Outline of Class Meetings
Session 1
Orientation to the course.
Overview of the case and assignment questions.
Review the course syllabus and assignment pages.
Read “What is the BRA” online.
Session 2
Review the “how to” slides on giving a briefing before class, then skim the sample feedback memos on team briefings and read the brief material on teams and teamwork. We’ll use excerpts of the sample briefing video in class to discuss key ideas. We’ll also use part of the class session to enable your team to launch the team self-assessment exercise (“Who are we? What do we need to accomplish? How do we become a team?” etc.). We will return to teamwork concepts next week in class, along with the role of peer coaches.
Xavier de Souza Briggs, “How to Prepare and Deliver an Effective Briefing” (PDF)
Sample Feedback Memos on Student Briefings (PDF 1) (PDF 2) (PDF 3)
Session 3
This session features a panel discussion of leading waterfront activists in Boston who have generously agreed to spend the evening and share their work with us. Each represents a very different nonprofit organization or group. Before the session, take about an hour to familiarize yourself with each group, who it represents, what it does, and what it favors, etc., and decide, as a team, what key questions you want to get answered at the session.
Question and Answer Session with Susan Silberberg about the Waterfront (PDF)
Session 4
This final regular class meeting has a dual agenda:
- to discuss key concepts in team behavior and effectiveness (using your 11.914 team experience as the latest “case”); and
- to continue discussion of the case and resolve any logistical or other issues for the upcoming dry-run and final briefings. How is your team functioning? What remains to be done?
