Group Work

Group Work.

How I hated that when I was in school. I worked hard in my group and other people didn’t but we all got the same grade. It was so unfair. Plus, I didn’t know the other group members, or they didn’t like me so we all did our own thing, slapped it all together, and called it “group work.”

I think part of the problem is that we don’t explain to our students why group work is important. We need to share the value of working in a group. If we help students realize why they need to work in groups and the importance of the skill, it might be easier for them to work together.

Gray wolves, chimpanzees, dolphins, and lions all hunt in packs. They work as a group. This is a survival skill.

People have different weaknesses and strengths. When people work in a group, they are stronger than being alone. For example, you can break one pencil in half, easily. But if you have a bunch of pencils together, it is much harder to break.

When people work in a group, they bring with them different perspectives. This helps them solve problems better because each person may see the problem from a different view that others might not see.

Working in a group helps split up the workload so that one person isn’t overloaded with all of the work. This should make the job easier for all. I don’t feel so overwhelmed by all the things that needs to be done.

Working as a group gets the job done faster because the workload is shared. My mother used to always say that “many hands make less work.”

Working as a group can make a difficult task more fun. Sometimes when I’m overwhelmed or intimidated by a task, I’m relieved to be working in a group. This security helps me clear my mind and realize that I can do what needs to be done.

Working together is an important job skill. In the workforce, you may be asked to work on a team and you need to understand group dynamics. If you haven’t worked in a group before, you might not pull your weight or realize how important it is to do your particular tasks. This will not look good in the eyes of your employer. Many employers want people who can work well with others and want team players.

Do you give group work? How do you explain the importance of group work? Please share.

Photo: Photo by Hawa Latupono on Reshot