I'm using some of the ideas from the chapter on collaborative learning to improve what's going on in my classroom. I have a real problem with hitchhikers and chatters.
Several things so far have helped with those problems. Mixing up the groups and spreading them as far apart as possible in the classroom cuts down on the chatter. If they're not sitting with their friends, they talk less about themselves and more about the task at hand. It also allows the students who are having difficulty a chance to work with those who get things more quickly; the English class I have now seems to group itself by ability level more than I've seen in the past, so I have a few groups that are doing a great job and a few that are floundering. Of course, they whine about not being able to work with their buddies, but they're young. I'm sure they'll get over it. I'm also starting to tell them they have a specific amount of time, and I liked the suggestion of giving them slightly less than I think it will really take. That also cuts down on off-task behavior and discussion.
Overall, they're turning out better products in less time than they used to, and if I can go by their last literary period test, more of them are getting more out of the lessons.
I haven't had the chance to yet, but I plan to work on the specific roles idea, as well as group exams, casting calls, and several other suggestions from that chapter. Actually, I'm ordering the book to keep so I can mark it up and make notes on what works, what doesn't, and what I figure out that works even better -- sort of a Half-Blood-Prince approach :-)
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Lovely HP reference.
ReplyDeleteAlso, with the timing (and depending upon the task), you could give them time but not tell them how much. I don't suggest doing this often, but when you really want them to be time conscious, it works. I simply tell them that they have some time to do x, y, and z, but that I am not going to tell them how much. If work ethic is good, I say, I will tell them when half remains. This gives them a reason to pay attention to time. This is more of a once per semester gimmick. I would never use it when I'm after a product. That wouldn't be fair. But when process is the focus . . . works to conserve time.