Group Norms in Action - EPI's Launch Your Classroom!

Summary

The video script highlights the importance of creating group norms in a 21st-century classroom to foster successful collaboration among students. It demonstrates a classroom activity where students are encouraged to individually list values important for group work, such as timeliness, voice for all, respect, and confidentiality. These values are then combined to form group norms. The script emphasizes that norms should be student-driven, reflecting their values, and not imposed by the teacher. The activity includes creating an anchor chart that visually represents these norms, serving as a constant reminder and guide for appropriate behavior during group projects, including the responsible use of electronic devices.

Takeaways

• 🤝 Empowerment through Creation: The script emphasizes the importance of students creating their own group norms, which can lead to a greater likelihood of them adhering to these rules.
• 📚 21st Century Classroom: The setting is a modern classroom where collaboration is key, and norms are essential for preparing students for future teamwork scenarios.
• 📝 Individual Reflection: Students are first asked to individually jot down values that are important to them when working in a group, fostering self-awareness and personal responsibility.
• 🗣️ Collective Decision Making: After individual reflection, students combine their thoughts in groups to create a shared set of norms, promoting teamwork and consensus building.
• 🔍 Identifying Values: Students are encouraged to identify values such as timeliness, voice for all, respect, and confidentiality, which are crucial for effective group dynamics.
• 🎨 Anchor Chart Creation: The norms are then visually represented on an anchor chart, which serves as a constant reminder and guide for group behavior in the classroom.
• 👀 Visual Reinforcement: The anchor chart is not only informative but also visually appealing, allowing it to serve as a decorative and educational tool in the classroom.
• 👍 Positive Reinforcement: The script suggests using the anchor chart to positively reinforce desired behaviors by pointing to it when students are off-task, rather than punitive measures.
• 💻 Technology Usage: The norms include the responsible use of electronic devices for group projects, highlighting the modern context of education and the need for digital etiquette.
• 📋 Role Assignment: The importance of assigning roles within the group is mentioned, indicating that structure and clear responsibilities can enhance group productivity.
• 🌐 Inclusiveness: The script highlights the inclusive nature of the norms, ensuring that all students feel valued and have an opportunity to participate.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The video script focuses on the importance of creating group norms in a classroom setting to foster successful collaboration among students.

Why is it important for students to create their own group norms?

It is important because groups are more likely to follow rules that they have created themselves, which leads to better collaboration and adherence to the norms.

What is the role of the teacher in the process of creating group norms?

The teacher facilitates the process by guiding students to identify and articulate their own values and expectations for group work, rather than imposing norms from above.

What does the teacher ask the students to do individually before discussing in groups?

The teacher asks the students to individually jot down five values that are important to them when working in a group.

What are some examples of values that might be important in a group setting according to the script?

Examples include following timelines, ensuring everyone has a voice, maintaining respect, keeping discussions confidential, and adhering to group roles.

What is the purpose of creating an anchor chart in this context?

The anchor chart serves as a visual reminder of the group norms, which can be referred to when guiding student behavior and ensuring they adhere to the agreed-upon values.

How does the teacher plan to use the anchor chart in the classroom?

The teacher plans to use the anchor chart as a tool to remind students of their expected behavior, pointing to it when someone is off task to help them realign with the group norms.

What is the significance of the students' agreement to use electronic devices only for the assignment?

This agreement is significant as it prevents distractions and ensures that technology is used purposefully for the group project, rather than for unrelated activities.

What does the script suggest about the use of technology in modern classrooms?

The script suggests that technology, such as iPads, is commonly used in group projects in modern classrooms, and it's important to establish norms around their use.

How does the script illustrate the inclusivity of the group norm creation process?

The script illustrates inclusivity by having students from different groups share their norms, showing that all voices are considered and incorporated into the final set of group norms.

What is the role of the 'group number role grants' mentioned in the script?

The 'group number role grants' seems to be a mechanism for students to signal when they need assistance, possibly by raising their hand, which is part of the agreed-upon norms for seeking help from the teacher.

Outlines

00:00

🤝 Encouraging Group Norms Creation

This paragraph discusses the importance of collaborative groups in education and the role of self-created norms for successful group dynamics. The script describes a classroom activity where students are tasked with creating their own group norms, which are essential for effective collaboration in a 21st-century learning environment. The teacher emphasizes that norms should be student-driven, reflecting their values and what they consider important for group work. The activity involves students writing down individual values and then combining them to form a group norm, which is then displayed in the classroom as a visual reminder and guide for behavior.

