BOOST Your Classroom with Effective Group Work Planning!

Hey teachers! Want to make group work awesome? Here are some easy ideas:

• Give students jobs in their groups. This helps everyone know what to do and feel important. Think of jobs like a leader to keep things on track, a messenger to help with supplies, a writer to take notes, a speaker if they share with the class, and a data person if needed. Having roles makes students responsible.

• Make sure lessons have ways to check if students are learning along the way, not just at the end. This keeps everyone trying their best.

• Try having some lessons you do again and again, but with different topics. This "plug and play" idea helps students know what to expect so you don't have to teach the same directions every time. Examples include reading and taking notes, then sharing and taking a quiz, or creating mind maps.

• Have simple rules or routines for your class. For example, students go to their seats right when they come in. For group work, maybe one person gets the supplies. Good routines help stop problems before they start.

• Show students what to do. Use pictures or words on the board so they know what's happening even if you don't say anything.

• Give groups a reason to work well together. You can give points for good teamwork and take away points if things don't go well. This helps groups help each other.

To watch my latest video in which I show how I use these strategies in my classroom click on the image above.