Lofty aspirations: musings on group projects

I’m about to start my first class for this summer, on Web design. I don’t know what it’s going to be like, I don’t know the instructor. I’m curious to see what it’ll turn out to be and how it works. I wonder whether we’ll have group projects, the bane of all joy of schoolwork… sometimes even in grad school.

Of course, not all groups suck. Not even close! The most recent great experience I’ve had was during my first semester in library school. (Thanks to Bonnie, Lisa, and Molly - you guys are fantastic!) I was vividly reminded of that project this spring when reading the lyrics below from the musical Curtains (reported by John Lahr in The New Yorker, April 2, 2007, p. 85):

But when you’re writing a song / Without a partner

That’s a completely different matter.

No one tells you / That’s not funny.

No one says, ‘Let’s cut that bar.’

No one makes you better than you are.

I like that thought. Ideally team work is about making you better than you are by constructive criticism, well-timed pushing, and encouragement by word and example. It’s easier to contribute if there’s someone (else) in the group who acts like that. Too often - in groups I have been ’till now - it doesn’t happen. Why? I tend to think I’m just cut out to be encouraging like that. Why couldn’t I be? What’s to stop me? Nothing, except my fear for change! Maybe ’school team projects suck’ is just one of those popular myths (like: everyone can take Christmas off) that get repeated ad nauseum.

From now on, becoming an excellent team-mate is on my ‘to-be[come]‘ list.