On group work, part 2

There is a danger in placing stronger and weaker students together in group work. Yes, it can be a great teaching tool, in that those who know more can reinforce their learning by explaining it to the weaker students, but the danger is that they will get on with their own work and ignore the struggling student in their midst.

One issue I have yet to find an effective way to deal with as a teacher is that of students in groups not actually communicating with each other. It seems that when they are in a team, they will work together, but when they are in a 'group', they remain more isolated. I, as the teacher, need to try and encourage interaction more. On Wednesday, one weaker student was, as in the paragraph above, left to struggle by her peers. Either I need to put her in a group where the others WILL help her, or I need to work with the two people she was meant to be in a group with, and make sure they include her.

Part of the issue may be that the brighter students, or at least some of them, consider the weaker students as being beneath them in some way- not worth bothering with. I am doing my best to foster an environment where everybody is supported by the group. There has been some success, but a couple of disruptive elements (the two class members who always shout out the answers no matter who I ask to give them- I am doing my best to deal with this but need to be stricter about drumming the idea that when I ask someone else to give me the answer, I MEAN it) are hindering this. It was perhaps less bad this week, but only because a third disruptor (perhaps it is worth it to note that these three poorly behaved students are the only men in the class) was absent.

This is clearly a classroom management issue, and I'd love to try rearranging the room. Some more activities in class that require the students to move and sit in other places would, I think, be effective, and I will try to take this into account when planning my classes.