Habit # 15 Thinking Interdependently

“Work Together; Learn Together!”

Being able to work in and learn from others in reciprocal situations.

Thinking interdependently entails the following four characteristics:

1. Positive Interdependence.
   This means that the group sinks or swims together, that they rely on each other. There should be one group goal, not multiple individual goals. Think of sport teams and how they work together? The UBUNTU philosophy of “I am because we are” is encouraged in all aspects of WHPS’ life.
2. Individual Accountability.
   Each person should be responsible for their part. Although the task must be a joint task, each person has a role and must be held accountable for completing their part. The recent Combined Choirs Festival was a perfect example of how each boy performed his role to the very best of his ability so that the overall success was enjoyed by all.
3. Equal Participation.
   No one can be left to do it all, and no one should be able to opt out. The roles within the group are fairly distributed   according to skills and time. Never has this been more evident than now, with staff members taking on added responsibilities as the term reaches its conclusion.
4. Simultaneous Interaction.
   To encourage effective group work everyone should be doing something at the same time. We don’t want to encourage the division of labour into a sequence of unrelated tasks. No one should be waiting for others to “do their part.”
   

The Grade 7 Boys are preparing for their exciting Senior Production and this means everyone needs to be working towards the same end goal.

Take care of each other. Share your energies with the group. No one must feel alone, cut off, for that is when you do not make it.

Brigitte Theunissen / Deputy Head Academics