Group work
can be a good idea when you want to get your students to think harder and dig
deeper, and when some variety in skill levels and ways of thinking about things
can be a benefit to all. Say a big math problem with lots of different steps.
Group work can help hone your students' skills in
· listening to and respecting
others' ideas;
· thinking about one problem in a
variety of ways;
· getting to a deeper level understanding through having to explain a
perspective and discuss it with 4,folks with different perspectives;
· dividing up tasks and delegating responsibilities;
·sharing knowledge and abilities to get a better hold on a problem than
they could individually;
· holding group members accountable and being held accountable back.
Individual work isn't just for those introverts out there. Sure, it is
great for them to get a chance to think things through on their own, which is a
comfier way to process new info for many introverts (which you can read a lot
more about in this entire article about the needs of introverts and
extroverts).
Still, it can be just as helpful for those who prefer group work to learn
how to cope with the prospect of sitting still, keeping that noisy mouth shut,
and puzzling out some answers without giving in to any and every distraction
that comes along.
Individual work can help students:
v gain independence to think
things through on their own;
v improve confidence in working
through a problem, even when they don't feel certain about every step;
v work at their own level, rather
than having to adapt to suit their group members;
v practice self-control—both in
staying focused on the task at hand, and in having the willpower to avoid
turning to a neighbor or asking the teacher for the answer;
v get more comfortable taking
actions on their own;
v gain creativity and effective thinking
processes that can apply to problem solving across a range of subjects and
types of issues;
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