WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER: GETTING HELP FROM YOUR WINTER AND SUMMER

TERM STUDENTS

THE WITNESS FOR PEACE FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP MODEL

A Presentation by Donna Van BodegravenOctober 7 November 4, 2010

Plan

What is the Functional Leadership Model?

What are the components? Why would I use it? How can I adapt it for my course? What about grading? Questions any time!

What is the Functional Leadership Model and where did it come from? Witness for Peace Delegations – what are they

My participation in a WFP delegation to Guatemala

Functional Leadership Roles typical of a WFP delegation Coordinating Team – calls meetings, proposes agenda, helps group reach decisions, makes sure all key

information is communicated, facilitates coordination with Central American hosts. Spanish knowledge or Latin American experience helpful.

Worship/Reflection – receives group’s ideas for worship and reflection. Plans and facilitates regular group worship.

Spokesperson /Facilitator – main person to speak to press and organizational reps. At public meeting, introduces group and explains purpose, thanks on behalf of group.

Logistics – handles group finances, keeps financial records, pays bills, handles plane tickets, keeps track of baggage.

Security – knows where everyone is at all times, sets up buddy system, checks to see that everyone is one bus, works out procedures for group safety

Social Coordinator – helps everyone find ways to relax and celebrate as a group Recorder – keeps the group log; gets correct spelling of names and data on people and places visited;

may spread duties; encourages people to write in their own journals Health Coordinator – keeps first aid kit, handles medical emergences, remind participants of personal

health precautions and deals with health problems. “Vibes Watcher” – is especially aware of group’s emotional tone; suggests creative ways that these

feelings can be acknowledged and dealt with. Housekeeping – helps organize practical aspects of group life such as clean-up, cleaning and sweeping

rooms when we depart, making sure everyone has adequate sleeping arrangements; should set up distribution of tasks, not do them alone.

Translator – helps the team with translating; must be a fluent Spanish speaker; helps other group members with quick phrases to use in special situations.

Besides the academic component, what else do I need to worry about during an Elon study abroad program?

Security Logistics Recording Social coordinator Vibes Spokesperson Health and first-

aid

Summer term 2006

student taking

health team duties

seriously (Beginning Intensive Spanish)

Winter term 2008 “Vibes” team members host birthday party

they organized (Advanced Spanish)

Why would I use it?

Part of Personal Growth goals required for a study abroad course

Distributes some of the standard logistical duties to students so that you and your co-leader aren’t trying to do everything (e.g. logistics, security)

Gives students responsibility for logical components (e.g. “Vibes”, ambassadors)

Good teams will anticipate needs before you even think of them

Taps into student creativity (party planning, pitch counter, t-shirts)

???Summer term 2006 students wearing t-

shirts they designed and ordered in Mérida

How can I adapt it for my course?

Delete roles that do not fit your course (e.g. “Reflections”)

Add roles that fit your course better (e.g. Astronomy in Mexico)

Combine roles that fit together logically

Adjust according to number of students in class

Winter term 2006 students taking GPS measurements

at Chen Ha cenote (Astronomy in Mexico)

Examples of adaptationsStandard WFP roles Commerce in the

Yucatan (8 teams in 2001 and 2002)

Astronomy in Mexico (10 teams in 2005; 7

teams in 2006)

Advanced Spanish and the Maya Worlds (6

teams in 2008; 4 teams in 2009

Coordinating Team Faculty Faculty Faculty

Worship/Reflection No No No

Spokesperson /Facilitator Yes Modified and combined Modified and combined with secretarial (2008); combined with Logistics (2009)

Logistics Yes Yes Yes (combined with ambassadorial in 2009)

Security Yes Yes Yes; Combined with Technology in 2009

Social Coordinator Combined with Vibes Called “Leisure” Combined with Vibes

Recorder Yes Called Reporters (2006) Reporters (combined with Photography in 2009)

Health Coordinator Yes Called “Medical” and then included Vibes

Combined with Vibes

“Vibes Watcher” Yes Combined with Medical Combined with Social and Health

Housekeeping Combined with Logistics Combined with Logistics Combined with Logistics

Translator No Yes Not necessary (taught in Spanish)

Added – financial assistant (separate from Logistics), secretary (different from Recorder)

Added – Financial (2005), Ambassadorial (combines secretary and spokesperson – 2005 and 2006), Astronomy(2005 and 2006), Software (2005), Hardware (2005), Photography (2006)

Added: Technology in 2008

What about grading?

Various options Make it part of a

participation grade

Make it a separate component

Pass / fail – fail impacts overall grade

Do not grade at all?

Winter term 2001 students practice using Maya farm implement the coa

(Commerce in the Yucatan)

What about grading? – a model created by Tony Crider

Students will be divided into leadership teams to coordinate various aspects of the course. The guidelines below describe behaviors of leadership teams and the corresponding grades. Once during the course, the faculty members will talk with each team to negotiate a midterm grade. It is likely that many teams will exhibit attributes from more than one level listed below. For instance, a team might have performed at a mix of B-level and C-level behaviors, leading to a grade that is somewhere between a B and a C.A-level Teams: These teams perform well-above the expectations outlined in the Functional Leadership descriptions. They take initiative and are creative in the ways they fulfill their team mission. They might ask professors for advice, but will more often brainstorm independently to determine how they might be a better team. These people are often volunteering to help out other groups by doing things not necessarily included in their own team’s objectives. Team members are consistently punctual when meeting for group events.B-level Teams: These teams attempt to excel in the roles outlined in the Functional Leadership descriptions. They will often ask professors for advice on how to better fulfill their team objectives. Team members may occasionally be sought out by the Security Team for lagging behind but do not hold up the group by missing departure times. Members of these teams also seek out ways to help other groups fulfill their own objectives as needed.C-level Teams: These teams perform exactly what was asked of them at the beginning of the course in the Functional Leadership descriptions. Team members may hold up the rest of the group by being excessively tardy or absent-minded, but this only happens once or twice. While this team completes its own objectives, its members rarely assist other groups in any capacity beyond their pre-determined roles.D-level Teams: On a few occasions, this team has neglected its prescribed duties as outlined in the Functional Leadership descriptions and someone else was required to do it for them rather than helping them. These team members have likely developed a reputation for being late and will hold up the group more than once. These team members do not cooperate well with one another.F-level Teams: These teams neglected duties as outlined in the Functional Leadership descriptions, leading to a costly error for the class or an individual. They failed to perform tasks when explicitly asked to by an instructor. They might have been left behind by the group for failing to meet at a scheduled rendezvous point. By acting irresponsibly, a member of this group may have endangered the group. It is possible that this team is so dysfunctional that it must be dissolved.

Where can I get more information?

An electronic document with several sections – including descriptions and grading scheme -- is now available on Bb website for study abroad leaders

This PowerPoint is also available on Bb

Contact me (dbodegra@elon.edu or ext. 5646) if you have other questions or want more documents

Winter term 2009 students visiting with Zapatista leaders in Oventic, Chiapas (Advanced Spanish and

Maya Worlds)

¡Muchas gracias por su atención y participación!

Winter term 2008 students enacting a Maya wedding ceremony in Zinacantán, Chiapas (Advanced Spanish and

Maya Worlds)