@the_gifted_guy

@thegiftedguy.bsky.social

Showing students how to collaborate successfully

Todd Stanley

The Gifted Guy

Why most groupwork sucks (and how to prevent that)

What does most groupwork look like?

But why does it suck?

Someone doesn’t get their way and shuts down

Wrong people in the wrong jobs

People don’t pull their weight

Some lack communication skills

There is no purpose to how they are grouped

People get credit for things they didn’t do (grading)

What is teamwork?

Definition

Teamwork is, “The process of working collaboratively with a group of people in order to achieve a goal. Teamwork is often a crucial part of a group, as it is often necessary for colleagues to work well together, trying their best in any circumstance. Teamwork means that people will try to cooperate, using their individual skills and providing constructive feedback, despite any personal conflict between individuals.”

Teamwork is, “The process of working collaboratively with a group of people in order to achieve a goal. Teamwork is often a crucial part of a group, as it is often necessary for peers to work well together, trying their best in any circumstance. Teamwork means that people will try to cooperate, using their individual skills and providing constructive feedback, despite any personal conflict between individuals.”

Producing something better as a group than you could as an individual.

4 Benefits of Groupwork

Can hear other points of view/ideas

Division of labor

More productive conflict management

Means you can work in groups in the future

Many times the best idea is not your own, or your best idea comes about because someone else triggered something in your head. Being able to bounce ideas off others lead to better things.

More people working on something shouldn’t produce the same as if just one person had worked on it. They should be able to divide the tasks and product either more, better quality, or more depth in what they produce.

You learn how to solve problems with others when working with others. Personalities can be challenging to work with but if one develops coping mechanisms and ways to troubleshoot then they are better able to handle these when they arise.

No matter what you do in life you are going to be working with others. Having this skill over others will make you valuable not just in high school and college, but in the workforce. Businesses want people who can work collaboratively with others.

What are the characteristics of successful teamwork?

Members of the group feel confident contributing their ideas and skills

The leadership style in your group is full of fair decision-making and effective communication

Feedback is welcome, not discouraged

It’s not a complete disaster if someone makes a mistake because others are there to support them and help the entire team learn

People are patient, especially with team members who are learning new or early teamwork skills

How do we group students purposefully?

Students bring certain skills to the table. How can we best utilize those and put them to good use without having a deficit in the group.

What is it that students want to learn? What are they passionate about? How do we put them with others who are equally if not more interested in learning about this as well?

Students learn differently and it is important to learn with people that think differently than you so that you can hear another perspective and get ideas you might not have thought of.

Skills

Interests

Learning styles

THE CHALLENGE

SETTING NORMS

SKILLS INVENTORY

DETERMINING ROLES

REFLECTION ON GROUP DYNAMICS

AGENDA

TROUBLE-SHOOTING

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

FINAL REFLECTION

Also acts as an icebreaker

THE CHALLENGE

• Each group has five minutes to try and put the pieces into the shape of a square
• They must use all seven pieces
• None of the pieces should overlap. It will go together like a single sheet of paper
• It must be an equilateral square

• Were you pleased with the way things turned out?
• Did your group have any difficulties making decisions together?
• What could the group have done a better job of?
• Did everyone in the group feel listened to?
• What do you feel the group did really well together?
• Did people take the roles they were assigned seriously?

• Was having the roles helpful to the group?
• How do you think these roles would work on a long-term project?
• How did your group settle differences of opinion? Do you think this was the best way to handle this?
• If there was anything you could have changed about your group what would it be?
• Do you think you were more successful as a group making these decisions than you would have been on your own?

GROUP

WHOLE CLASS

REFLECTION ON GROUP DYNAMICS

SETTING NORMS

• Participants need to start by what they need in order to be successful
• Each one is listed on a separate post-it or piece of paper
• One by one the group announces what they have written and others add similar themed norms
• The group then negotiates the norm to one the group can agree on
• Once the norms have been established (wouldn’t have many more than ten, no fewer than five), needs to be posted somewhere the group can revisit often
• Norms can be adjusted later in the process

Work without having to be told to

Shows initiative

COMMON NORMS

• Cooperate with others
• Other peoples’ opinions matter
• Listen
• Patience
• Participate
• Stay on task
• Do not dominate the group
• Everyone has a voice

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SKILLS INVENTORY

You can do the formal version or a another version of this to determine what are the strengths that students bring to the group.

You will be using these skills the rest of the school year for grouping so spending some time with them and doing them correctly will be helpful down the road.

