Tag Archives: group work
Appreciation Sets a Positive Classroom Tone
One summer teacher inservice, our trainer asked us to give people in our small groups an appreciation. An appreciation, she explained, was a specific thank-you to a group member for his contribution to the group. It could be, “Thank you for bringing up the point about special needs students, Stan. We needed to make sure we were addressing their needs,” or, “I really like the way you kept us on track, Laurie.”
I think that those appreciations helped me to get to know my fellow teachers better and they went a long way to creating good will among us throughout the school year. I liked the idea so much that I implemented it with my own students. Continue reading
Group Work: Do You Require It or Offer an Alternative?
In a recent Teaching Professor Blog post from education professor Maryellen Weimer, Weimer wrote about a group of higher education professors who had been discussing the merits of students working in groups and by themselves.
Weimer wrote about the usual dilemma that teachers face: shouldn’t teachers require students to complete at least some group work? After all, most professions require at least some group work. Isn’t it a disservice to students not to prepare them to work well with others? Continue reading
Nonverbal Language as a Classroom Management Tool
When I was a new teacher, I thought that I had to address my students from my special teacher spot at the front of the class. All teaching and redirection happened from behind the lectern or in front of my overhead projector. It’s like I was on a tether.
An assistant principal suggested that I try move around more and use nonverbal strategies to handle small matters. I found that nonverbal cues are powerful, successful, and they don’t disrupt the flow of the lesson. Continue reading
