Chapter 7 is titled Group Work That Grows Understanding. The first section discusses why small groups are efficient. This is a great way for students to get their ideas out and discuss them. Tovani researched this and found that larger groups are more susceptible to chaos. Some of Tovani's ideas of why small groups work include:
1. stimulates higher levels of thinking
2. develops social and listening skills
3. honors all learners and holds students accountable
4. helps students remember
5. allows them to make connections and see different perspectives
Many students are fearful of talking in class, so small groups are also great for them to put them in more of a comfort zone.
Groups can also be thought of as "rehersals" for classwork. Group discussions allow students to make connections, gather their own thoughts, and listen to others' opinions. Tovani's guide for students working in groups include having the students:
1. Give an overview of what's been read so far
2. Share something interesting from the book
The other part of the guidelines include a section of writing a better response. These include:
1. Share thinking about quotes
2. Consider questions that do not have simple answers
3. Make a statement and uses evidence from the book to support it
I Love working in small groups. Small groups promote discussion and participation amongst students. Small groups also allow students to get ideas from each other, just like we did in our group discussions. I know that without those group discussions I would not have understood those articles as well as I did.
ReplyDeleteGroup work is something I have come to accept as a teacher as I have learned. I personally have never liked working in groups. The pace of some students doesn’t match the pace I like to work at. If I am not ready I feel guilty because I am letting the rest of the group down. Then usually one or two students do all the talking or all the work which I feel is not fair. Maybe small groups will help keep students more accountable to other people.
ReplyDeleteI come from a generation where students were forbidden to interact with each other in class. What a horrible way to run a classroom. If I were dumb enough to ask a fellow student how to do a math problem, I would get a whack on the back of my head (or worse, the back of my hand) with a yardstick. I am convinced that group work (peer learning) is an effective way for students to acquire knowledge.
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