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Sean
11 years ago

I have always found building rapport first and getting to know my group important first and trusting my own wisdom and experience before deciding this structural teaching process.

Sometimes I have the right class/group where numbering off and choosing the groups works beautifully – even with different levels of ability – because the personalities of the students allow them to work well this way.

But other times – where I may have a class who struggle with confidence, their own identities and abilities, I would not go there and allow them to choose their own groups for both class activities and assessment. Our state’s and school’s agenda is to improve and maximise student results and achievement – I think we should trust ourselves and make the professional judgment ourselves to achieve these educational aims.

If I do let them choose their own groups – there are caviets – “if one person is left out and does not have a group in 5 minutes – then I will choose the groups”. There are a range of ways to manage this too.

Great topic though – ask me again in another 5 years and I may have a different answer again.