Chapter 1:
In Designing Groupwork, it talks about how groupwork is a good strategy for students learn that they need each other for the task and cannot do it all on their own. The teacher needs prepare the students adequately for the task but then needs to step back from being the “directing supervisor” and learn to delegate the task to the students. In order for the students to be engage and participate in the group, students need to work “in a group small enough so that everyone can participate on a task that has been clearly assigned.”
I tried this typed of groupwork but there was always at least one group where the work wasn’t balanced out. Maybe it worked perfectly for one class but the next class there was a couple students who were relying on their group members to carry their weight.
Chapter 2:
Groupwork is a technique used to achieve intellectual and social learning goals. Students are able to problem solve, develop higher order thinking skills, retain and improve basic skills, and overcome language barriers. In addition to improving intellectually, students are able to improve relations within interracial classrooms, and teachers are able to spend more time with one group while the other students work.
I agree that heterogeneous groupwork helps with more individual time with the groups who need it but not every activity is engaging to the students. How do I make every groupwork engaging past worksheets? How often do I practice groupwork? Everyday?
Chapter 3:
This chapter discusses the dilemma of groupwork. The biggest dilemma is the hierarchy of members that evolve within the group. The students are ranked based on one characteristic: societal, peer, or academic statuses. These students are which are more willing to take charge. This causes a dilemma because the opportunities for the lower statuses are not getting the same opportunities.
I agree that to get every member of the group involved can be a challenge as I experienced in CP1. It was challenging to group the class accordingly and to make sure everyone was engaged within their group.
I want to learn how to be able to create many different groups without having this dilemma. Students should be able to work with all of their classmates in different groups but not feel like they are missing out on an opportunity.
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It sounds as though you had some very good success with groupwork (only one group each time that didn't balance work well! :) Keep at it, you will refine your strategies and learn new ones that will really help make your effort even more a success.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how careful you have been to summarize chapters concisely--very nicely done.
No way cooperative groupwork everyday. More collaborative groupwork, and plenty of individual work as well. Maybe this ratio: coop--20%, coll--50%, indiv--30% (I never really thought about it).
You also ask about engagement. It isn't worth posing a problem that is not got good potential to be a problem for your students--basically a rephrase of the engagement problem. So, what problems do intellectually engage students? Their own questions are usually a safe bet, as are puzzles. Framing mathematics through these two lenses (I think) is the key to finding your answers...
Cool Lorinda, thanks for engaging me in some new thinking... especially the "engage students" question.