Discover
Study
Skills
Online.
Group Work
Activity 1 – Positives and negatives
What, in your opinion, are the positive attributes of group work? What is it good for?
What do you enjoy about it? On the other hand, what do you not like about group
work? What do you find frustrating? Can you think of times or areas where group work
might be inappropriate?
Fill in the table with your thoughts, and try for a balanced argument.
Group work +
Group work -
Discover
Study
Skills
Online.
Group Work
Activity 2 – Your role in groups
In the previous activity, you wrote down your thoughts about the positive and negative
aspects of group work – now, it’s time to think about yourself as a group worker! Have a
look at the following statements, and tick the box that fits you the best.
Statement
I know how I work best – if I have to
work in a different way, I struggle.
I’m usually the hardest-working
member of a group.
When I work in a group, I’m usually
the one who ends up organising
everybody else.
I struggle to make myself heard in a
group – those who are more
outspoken than me usually dominate.
Completely
Agree a
Disagree
Disagree
Not
Agree
bit
a bit
completely
sure
I’m easy-going – I let others decide
what needs doing, and then do as I’m
told.
I sit in and listen at group meetings,
then I go off and do what I think is
the best thing.
Group work usually drags my grades
down.
In group work, I’m usually not sure
about what I could offer that would
be of any value.
I’m usually the person in a group who
tries to draw other members in, or
who mediates between people with
clashing personalities.
Now, look at your answers above. What can you say about yourself? Complete the
following sentences:
In groups, I think I would be a valuable member because…
Things I think I need to improve on are…
Discover
Study
Skills
Online.
Group Work
Activity 3 – Planning group work
Scenario: You are asked to work with three other people to prepare a talk about bullying
to a class of younger students. You need to prepare a presentation and a handout with
information, and you are asked to work with teachers to make sure your work fits with
the school’s ethos and teaching style. You could also prepare some tasks or role play
scenarios for the class to do. You’ve got two weeks to complete the task.
[If you do this Activity as part of a workshop, get into groups now, and fill in the sheet
for each group member. Otherwise, fill it in for yourself.]
The task above requires the following skills (there may be more):
-
Research into bullying (books and/or internet)
-
Interviewing teachers on their views/ideas
-
Synthesising information
-
Presenting information in a suitable way for younger pupils
-
Technical skills to create a presentation and a handout
-
Organisational skills and time management
-
Presentation skills (public speaking)
-
Developing age-appropriate tasks (having ideas, creating them, and delivering
them)
-
Presenting ideas to teachers for their feedback, acting on that feedback
Looking at the skills above, which skills are you so confident in that you could lead on
them, and teach another group member?
Which skills are you happy to engage with – you’ll muddle along, but you’re no expert?
Which skills do you think you could improve on if you were working with somebody
more skilled, more confident or more knowledgeable than you?
Based on the information given above, on a separate piece of paper, develop a timeline
and action plan for the two weeks, and identify where and how you would be involved,
and what you would learn along the way.