Assignment for those who don't go to Hulbert

Teambuilding Skills We Can Learn from Geese
Author Unknown

Fact #1 – As each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71 percent greater flying range than if one bird flew alone.
Lesson Learned – People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the strength of one another.
________________________________________
Fact #2 – Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.
Lesson Learned – If we have as much sense as geese, we will stay in formation with those who are ahead of where we want to go and be willing to accept their help as well as give ours to others.
________________________________________
Fact #3 – When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position.
Lesson Learned – It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership.
________________________________________
Fact #4 – The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Lesson Learned – We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging, and not something else.
________________________________________
Fact #5 – When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it is able to fly again, or dies. Then they launch out on their own, with another formation, or they catch up with their flock.
Lesson Learned – If we have as much sense as geese do, we too, will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.


The purpose of going to Hulbert Outdoor Recreation Center is to promote teambuilding for students within a group and within the school community. Students must leave reliance on technology (cell phones, ipods, videogames, television, computers, etc.)and instead work on communicating with each other. The experience provides opportunities to test each individual’s personal limits, to learn what coping skills work and don’t work for success as an individual, and to learn the most effective strategies for working with other students and as part of a group. Students must communicate, cooperate and build trust with one another – qualities that they will bring back to school and that they will hopefully expand.

Your assignment is to write a five page paper (Arial 12,block style (no indentations for paragraphs, just skip a space between paragraphs), single spaced font, 1” margins on top, bottom and sides) on the following topic:

Using the five facts of Teambuilding Skills We Can Learn from Geese, write your own interpretation of each fact, giving examples from your own (or someone you know) experience. Then talk about what you personally can do to help our class be the most cohesive and most supportive group.