Reading Reflection 4 - Groupwork Ch. 4 and 5

Composing Groups

We have already spent a lot of time in class discussing the composition of effective groups, but I particularly liked this section because it solidified some of my thoughts/beliefs and answered some of the questions I still had. Here are some of the key points that I found most helpful/interesting:

- Groups should be heterogeneous in nature, but "mechanically insuring that each group has equal numbers of males and females or one or two students of color has the disadvantage of making the basis of your decision clear to the students." This actually encourages students to focus on their group member as a typical representative of that race and gender and is, consequently, counterproductive in breaking down stereotypes.

- "Allowing friends to choose each other for work partners is not a good idea. Students should think of groupwork in terms of work rather than play, and there is clearly a tendency for friends to play rather than work." This is a question I have often wondered about. I agree with the point made here and think that assigning groups is a way to increase time on task as well as a subtle reminder of your control of the classroom environment.

- Labels such as "problematic student" and "natural leader" should never been seen as permanent personality characteristics. With effective grouping and training, all students should eventually be able to fill leadership roles. This is a good reminder that although groupwork is helpful in aiding student understanding of content material, it serves a larger purpose as well. We help students increase self confidence and prepare for the real world when we teach them the skills they need to be a leader.