The ideal collaboration between students? What does it look like?
I think the answer to today’s prompt could best be presented in a list.
- Students would be engaged. There would be no students sitting back and letting others do the work. All students would contribute to the project or discussion.
- The group would be made up of students with diverse backgrounds, abilities and needs. Each student would have something of value to contribute.
- The students would be able to moderate their own group. They would address areas of concern in the group and come up with solutions. They would not rely on a teacher to solve every obstacle they encounter.
- Collaboration would happen beyond the walls of the classroom. Using technology, collaborative groups would be made up of students from many schools and regions of the world.
- The students would realize that if they had worked alone they would not have been able to come up with all the ideas or create such an amazing product.
This may seem idealistic, but I know it can happen. In order for it to occur, teachers must teach and model collaboration with their students, and give plenty of time for practice. This may include scaffolding that, after practice, may no longer be needed. This is an ideal that I will strive for.
