Characteristics of Successful Groups

I found the self-management skills listed under bonus for the 4th Industrial Revolution and the norms of collaboration to be eye opening. It calls for workers who are self-aware and reflective in their interactions with others. Many of my students lack these soft skills but they are essential to being an effective collaborator. This is an area that crafting intentional lessons that infuse the content with skill building make a hugedifference. Students need explicit instruction on these skills in order to fully develop and flourish both in an academic and work environment.  

The skills that my students have that employers look for is tech savviness. The students we have in front of us know how to use technology and if they don't know what to do with something they are willing to play around with it and figure it out. They are able to problem solve when it comes to use technology. I also think my students possess flexibility and adaptability. These students went  through the years of COVID and they had to learn how to learn online, how to learn during hybrid year, and how to learn while wearing a mask and staying 6 feet apart. They had to adapt very quickly. Also, I think because the students have grown up in the technology era, they are used to things constantly changing and being able to adapt to new pieces of technology. 

The skills I think my students are lacking is the ability to think critically and emotional intelligence. When my students are asked comprehension questions from a passage they are able to answer using the bare minimum, they do not expand on their thinking or think critically about why that might be the answer. They are always looking for the quick obvious answer. Also, my students struggle with emotional intelligence. They are unable to identify their emotions and show their emotions in an appropriate way. Often times my students will just shut down and will just put their head down, instead of dealing with the emotion they are feeling. 

I found the video very interesting when it pointed out that it's not about who is in the groups-- it doesn't matter if friends are working together or people who already like each other. It's more about how well they listen to each other and give each other the opportunity to talk and contribute. I think students definitely need to work on these skills. They do better when there are assigned "roles" they need to play, rather than just getting together and democratically figuring out how to get the job done. In the articles, I think some students are very tech-savvy, but not all. I think it's easy to assume they are, since they've grown up with technology (i.e. phones, technology, smart TVs, etc.) but I don't think that necessarily translates to being tech-savvy. I have students who don't even know how to create a new folder on their desktop. Or if they download something, they have no idea where it goes. Just simple stuff like that. I believe students are very creative. Every year I am amazed at some of the work they produce (especially creative writing projects, any artistic assignment they turn in, etc.). They have incredible imaginations when they have the opportunity to really use them. I also think students are much more in tune with diversity around them as well, especially as we as educators continue to pull in multiple viewpoints, diverse literature, and create safe spaces in our classrooms. 

Characteristics Missing:

Equality in turn taking: Oftentimes in groups, there is at least one or more students  who don't speak, either because they don't want to, or because they don't feel welcome to speak due to classmates monopolizing the conversation. For many students, they would rather talk than listen, especially to opposing viewpoints.

Data literacy: For some reason, many students I interact with hate math and feel that they aren't "math people". Additionally, these students also believe that math doesn't apply to their own life. Unfortunately, this disdain for math can also impede the students' ability to successfully read and delineate information from graphs and data charts in both science and social studies.

Critical thinking: The majority of students that I work with simply wish to "get the work done" which oftentimes leads to them going with the first answer they come upon (not necessarily the correct answer). This is very evident in writing tasks, where students need to elaborate and analyze, putting their critical thinking (or lack thereof) on display. 

Creativity: Creativity in the sense of imagination is hit or miss with the students I work with. Creativity in the sense of self-help and problem solving is nearly non-existent. For instance, several students will tell me that they do not know what their homework is for a particular class (I see them for resource room) because they were absent. The students fail to use their creativity to solve their problem by doing one of the following: go see the teacher, ask a classmate, check the online grade portal where assignments are posted.

Leadership: In my experience, a vast majority of students do not fully comprehend what leadership means. They shortchange the privilege and responsibility of leadership, by reducing it simply to whose in charge, whose talking the most, or whose most comfortable "winging it" when it's time to share out with the rest of the class.

Characteristics Present:

Social sensitivity: Today's students seem a lot more in-tune with how others feel. Unfortunately, this characteristic can be leveraged for less than honorable deeds (read: bullying). However, with the onset of COVID-19 and subsequent mask wearing, students and teacher alike became more adept at reading people's emotions based solely on their eyes. 

Tech Savviness - This generation of students have only known a world of technology. Many have had the use of personal smart phones and/or tablet since a young age. Our district has had 1:1 chromebooks for students before COVID-19. With the onset of COVID-19, the students who chose to sign onto Google Meet for classes learned new tech skills quickly, oftentimes even showing the teachers  a new thing or two, or moonlighting as random tech support. Students know how to use technology to create and spread digital images in information quickly and discreetly. 

Emotional intelligence: The advantage of growing up today is the ever-present focus on social-emotional learning. Students are taught from a young age to identify their feelings as well as the feelings of others. Emotions of students are not "swept under the rug" as frequently as they once were. With students receiving this respect and validation of their emotions, they are in turn, more likely to be perceptive and respectful of the feelings of others. 

