My 9th graders sit at desks arranged so that there are six students at each group of desks. I have come to love this arrangement for a few reasons:
- Students face each other instead of just me. It's hard to create a classroom that values every voice if all students are forced to face me at all times. Not only does that almost restrict me to the front of the room, but it makes learning more passive. Learning should be about discovery, and you can't always do that alone.
- Students are encouraged to talk to each other. I feel like as a teacher I'm not supposed to say this. But it's true. I want them to talk to each other. Yes, I have students that have conversations about sports and other classes and what terrible chore their parents made them do last night. I'm okay with that because they know my expectations. Sometimes there are groups or pairings that just don't work and it can be harmful to their learning. We make changes and talk about why. The reality, though, is that I couldn't have only talked about English class in English class. How is it fair to expect the same from my students?
- Collaboration can be based on the needs of the students. Need pairs? Every desk holds two students. No moving of furniture required. Need larger groups? Still no furniture moving required. Do some students need to work alone while others need the assistance or another person to bounce ideas off of? Your table can be your sounding board. Your group can provide assistance. The person sitting next to you might be able to clarify or even show you the step you missed on their computer.
- No moving of furniture required. Have I mentioned that yet? It's great. Especially with 1:1 computers to keep from getting destroyed if accidentally dropped during furniture moves.
- They have to practice restraint. This is my most... hmmm. selfish appreciation for the table groups. I'll admit it. But in the "Dr. Horrible," I claim to be evil and get an unreasonable amount of joy out of causing trouble but really I just want the best for everyone, kind of way. There are times when, even though my students face each other and get to talk a lot, they have to shut their mouths and focus on their own work. (For example, my students spend the first ten minutes of every class reading. They cannot talk.) This is getting hard for them. What's wonderful is that it's hard for them. Knowing when to stop talking and being able to do it when there are so many people to talk to and distractions to engage in is difficult (how many of us struggle to stay focused in meetings sometimes and refrain from having side conversations?), and what better place to practice this skill than in my classroom. Muahahahaha.
I bring this up because these students are beginning to read novels. Within their groups of six, they chose novels based on a list of books/synopses that everyone in their group will be reading over the course of the next few weeks. Each week, our class focuses on a different element of story that they get to practice deciphering/analyzing/reading about/writing about. This week our focus is on character. What can you learn about characters beyond what the text literally says?
My students have been practicing with passages provided to them. I've seen whole tables debate whether or not a tall, pale, ridiculously good looking man who moves with extreme grace is a vampire or not. I've seen pairs reading their inferences to each other to see if they can gather better or different information from each other. There are students chugging along individually as well.
The biggest problem/issue I'm seeing, and the question I am left with, is this:
How do I provide an environment where students who need or want to work with other students, but are shy or self-conscious, are able to do so? I have several students who need to be working collaboratively, but are struggling for various individual reasons. They might not think they need it, or might not feel as if their partner or group can help them, or even aren't confident enough to speak with those around them.
If David is sitting next to Jackie, who could totally help him (but isn't necessarily enthusiastic about it), but is struggling too much or is too shy to ask, how do I approach the pair?
My students have been practicing with passages provided to them. I've seen whole tables debate whether or not a tall, pale, ridiculously good looking man who moves with extreme grace is a vampire or not. I've seen pairs reading their inferences to each other to see if they can gather better or different information from each other. There are students chugging along individually as well.
The biggest problem/issue I'm seeing, and the question I am left with, is this:
How do I provide an environment where students who need or want to work with other students, but are shy or self-conscious, are able to do so? I have several students who need to be working collaboratively, but are struggling for various individual reasons. They might not think they need it, or might not feel as if their partner or group can help them, or even aren't confident enough to speak with those around them.
If David is sitting next to Jackie, who could totally help him (but isn't necessarily enthusiastic about it), but is struggling too much or is too shy to ask, how do I approach the pair?