• Stage one – “Life Sucks”
• Stage two – “My Life Sucks”
• Stage three – “I’m great, and you’re not”
• Stage four – “We’re Great”
• Stage five – “Life is Great”

He goes into all of these levels and explains them individually, but I think that he makes some excellent points in his explanation.  When he addresses stage three, he talks about the idea of competition and that while it’s healthy and that we should be proud of accomplishments, there is a sense of individuality and participants of a group trying to outdo each other. As I read this I thought about my work and the students and teachers that I see everyday.  Teaching is a solitary profession.  That’s no secret. However, because of this solitude, there is a sense (especially at the secondary level) that the most important work being done is being done in my classroom. Because of a lack of collaboration across classrooms and outside of buildings, it’s easy to only look inward and focus on what I, as a teacher, can control. With that approach, moving to stage four is really difficult.  Logan acknowledges that often this is where tribes get and then stop.

In stage four, the participants recognize that they are a part of a group and part of the greater good.  They are a small piece of something that is makes a larger whole.  However, the focus is still inward on the group. I think that this is an important place for us to get in the world of education. It’s important that we see our student’s educational journey as a whole and recognize that there are many facets to this. As an English teacher, I often got caught up in my classroom and my building.  Now, I often fall into focusing on my buildings or my district instead of education as a whole. I’m not suggesting that this is easy but I am suggesting that this is worth it.

Finally, Logan talks about leaders of tribes and their role in change. One of his statements, and truly the reason that I decided to write about this, was about how great leaders who make change happen are fluent in all of the stages. He cites the Declaration of Independence and Ghandi and Martin Luther King as examples and notes that there are conflicting messages in their messages, but that those tribes who actually reach stage five are the ones who change the world.

As I think about the people that I follow in the world of education, it occurs to me that, although they may have differing messages, the ones who are really making strides and making people think are those who can address all these different stages in which tribes exist. When I hear them speak at a conference, they address all those different areas and help teachers wherever they are in their careers.  When I teach a class or give a talk, I want every single person to be able to walk away with something. I don’t pretend that I’m fluent in all stages, but I now have another context in which to think about where people are in their work. Not bad for 17 minutes of groggy watching.

If you’re not familiar with TED talks and you like to listen to really smart people, I highly suggest a visit to http://www.ted.com.