Cultural intelligence/diversity: We are living in an age where diversity is finally being celebrated. Students feel comfortable expressing their diverse identities, and are more respectful of the differences of others (to an extent).

A reflection on the 7 Norms of Collaborative Work: This would be an awesome procedure to integrate into collaborative activities in the classroom on a regular basis. If students practiced these norms across all of their classes, they would be actively working to develop the skills needed for successful collaborative work. 

One area that I believe students already are skilled in is being tech-savy.  Though the programs may look different down the road, the students of today are embedded in a digital world.  I believe that this will allow technology to be accessed much easier, and in a more familiar way.  I also believe that students are good with emotional intelligence.  I've often found that younger students frequently pick up on (and address) the feelings of others.  In elementary school, this is sometimes embedded in social skills lessons, or solving conflicts (" How do you think that made him feel?").  

One area that I believe they are lacking in is feeling free to speak their mind.  The video stated how the most successful groups had people who spoke a fairly equal amount.  I think many students have a hard time feeling confident to give their thoughts, when they realize they may not be as successful or believe they are as "smart" as some of their peers.  Another area in which I think they may be lacking in is with decision making.  Many times in the school environment, students are taught to find the "correct" answers.  I believe that not enough time is given to allow students to do group work, and to create something "outside the box", and unique.  I think schools need to allow more time for students to create things on their own, where there is not always a "correct" answer.  

1. Data Literacy: Students should be able to understand the word meanings/context, decode, and understand data.

2. Critical Thinking: Students should be able to evaluate information and use a trusted source.

3. Tech Savviness: With technology widely available and accessible, students will have the opportunity to use technology in their education. Technology will continue to advance as time goes on.

4. Adaptability and Flexibility: With the COVID pandemic, students and educators had to learn to adapt to new protocols/regulations. Everyone had to get adjusted to the changes, such as social distancing and mask-wearing.

5. Cultural Intelligence and Diversity: With diverse groups of students and families coming in to a new community, students and educators must respect the cultures, languages, and belief systems. Inclusivity is the key to a successful learning space.

6. Leadership Skills:  Having strong leadership skills will help a student succeed in life and a teacher be a successful educator. Giving encouragement to one another will help build the leadership role.

7. Collaboration: Teachers and students definitely come together - everyone must be able to get along with one another, respect other's opinions/beliefs, and working together in harmony.

Data Literacy/ Providing Data: When information is presented in a visual format students can read it and evaluate its meaning and relevance. Students could improve upon their ability to determine which data is important to collect and using data to justify their choices. 

Tech Savviness, Adaptability, and Assuming Positive Intentions: These are skills that I have seen grow exponentially during the pandemic and online learning. Students are much more comfortable and professional in their online communications and are better at problem solving their own digital communication. Students have come to expect sudden changes of plans and to understand that everyone around them is usually doing the best that they can in their given circumstances. 

Posing Questions, Leadership and Critical Thinking: I would like to help my students grow these skills, taking greater ownership in their learning, rather than waiting for content to be delivered to them. 

Collaboration and Putting Ideas on the Table: Are skills that vary greatly from student to student. 

Psychological safety by having equal chances to talk
-students need to work on not talking over each other and allowing each member to lead the conversation at times. 

Data literacy: Students need to be able to decipher the difference between fact and fiction. Social media has stunted this skill. 

Tech savviness 
-We all know that students today are much more technologically advanced. This is a skill that they already have. 

Adaptability and Flexibility  
-Students are very flexible and adaptable. If you look at this past school year, they have had to make many changes in their every day life. Adapting to remote learning and moving away from traditional schooling shows they possess this skill. 

Creativity: students have become depend on various forms of technology and apps (google, pinterest, etc) and often refrain from demonstrating their own creativity.


Pausing before responding 
-students can definitely improve on this. They tend to say what's on their mind and want to be heard right away. This current world we live in has taught them they can get, say, buy, post etc. anything they want instantly. 

Psychological safety by:
Showing social sensitivity.
- Kids today are much more in tune with reading people and respecting their emotions.

Data literacy.
-Students are able to read data and make their company flourish 
Critical thinking: this is something students need to work on. They tend to want to be told what to do at school and work, and complete those tasks to finish. 

Tech savviness 
-Students are capable of working with technology in many forms and have been able to since very young. Technology has been easily accessible, and even required, since they were born. 

Adaptability and Flexibility  
-Students are very flexible and adaptable. If you look at this past school year, they have had to make many changes in their every day life. Adapting to remote learning and moving away from traditional schooling shows they possess this skill. 

Pausing before responding 
-students can definitely improve on this. They tend to say what's on their mind and want to be heard right away. This current world we live in has taught them they can get, say, buy, post etc. anything they want instantly.