Groups, part 2

Hello everyone,

I thought it would be interesting for you to see a discussion on a management problem in group work. A teacher wrote a general email (posted below), and two friends from around California posted their responses (below that).


To: Combe, Jeffery
Subject: STUDENTS EJECTING OTHER STUDENTS FROM WORK GROUPS

Dear Dr. Combe:

My ... class is examining Federalism. The students are separated into six different groups of their own choosing to reenact several different landmark cases having to do with Federalism... McCullah v. Maryland...etc. Each student is assigned a role that is relevant to his case. However, after two days of researching the various articles and amendments of the U.S. Constitution as well as other relevant concepts and vocabulary terms that pertain to these cases, several students from one group complained that they were doing all the work while others were doing nothing. They are being graded individually; however, some students must rely on others to carry out their own roles; some of the roles are [inter]-dependent.

If the students whom they must rely on do not carry their weight... it may have an impact on both students' grades, not just the student who is not doing the work. Therefore, the majority of (hard-working) students in one group asked me to eject a couple of students from their group for not researching the case. What is the secondary lesson that I should teach here? That
sometimes we have to pick up the slack of others who are too lazy to carry their own weight-- helping them as best as possible in the process--or [that we should] eject the slackers who do not contribute to the overall productivity of the group? The students want to eject the slackers. Should I let this happen?

* On a personal note, I want to give the hard workers what they are asking for... booting the slackers out of the group and into their own group or by giving them an option to do a smaller project on their own. However, I do not want to psychologically harm a child by ejecting him (publicly) from a group... especially if that student needs extra help. Pushing these students
away... isolating them... may be detrimental to their psychological health and non-conducive
to learning. However, leaving them in the group will slow down the learning process for the entire class.




Response #1

MERCY TO THE SLACKERS

NO! They picked the groups, you didn't. Life is about picking up after slackers. You can grade in such a way that the slackers suffer in many ways, including via their grade on the project. If the slackers don't kick in, they get a zero, while the others get credit for "covering" and picking up the extra load. A good lesson to the slackers and a good lesson about life to the
others . . . there will always be those who don't carry their own weight. Always. On the next project, put all the slackers in one group to work together. What a life lesson for them! You'll see if they learned anything from the process.

Funny you should have this problem. I was just discussing this very thing
earlier this week with a co-worker. . . same issues. She didn't eject the
slackers, either, for the same reason I told you. It's a valuable life lesson.



Response #2


"JUSTICE" FOR THE HARD WORKERS

My vote is... let them eject the slackers! In the real world if you do a crappy job you get fired; in school if you do a crappy job, some more motivated kid does the work for you lest their own grade is affected.

I've been dealing with this for decades! Some teachers give 2 grades, one for individual effort and performance and one for the group. At least this acknowledges each individual student's efforts.

I always hated group work because I always did the work. My kids had the same experiences. Yes, it does teach some to help others; [my daughter] helped a lot of kids that weren't even in her classes! However, it also creates disharmony between students. Next time, maybe you should have the students draw up and sign group contracts. Any who break the contract get poor grades.

"Forewarned is forearmed!"



COMBE'S FINAL REPLY:

BOTH ANSWERS ARE VALID, ALONG WITH IMPLIED AND STATED VARIATIONS OF EACH ANSWER. DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO HAVE REINFORCED (FOR EXAMPLE, PICK UP THE SLACK VS. FULL ACCOUNTABILITY), THEN PROCEED. PROCEED FROM A PLAN, NOT FROM FEAR.

AS IT IS WITH MANY THINGS IN EDUCATION, THINKING THROUGH THE POSSIBLE RAMIFICATIONS HELPS TO MITIGATE POSSIBLE NEGATIVE ASPECTS, BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS CONSEQUENCES BOTH NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE OF ALMOST EVERYTHING WE DO. HUMANS ARE TOO COMPLEX TO HAVE A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH TO THEIR EDUCATION.

AS TO THE QUESTION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE: I'VE NEVER KNOWN ANYONE TO BE PERMANENTLY DAMAGED BY ONE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE (ASSUMING THAT THE EXPERIENCE WASN'T ILLEGAL). I HAVE, HOWEVER, KNOWN SOME VERY FRAGILE STUDENTS THAT NEEDED INTENSE GUIDANCE THROUGH DIFFICULT EXPERIENCES. IF YOUR STUDENTS NEED GUIDANCE, GIVE IT, BUT DON'T BE AFRAID TO HAVE A PLAN WITH CONSEQUENCES.

JEFF COMBE