By now you are probably wondering, “Don't you ever use groups larger than pairs?” Yes, we do, but before we choose a group larger than a pair we ask this question: Why do we need to use a larger group? Of course, there are lots of good reasons: the text is jigsawed, the discussion needs multiple voices, or the project is multifaceted. We're certain you can think of others. However, if we can't think of a really good reason to use a larger group, we stick with pairs.
When you do choose larger student groups, we don't recommend a size above four unless you have a high absence rate and can reliably count on that fifth member being absent. The same set-up rules apply whether using pairs or larger groups: members need to move the furniture so that they can sit as close together as possible, fully face one another, and screen out visual and auditory distractions from other groups. As we mentioned earlier, chairs turned only partway and sideways seating are purposeful off-task conversation postures. Don't hesitate to help members of a group stand up and reposition the furniture so that you can monitor them more easily and so that they will stay better focused on one another. Learning how to form groups correctly with inhospitable furniture and tight conditions is another skill to master. In addition, you'll notice that we save larger groups for later lessons because they require a greater repertoire of interpersonal skills—skills that will have to be explicitly taught and then practiced regularly.
Building a Community of Acquaintance
Our core belief is that kids must get to know each other deeply and personally. The second lesson in this book is the Partner Interview, which invites pairs of kids to take turns sharing personal experiences, interests, and opinions. And later, when larger groups meet, we use a version of this acquaintance-building activity called the Membership Grid. For the first five minutes of a group meeting, students share their experiences and stories on a low-risk topic. This peer chitchat may sound superficial, but those short conversations enable students to build working friendships. Think about a group you belong to that has high productivity and high morale. Chances are, people enjoy friendly relationships and regularly share personal information and stories with each other (think wedding pictures, movie recommendations, district gossip).
These icebreaking conversations also give students the simple license to get to know more classmates. Most kids aren't good at spontaneous mingling, and we think they become increasingly reticent and self-conscious as they get older. Friendship circles can get ossified for years, and kids don't actually expand their networks. Nancy remembers her sophomore year in chemistry. She had the same lab partner all year, but never had a single conversation with him. They did the labs and completed the work, but following the lab instructions never provided an opening for them to get to know each other.
Building acquaintance is important for many reasons. First, it's harder to be mean to people you know. Why do you think all of those trolls feel free to scutter around the Internet, spewing their bile? The reason is simple: anonymity. Few students truly want to be considered mean, but when you don't know someone, it's a lot easier to ignore them or disregard their feelings. Plus, we are more accountable to those we know. Many times, a group member's off-task behavior stems from a lack of acquaintance. It is easy to let strangers down without feeling very guilty. Second, students need to function in a diverse world. Given a choice, kids will stick with their friends. And you know what? Adults do the same thing. Go to a conference and see how many friends split up at the door in order to meet new people. They don't. Changing partners frequently gives kids permission to talk to people who are different than they are, which in turn helps them realize that those people aren't really so different; they just thought they were. Finally, when you get to know people, you are a lot more interested in what they think. Any discussion is only as good as how interested the members are in one another's ideas. And the corollary of this is that students who are interested in each other's ideas will be more likely to take the risk and share their own thoughts.
Building a Community of Respect, Inclusion, and Gratefulness
Other lessons in the beginning of this resource focus exclusively on how students need to treat each other. The first lesson that bridges this concept is Home Court; its goal is to help curtail put-downs that students thinly disguise as humor. The next lesson explicitly teaches the social skill of Friendliness and Support. Though this seems like a skill everyone should enter school knowing, it is often absent. Students may offer friendliness and support to their closest pals, but even then much of it is implied versus spoken. We want kids to use friendliness and support much more vigorously and widely. When someone in your group comes up with an interesting idea you never thought of, you tell them! Explicitly expressing appreciation for the unique skills and ideas of others shows members they are valued. When members are valued, respect and inclusion are part of the package.
Something else you will notice in our lessons is that most of them end with group members thanking one another. Though some might view this as being prescriptive and artificial, our classroom experience shows that kids don't often thank people for their efforts; nor do they get thanked for their own. We think students do often appreciate the work of their classmates—and their teachers— but it never occurs to them to voice it. That's something we want to change. Thanking people for their efforts builds a positive community. People who feel appreciated want to return to a group and work together again. Just the other day, an article on gratefulness appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Titled “Raising Children With an Attitude of Gratitude: Research Finds Real Benefits for Kids Who Say “Thank You,” the article pointed out that kids who thank others and feel grateful have a more positive attitude toward school and life, and—wait for it—higher GPAs (Kapp, 2013). On the flip side, kids who spend their time inventorying their gripes have lower grades and higher rates of depression, envy, and general dissatisfaction. The article also pointed out that kids need to be taught to be thankful; it needs to be modeled and practiced. According to the article, “Gratitude works like a muscle."The more you flex it, the more grateful you feel. That means we teachers are personal trainers!
Taking Personal Responsibility
When students meet with their groups, they need to be consciously assessing themselves at the three different junctures. First, prior to a meeting, a member needs to actively decide:
• What do I need to do in order to get ready for this meeting and be a full contributor? And how am I going to make sure this preparation gets done in time?
Sometimes, members have the opportunity to complete the work right in class directly before a meeting. (We've structured this book's lessons this way, so that they can mostly unfold in one class period or less.) However, as students move up through the grades, this responsibility for preparation takes the form of homework. If students are in literature circles, each member needs to read the