Group work. Nothing is scarier to a type A person than the words Group Work. As a student that did not like having my grade depend on the work ethic of others. In instances such as this, students like me take on the work of anyone who does not do their part. I know that sounds like I am a control freak, right? Well, maybe that is true, however, I was not going to allow another to cause me to get a bad grade. As a teacher that is sometimes directed to do group work or projects, I always warn my students not to pick someone based on friendship. I also tell them not to be the slug of the group.

In today’s climate, it is necessary to include group projects. Having just learned about the importance of collaboration, I feel that I need to incorporate more collaborative assignments. My grad classes suggested that when teaching and especially in online teaching and learning, that in order to have an effective working class atmosphere, collaboration and communication is vital. Whether it is discussion boards, Padlet, or online social media platforms, being able to connect with others makes things much easier. If a person is ill or out of town being able to communicate via long distance is crucial.

It just so happens that today at work, we were put into groups. The point of this group activity is to read a book chosen for us by our administration and then report what we read about. I felt myself reverting back to my childhood and all of the feelings that go along with that. I can definitely empathize with the students on this one. The biggest difference for me now is that I have some semblance of control over how my work gets done and how I present that work to the person or persons in charge.

One thing I did learn in grad school is that as much as I hate group work, it is a necessary element in education. So many schools provide online coursework. It seems as though this type of learning and teaching became popular in the wake of COVID. It was rough at first, but as time has moved on, the quality of online school is much improved. Students born into a world with technology do not know what an advantage it is to have computer skills. For the adults that may not have been introduced to computers at a young age and need additional training to be able to use the platform, it can be extremely frustrating. As a Gen Xer, I too, get a little (or a lot) stressed when it comes to technology. There are simply too many platforms to know everything that is required to use them. School districts cannot afford every kind of platform that teachers want. I know that American College of Education gives students a chance to learn a few platforms that can be used in classrooms. There are also some that are free. Those may be basic, but they are helpful.

I suspect that as we get newer and newer platforms and more advanced computer devices, there will be a need to refresh the education of teachers and administrators thus making sure everyone is aware of those advancements. Education is not a stagnant career. Every year there are new materials and platforms designed to make the lives of teachers and students easier. That is always a good thing. No matter how frustrating learning new materials is, it will be useful in the end.

Going back to the idea that grad school has taught me new ways of approaching my lessons, I can see that as time moves forward so must I. Students are not the same as I was when I was in school. There are many extenuating circumstances for that, but the fact is that kids are different. It is my job as an educator to make sure that I provide my students with the best possible chances to become educated, productive citizens. Our system may not be perfect, but it has served our people for centuries. Happy learning !

Until next time,

Cat