more, really takes some doing. Luckily enough, I had a great team of people with me.
Interestingly enough, I was astounded by the attitude of some of these graduates – in both a positive way and also a negative way.
My group of 14 ‘Grads’ (22-26 years old) were all quiet and reflective in the way they processed information – not one extrovert amongst them! This challenged me to adapt my style of delivery and it meant i had to give them more space to think and discuss ideas, models and theories.
What unfolded over the 5-days was that, some of them wanted to learn and take everything from the experience, and, some didn’t! I had some resisters, opposers, strops and giggly adolescent behaviour, disrupting the learning experience for others (That was just the facilitators!)
As, I wasn’t a teacher taking a field trip, my role was to allow them to be adults and act in an appropriate manner, experience pressure, overcome challenges and discuss how to apply the experience to a work context.
The beauty of this week was that, eventually, those that wanted to get the most from the week, stepped up and took control. They challenged others to engage in everything that was offered and we ended up having an amazing week together with everyone having a meaningful experience. The system worked and we got to the end point – as if by magic.
I know that when I was that age I was in the R.A.F getting lessons in a slightly different way. I also remember that, sometimes, I didn’t want to be in that situation and probably concentrated on how bad it was instead of “what is this teaching me”.
I do know that when the dust settles and the ‘Grads’ get back to work – the lessons will start to hit home and the lights will go on!
Sometimes though “When the student is ready, the teacher will arrive!”
So, no matter how passionate you are and want the lights to go on, it doesn’t always appear to have an immediate impact. However, it does happen, one day, and they will remember that you were the one that started the lesson many years ago….
Never give up on education.
Enjoy your week…