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TROUBLE-SHOOTING

• Take time for all members to introduce themselves and their specific strengths
• Decide on jobs or roles for each member.
• Develop an agenda and a timeline

• Establish why the group believes a member is not contributing
• Make sure that person who is being accused of not contributing gets his or her say
• Ensure that each member gets their turn to contribute, this may mean going around the circle

• Have a copy of the norms to reference when it appears someone is not following them
• Remind the groupmate of the norm rather than pointing out their behavior
• Revisit and revise the norms if need be

Figuring out how to get started

Members not contributing

People not following the norms

TROUBLE-SHOOTING

Do more brainstorming where you focus on long term questions such as ‘What if …?’ and ‘What else ..?’

Ask each member individually to jot down or share ideas

As more ideas are created, organize further research individually and then meet up as a team later to reassess

• Show that you have heard other member’s ideas and when disagreeing do so politely and respectfully
• Make sure everyone in the group knows what it means to compromise
• Sometimes it is good to just take a break and reconvene later

• Create a calendar and refer to it often
• Make sure you have a manager or leader amongst your group roles who will make sure no one is getting off task, if you do not have one, make someone this role
• Call for a group meeting when it appears someone is getting off task and have people report on their current progress

Ideas not fully formed

Disagreements between team members

Getting off task

TROUBLE-SHOOTING

• Identify specific triggers which seem to affect communication
• If two people are having issues, have a third group member act as an impartial mediator
• Have a more formal meeting with the group where each person reports out on their progress

• Create time limits on individual contributions or have a ‘talking stick’ they pass around and whoever is holding it gets to speak
• Make a protocol where each member has a chance to speak without interruption
• Look again at the roles and what people are supposed to be doing what tasks

• Remind each other of the roles that the group agreed to
• If unclear, establish on a piece of paper what the group believes each role should encompass
• Have meetings as a group to check on the status of each person’s role

Bad communication or lack of listening

One or two people dominating the group

Members not doing their role or trying to do others’ role

Coordinator – keeps the group on-task and makes sure everyone gets a say

Scribe – writes down the group’s findings and discussions

Spokesperson – whenever an occasion arises that requires the group to report out orally this person would be to one to do it

Timer – makes sure the group is using their time well and reminds the group of impending deadlines

Quality control – is responsible for making sure the end product is of high quality and done to the specifications of the group

Head of research – oversees the research the group does and makes sure it is acting as evidence toward their case

Presenter – this person is in charge of presenting the findings to the authentic audience

Facilitator – keeps the group on task and aware of coming deadlines

Liaison – is the person in charge of communication between the teacher and the group

Oversight – in charge of making sure the group is following criteria for the assessment of the case as laid out in the syllabus, rubric, or briefing

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BASIC ROLES

SPECIFIC ROLES

Leadership – motivates others to act, helps to keep group moving forward

Performing – able to make presentations that entertain and inform

Advanced computer – is good with technology including software and programs

Research – knows how to find and collect information that is relevant

Artistic – is an artistically creative person who can work with many mediums

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SKILLS INVENTORY ROLES

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Voice of reason – this is the person that tries to make sense of what is being said.

Devil’s advocate – this person is trying to find as many counterarguments as possible.

Moderator – this person makes sure the discussion stays civil and keeps the focus.

Perspective – this person is responsible for bringing other points of view into the discussion.

DISCUSSION ROLES

DETERMINING ROLES

THE ACTIVITY

MINI-PROJECT

COLLECTIVE DECISION MAKING

STEM ACTIVITY

EXAMPLE ACTIVITIES

FINAL REFLECTION

TUNE-UP REFLECTION

YOUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This is the most direct instruction you will do when they are working in groups but it is important that you lay a solid foundation that establishes the culture.

• Make sure everyone is clear on the expectations
• Give them plenty of ideas but…
• Listen to student ideas
• Watch your air time
• Learn your role
• Revisit often
• Guardian of the structure
• Lead by example

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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN IT IS SUCCESSFUL?

It doesn’t get easier, they get better at it

They understand that it is just important to go to one another as it is to go to the teacher for answers

COLLABORATION

CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND GROWTH

OPEN COMMUNICATION

CLASSROOM CULTURE

FOR FURTHER LEARNING YOU CAN GO TO

WWW.THEGIFTEDGUY.COM/PROF-DEVELOPMENT

IN ORDER TO FIND PD YOU CAN USE TOWARD YOUR GIFTED HOURS

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Thanks

Any questions?�You can find me at:

• @the_gifted_guy
• thegiftedguy@yahoo.com
• www.thegiftedguy.com

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