Shane Hampton
T O P I C :
Productive Group Work
Shane Poses the Question. . . .
October 27, 2007
First, let me give the scenario. I am teaching in a high shcool classroom with 45-50 students in each class, and the room is a tight squeeze. The students sit four to a table in seven rows and two columns.
My question is: What are some ways to get these students to do productive group work?
It is very hard making it around to all the groups, and it seems like it takes forever to get the students going on the assignment.
Dr. Bowles answers....
October 28, 2007
Wow, Shane. It sounds like the physical environment is a challenge, first of all — and then on top of that, you have the large number of students in the class. Maybe you could think up some kind of "shadow" system, where one group does the work and another group "shadows" them. You could assign a shadow student to each one of the group participants. The shadow would have to take notes on everything their partner does in the group work. The next time they could reverse roles. Students might really get into this and give each other secret names and such.
Chase Caldwell answers....
November 5, 2007
Perhaps you could have the groups already assigned. Once you find groups that work, stick with them Just have the students stay in the same groups all the time. That should help with prep time.
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