Relational Theories and Practices for Teaching and Learning

This blog is for helping group members grow in their knowledge of one another and ability to function as an effective group. Included are two theories and a variety of representative discussion activities.

The theories are the Johri Window and the Tuckman Model. The discussion activities follow the general progression of the above theories, beginning with questions and activities for group members who are new to one another and moving the group toward mature relationships and performance.

The “Window” is an approach used to help group members better understand themselves and each other. This theory suggests that there are four areas of our lives that influence our relationships with others.

1. The Arena/Open Area: attitudes and behaviors of which we are aware that are also known to others.
2. The Blind Spot Area: things about us that are known to others but not seen in us by ourselves.
3. The Façade/Hidden Area: characteristics of ourselves that are known to us but not to other group members.
4. The Unknown Area: aspects of who we are that are not known (or understood) by ourselves or others.
Application: group trust and performance improve as group members learn about themselves and others.

Tuckman’s Theory
Tuckman’s model describes the process of group relational and functional development. The theory states that it is normal for healthy groups to go through five stages. These are:

1. Forming – getting acquainted, identifying group purpose and norms
2. Storming – recognizing and adjusting to conflicting perspectives
3. Norming – working together cohesively
4. Performing – high level of functioning
5. Adjourning – closure and celebration of success

Application: Being aware of the five stages can help group leaders and participants function with improved interaction, satisfaction, and productivity.

Discussion Activities for Group Development
The discussion activities that follow are based on the stages of development in the Johari Window and Tuckman’s Theory. They begin with questions and activities for group members who are new to one another, progress toward mature relationships and performance, and end with processes for group closure.

Forming and Open Area – Sentence Completions
Ask group members to compete a few of these during your first meetings.
1. I am from...
2. I work at...
3. My family is made up of...
4. I spend weekends...
5. In my free time, I like to…
6. I feel most cared for when...
7. The important people in my life are...

Forming Activity – Sharing Names and Interests
Arrange participants in small groups (3-5 persons) and have each person say their name and write it on a piece of paper (or newsprint, poster board, or whiteboard) and tell something about themselves (e.g., family, hobbies, special interests, etc.). After each has shared name and interests, go around the circle and have each person say the name and interests of the other persons. This may be followed by a few minutes of open discussion.

Storming, Norming, and Hidden Activity
1. List some of things that you hope this group might do or try to do. Be as specific as possible.
2. Name three things that you hope to gain as a result of being involved in this group.
3. Say what you think the group should have a right to expect from its members.
4. Tell what (skills, abilities, leadership, jobs) you are willing to contribute to the group.

Storming, Norming, and Hidden Activity
Discuss and give an example of which of the following word-sets (or combination of word-sets) best describes you at school or when you last were a student:
• closed/open,
• listener/talker,
• hearer/doer,
• creative/traditional,
• activities/knowledge,
• giver/taker.

Performing and Hidden Area Activities
1. Share a high point and/or a low point in your life during this past week and tell why.
2. If you were to die tonight: What would people remember about you? What would you want people to forget about you?
3. Who made the biggest positive difference in your life?
4. What event, activity, or idea made the greatest impact on your development?

Adjourning, Blind, or Hidden Area Questions
1. Is there anything that needs to be resolved, discussed, dealt with, or expressed before our time together is over?
2. What feelings do you want to express about the group winding up its activities or about the ending of this group?
3. How have you grown as a person while in this group?

Adjourning, Blind, and Hidden Activity
Allow time for individuals to talk one on one (groups of 2s or 3s) about their shared relationship. Suggest that they respond to phrases like:
1. It was nice when you said...
2. I was surprised to hear you talk about...
3. Something I really like about you is...
4. One time I noticed you...
5. I would enjoy talking with you more about...

Summary
We have explored the dynamics involved in group growth and development. The Johri Window and the Tuckman Model were used to illustrate the importance of self-disclosure and group relational maturity. Questions and activities were provided as vehicles for prompting healthy understanding, acceptance, adjustment, and performance.

The challenge that remains is for you to use these questions and activities with a group.

This information is also available as a YouTube video.

Following are recommended resources for building on the information in this presentation as well as references to sources that were used.

Resources

-- Blanchard. The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams.

- - Coleman. Serendipity Bible: for Personal and Group Study.

- - Rydberg. Building Communit inYouth Groups.

References

- -Johari Window: Developed by psychologists Joseph Luft (1916–2014) and Harrington Ingham (1916–1995) in 1955, the term “Johari” is a combination of their first names. Material in this presentation is taken from the web site communicationtheory.org: https://www.communicationtheory.org/the-johari-window-model/

- -Tuckman’s Theory: Created by Bruce Tuckman in 1965. Material in this presentation is based on the following online article. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/hrstrategicprojectmanagementtheory/chapter/4-6-in-depth-look-tuckmans-model-five-stages-of-team-development/

Biblical Principles for Small Groups

Christians need each other. We were created for community and fellowship with God and one another through Jesus Christ.

This blog shares selected quotes from the classic book, Life Together, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945). I think of these quotes as operating principles for small groups.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote the book, Life Together (1938), to encourage biblical community living among theological students. He was a German Lutheran pastor, who was executed in 1945 because of his anti-Nazi resistance.

Here are some of the quotes that have been helpful to me in thinking about doing life together in small group settings.

Christians Need Each Other: The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer (p.19).

Christ is Central: Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ… We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ… a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ… a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ… in Jesus Christ we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time, and united for eternity (p. 21).

Mutual Respect: God does not will that I should fashion the other person according to the image that seems good to me, that is, in my own image; rather in his very freedom from me, God made this person in His image… Strong and weak, wise and foolish, gifted or ungifted… The diverse individuals in the community, are no longer incentives for talking and judging and condemning… They are, rather, cause for rejoicing in one another and serving one another (p. 93).

Listening: The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love to God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for one another is learning to listen to them… listening can be a greater service than speaking… We should listen with the ears of God that we may speak the Word of God (pp. 97, 99).

Helpfulness: This means, initially, simple assistance in trifling, external matters. There is a multitude of these things wherever people live together. Nobody is too good for the meanest (most menial) service… (p. 99).

Bearing Each Other’s Burdens: “Believers bear one another’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2)… The Christian… must bear the burden of a brother or sister. They must suffer and endure each other. It is only when he or she is a burden that another person is really a brother or sister and not merely an object to be manipulated (p. 100).

Speaking the Word of God: What we are concerned with here is the free communication of the Word from person to person, not by the ordained ministry which is bound to a particular office, time, and place. We are thinking of that unique situation in which one person bears witness in human words to another (p. 101).

Spiritual Authority: Jesus made authority in the fellowship dependent upon service to one another. Genuine spiritual authority is to be found only where the ministry of hearing, helping, bearing, and proclaiming is carried out (p. 108).

This has been an overview of principles for Christian small groups. These selected concepts include: Christians needing each other; Christ being central; mutual respect; listening; helpfulness; bearing each other's burdens; speaking God’s word; and spiritual authority.

This blog has provided some of the quotes that have been helpful to me in thinking about doing life together in small group settings. The book, Life Together, may be purchased by clicking here or from the Virtual Resource Center. It may also be viewed as a YouTube video.

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