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by Minda Garr, M.S.W.
The foundation of the summer camp is the group. Throughout the summer,
in addition to the attention we give to the individual camper, our focus
is continually on the various group configurations. We attend to the
cabin group, the same-age groups, and the camp as a whole. As camp professionals,
continually engaged in the training of young staff, it is critical to
revisit various theoretical bases for the understanding of group processes,
and equip our staff with a conceptual as well as practical understanding
of the group. The framework developed by Dr. Bruce Tuckman, is particularly
applicable to the summer camp setting. Tuckman describes five stages
in the progression of small group development: forming, storming, norming,
performing, and adjourning.
Familiarity with these stages can help staff to be more effective as
counselors and as group leaders, and guide us in appropriate responses
to camper behavior.
As individuals come together as a group, we can readily observe the
five stages referred to by Tuckman.
Stage 1 Forming
As the cabin group comes together, campers go through an “orientation” characterized
by testing. This testing helps to identify the boundaries of interpersonal
relationships, camper-counselor expectations, and a sense of group identity
in relation to other cabin groups in the same age group. Pre-adolescent
and adolescent youth are driven by a desire to be liked and accepted
by others. In the initial stage of group development, campers tend to
avoid conflict. They are busy focusing on the good feelings of coming/returning
to camp, learning/readjusting to the camp routine, meeting new friends,
and reconnecting to old friends. Campers are also busy gathering information
and forming impressions about each other, the staff, and the camp schedule.
This is a comfortable stage, with little conflict, but also minimal creativity.
Stage 2 Storming
As the cabin group adjusts to being in camp, it moves into the second
stage, characterized by conflict and polarization around interpersonal
issues. At this point, there may be resistance to group influence and
task requirements. Campers may become impatient with each other and minor
confrontations will occur. Often these confrontations can be dealt with
quickly. Some counselors will prefer to ignore these issues, wanting
to retain the good feelings typical of the first stage of norming. However,
if ignored, the conflicts will continue to simmer under the surface and
may develop into more serious confrontations. It’s important at
this stage to utilize problem-solving techniques that give all involved
a sense of being heard, and to look for win-win solutions. Often at this
time campers will also need to have a good sense of structure and rules,
as well as a clear understanding of expectations for group living.
Stage 3 Norming
In this stage, resistance to the group is overcome, and the feeling
of cabin cohesiveness and identity develops. If conflicts have been successfully
overcome, campers are willing to share on a deeper level with each other.
Children and adolescents have a natural and healthy resilience, which
enables them to move forward. They have had their arguments and disagreements
and have developed ways of adapting to each other and living together
as a group. They’ve developed bunk rules and expectations; they
understand their differences and have made peace with them. It takes
hard work to get to this stage and a lot of input from counselors. This
is the stage when counselors feel that their cabin is fun to be with.
If the cabin group stays stuck in the “storming” of the second
stage, counselors begin to feel like they can’t cope.
Stage 4 Performing
This is the stage that gives counselors and campers alike a sense of
pride in their group. At this point everyone knows each other well, and
hopefully, they feel that they can rely on each other. There is a sense
of interdependence among group members and also a sense of trust. The
group is able to work together to accomplish common goals. Group identity,
loyalty, and morale are high. The cabin group has a lot of creative energy
that can be channeled in ways which benefit both the small group as well
as the larger group of which it is a part.
Stage 5 Adjourning
The end of the summer/session marks the end of the cabin group as a
unit. Campers
and counselors often feel a sense of loss as the end of the summer/session
approaches. When a group has worked really well together, we often hear
comments like “it’ll never be the same.” Sometimes there
will be a premature sense of disengagement, especially if cabin members
or counselors leave early, before the summer/session is over. A challenge
for counselors at this stage is to help the group retain its cohesiveness,
its sense of identity, and its focus on task accomplishment until the moment
that the campers board the buses to go home. As part of this last stage
of the summer/session, and to allow the group to successfully move through
all of its developmental stages, it is important to enable the group members
to recognize their accomplishments and achievements throughout the course
of the summer/session.
Based on the model developed by Dr. Bruce Tuckman, 1965, 1977.
| References |
| Smith, M.K. (2005). Bruce W. Tuckman — forming,
storming, norming and performing in groups. The Encyclopedia of Informal
Education, www.infed.org/thinkers/tuckman.htm. |
| Tuckman, B.W. (1965). Developmental sequence
in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384-399. |
| Tuckman, B.W. & Jensen, M.C. (1977). Stages
of small group development revisited. Group and Organizational Studies,
2, 419-427. |
Originally published in the 2006 March/April
issue of Camping Magazine. |
