Working together

Group work, a lot of students hate group work esspecally as you reach the higher levels of education.  There is a way to change the attitude and that is starting it young and continuing it in a positive and productive way in the classroom for every grade.  Collaboration is a very good way of learning and teaching.  While there are some drawbacks there are ways to work around them.  For example, students being embarrassed and not wanting to have a peer edit there paper.  You can have them all turn it in and edit each paper to remove the name and just number them.  Then randomly assign them to students.  That way no one is able to say "michaels paper sucks".  They can just focus on working to help each other make a better paper.  Another way could be for grading say a math worksheet, team the students up with someone who has similar grades.  Even students that are getting the same problems wrong they can put there minds together and have a better shot of solving it then just another students telling them the answer.  The video think pair share showed that splitting the students up to break down a complicated subject can help them in the long run.  Once they understand there small part the students can teach each other.  This makes things stick better in the brain and there showing there capable of sharing and listening to each other.  Being in groups also builds there conflict resolution skills.  I want the students to all be able to speak their mind when they dont agree and not just say "okay fine" and give in even if they don't agree.  It's okay to disagree.  this opens up the floor for more conversation on the topic and a deeper and better understanding. 👍