Working Together

In Better Together: 9 Benefits of Team Learning from Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator, Lisa asks,

“Have you attended a learning opportunity with others? If so, did you realize any of these benefits? Anything missing? What are some strategies you’ve put in place for successful team learning?”

I have mixed feelings about working in a group. Sometimes I like it and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

When it works:

·      I enjoy the fact that I’m not alone.

·      I like that I don’t have all the responsibility.

·      One person is the leader and coordinates all activities.

·      One person makes sure that all parts are being completed in a timely fashion.

·      Each team member uses their individual strengths to work towards a shared goal.

·      Everyone pulls their weight.

·      If we run into an obstacle, we talk out the problem and come up with a solution faster.

·      It is successful if everyone completes their tasks.

When it doesn’t work:

·      Everyone wants to be the leader and take charge.

·      Everyone doesn’t pull their weight.

·      Not everyone in the group gets along because of personality conflicts.

·      When someone makes a mistake, they refuse to admit it.

·      I don’t like that I have to work on everyone else’s timeline. This might mean that I can’t do my part until someone else completes their part. If they don’t complete their part in a timely fashion, I can’t get my part done on time so we might miss a deadline.

·      Everyone blames someone else in the group for the group’s failure to complete the goal.

I think it is important that we teach students how to work in a group. This is not something that comes naturally and requires social skills. It is important to discuss what happens when it works and what happens when it doesn’t work. They need to see that working as a group is like working as a machine.

It would be great to bring in some kind of machine that you can remove a part or two. Show them how it works when all the parts are together. Then take out a part or two and see if it still works. Explain to the students that this is just like working as a group.

Working as a group or team is a job skill that everyone needs to learn. They don’t have to like everyone on their team but when they are on a job, they are required to reach the goal assigned and it doesn’t matter if they like each other.

How do you teach students to work in a group? Please share.

Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash