An area of the reading that interested me was cooperation and anti-social behavior. This section of the book describes how to deal with group work when their is a problem with student discpline over matters that may or may not be apart of the the assignment. What brought me to the conclusion that this part of the reading requires more time is that as a new teacher I will most likely have to deal with students that may have discipline issues. With group and cooperative work being used as a neede tool for the 21st century classroom, I do believe it important to know the functions that can enable students to to ove past disputs.
Some of the examples that are used helps teachers train thier students in confronting other opinions and ideas. Instead of going off on each other and name calling, students can change their body language and word ussage to establish different ideas but students are using rational, logical approaches to justify thier oppinons instaed of verbally abusing the other student.
When I establish group work, I always make sure the groups or organized into teams that can work well with each other. I never let them choose their groups and I am constently moving to each group making sure their are no issues that require mediation. If I do have a class that is hostile and group work might be an issue, I have no problem eliminating group work from future lesson plans.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Chris, I've noticed this on all of your posts, and have been trying to monitor during the semester. You are either a poor speller, or not in the habit of proofreading. It's OK to be the first, but not the second--for three reasons. (1) there is the "as a teacher you are a role model" & thus must be perfect reason, and (2) you will lose respect from at least some students, and (3) you may create a very good argument for a parent to be upset with you as a teacher, the spelling adding fuel to a fire, or maybe just for the spelling. I don't mean to belabor this point, just hope to give it proper emphasis.
ReplyDeletePROOFREAD your last Reading Reflection, and all remaining writing for this class as we close the semester. I am going to hold you to it.
As it relates to your response, I concur with the need to tend to teaching students to interact well with one another. Helping them learn to focus on discussion of ideas rather than people is key.
I will suggest that you will do MUCH better by NOT rapidly moving form group to group, for many reasons (you will find Cohen addresses this same issue). You must take the time to stand back and listen to groups, to individuals, to the room. You must lear to hear the nature of the group interactions. You cannot be in a rescue mode at all times, or you will create students that need to constantly be rescued. You must take the data you gather in the listening, and learn to act on it, and when to act on it. It is a much more subtle role for influencing the ways your groups are working, but a necessary one to manage groupwork and train students to work together.
You should have a problem eliminating groupwork from future lesson plans. You, as a teacher, must teach kids how to work together. If they are at stage 1 (or 0.1), then so be it. Start from there. Groupwork is one of the most effective tools for instruction, not a prize or award.