Using Independent Work Routines to Increase Student-Group Accountability

Earth Science - D block. This class has a wide range of student backgrounds and varying levels of participation. I have had the most difficulty getting students to participate in the smallest ways. For example, I often cannot get students to engage in simple ways such as reading the learning target out loud, sharing their responses with each other, sharing out loud, etc. Usually, the same 2 or 3  students will share the class. This class also uses group work time to be on their phones, or chat with their friends. It does not feel like there is an urgency to come to an answer in their groups. In other words, there seems to be a lack of social accountability. 

Resources

• Establishing classroom expectations

Baseline data

I took note of how long it took for groups to decide who would share for their group, and how long it took to actually share out. Then compared that to how long this process took when I had set the expectation clearly, and gave students a way to determine who shared. 

Measuring success

If the process took less time, and was generally less of a hassle (like pulling teeth), I considered that to be a success. 

Saving even 5 minutes during class because you are not preoccupied with fighting over who is going to share out is invaluable! It also encourages students to share in class, and prompt other students to share as all. In one of my classes a student who was determined to be the sharer encouraged everyone in his group to add to their final response because he didn’t want to share something that was not well developed, or inaccurate.