Collaboration and working in groups to solve problems is a skill that all students, and adults, need in life. I have noticed that many of my students struggle to collaborate well with others. Activities that are meant to be engaging and fun quickly descend into hurt feelings, bickering, and tears. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for many teachers, myself included, to find ways to allow students to work together and practice these essential social skills.
When students have the chance to practice collaboration and problem solving in a safe, low-risk environment, they are better able to navigate future social situations. With this in mind, I strive to give my students practice working together several times per week. I present the students with a building or game-related challenge and then have the students work together for a set amount of time to complete the task. During these weekly activities, the students must model good communication skills by making sure that everyone is working together, that everyone's voice is heard, and that problems are being addressed proactively rather than reactively.
I have seen great success in my implementation of weekly challenges, but I need to grow my collection of supplies if I am going to continue this for the rest of the year and in years to come. By purchasing these building materials, games, and timers, my students will have even more opportunities to learn the skills that will help them become successful team players and members of the community.
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Collaboration and working in groups to solve problems is a skill that all students, and adults, need in life. I have noticed that many of my students struggle to collaborate well with others. Activities that are meant to be engaging and fun quickly descend into hurt feelings, bickering, and tears. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for many teachers, myself included, to find ways to allow students to work together and practice these essential social skills.
When students have the chance to practice collaboration and problem solving in a safe, low-risk environment, they are better able to navigate future social situations. With this in mind, I strive to give my students practice working together several times per week. I present the students with a building or game-related challenge and then have the students work together for a set amount of time to complete the task. During these weekly activities, the students must model good communication skills by making sure that everyone is working together, that everyone's voice is heard, and that problems are being addressed proactively rather than reactively.
I have seen great success in my implementation of weekly challenges, but I need to grow my collection of supplies if I am going to continue this for the rest of the year and in years to come. By purchasing these building materials, games, and timers, my students will have even more opportunities to learn the skills that will help them become successful team players and members of the community.
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