Group Work Doesn’t Have To Be Annoying and Pointless « Annie Murphy Paul

“Quite true; students are novices. Particularly true in lower grades (K-8) where group work and student-centered, inquiry-based classes have become more common over the years. [Because students are novices], the comparison of ‘group work’ to the collaboration that supposedly is going on in the working world and which they will need to do is flawed. In the real world, whatever collaboration occurs consists of people bringing their individual expertise to the table. In school, everyone is essentially a novice, so you have either the blind leading the blind, or the smart kids . . . take the lead and do the work that no one else does.”

Source: Group Work Doesn’t Have To Be Annoying and Pointless « Annie Murphy Paul

Some great insight into group work and how it can be used effectively in the classroom. I especially like the jigsaw approach to help students all participate.