Keywords

💡collaborative groups

Collaborative groups refer to teams of individuals working together towards a common goal. In the context of the video, the theme revolves around the importance of students creating and adhering to their own group norms to foster successful collaboration. The script mentions that groups are more likely to follow rules they establish themselves, emphasizing the role of self-governance in effective group dynamics.

💡norms

Norms are the unwritten rules or standards of behavior that guide how individuals in a group should act. The video script highlights the creation of group norms as a critical step in forming successful collaborative groups. It shows students brainstorming and agreeing upon values such as timeliness, respect, and participation, which serve as the foundation for their group's operational guidelines.

💡21st century classroom

The term '21st century classroom' is used to describe an educational environment that integrates modern technology and emphasizes skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, and communication. The script mentions this concept to underscore the importance of preparing students for a future where they will need to work effectively with diverse individuals in various settings.

💡values

Values in this context refer to the principles or standards that individuals consider important when working in a group. The script describes a process where students are asked to identify their values, such as respecting others and following directions, which are then used to create a shared set of group norms. These values are integral to the group's identity and functioning.

💡anchor chart

An anchor chart is a visual tool used in classrooms to display important information or guidelines. In the video script, students create an anchor chart that represents their agreed-upon group norms. This chart serves as a constant reminder and a reference point for students to align their behavior with the group's expectations.

💡participation

Participation denotes the act of being involved or taking part in an activity. The script emphasizes the importance of ensuring that every group member has a chance to participate and voice their opinions. This concept is integral to the collaborative process, as it promotes inclusivity and the sharing of diverse perspectives.

💡respect

Respect is a fundamental value that involves treating others with consideration and dignity. In the script, students identify respect as a key norm for their group, indicating that they should be considerate of each other's opinions and contributions. This value is crucial for maintaining a positive and productive group environment.

💡timelines

Timelines refer to schedules or deadlines that need to be met. The script mentions the importance of following timelines, suggesting that punctuality and adherence to deadlines are valued within the group. This concept is essential for ensuring that group projects are completed on time and efficiently.

💡electronic devices

Electronic devices, such as iPads, are mentioned in the script as tools that students may use for group projects. The students agree to use these devices solely for the assignment at hand, avoiding distractions like web surfing. This agreement reflects the group's commitment to focus and productivity.

💡roles

Roles in a group context refer to the specific functions or responsibilities that each member takes on. The script indicates that assigning roles can be an effective strategy for group management, as it helps to clarify expectations and ensures that tasks are distributed equitably among members.

Highlights

Groups are more likely to follow rules they create themselves.

Creating own norms is crucial for successful group collaboration.

21st century classrooms focus on preparing kids for collaboration.

Norms should be created by students based on their values.

Students should individually jot down five values for group work.

Groups should combine individual values to create a shared norm.

Create an anchor chart to visually represent group norms.

Anchor chart serves as a model for expected behavior in the classroom.

Students should agree on norms such as respect, following directions, and taking turns.

Students should also agree on using electronic devices only for assignments.

Norms should include raising hands for teacher assistance.

Inclusive norms encourage participation and discourage off-task behavior.

Norms should be student-led, not imposed by the teacher.

The process of creating norms promotes active student engagement.

Norms help establish a positive and productive learning environment.

Visual representation of norms aids in constant reinforcement.

Norms should be regularly reviewed and updated by the group.

Transcripts

since we know that groups are more apt

to follow rules that they make

themselves when you're thinking of

putting your kids in collaborative

groups then creating their own norms is

an important step in to the creation of

successful groups what you'll see in

this next clip is just that our

participants modeling students creating

their own norms when you're in a

classroom in a 21st century classroom

that's getting kids ready to collaborate

with whoever whenever one of the things

that allows you to increase your chances

of success is to make sure that your

kids have norms that they norm their

behavior this doesn't come from you as a

teacher they come from what's important

to you what do you value so what I'd

like you to do right now please is take

a couple minutes our two teams will jot

down first individually you're not

talking to anyone what's important to

you when you're working in a group is it

important that timelines are followed is

it important that everyone has a voice

is it important that it's respectful is

important that what we say here doesn't

go out on the playground you know I

don't know where you're going to come

from but what you're going to do is

you're going to jot down five values

that you have when you're working with

other people and then the next thing

we'll do is you'll put those together in

your groups and you'll create a basic

anchor chart and then if this was in

your classroom and you had your kids

doing this you would make the anchor

chart look real nice you know they get

to decorate it and then it would just

hang in your classroom like any other

anchor chart and if you saw somebody who

was off task you could just simply point

at your anchor chart and said tell me

how this behavior matches what you're

supposed to do so then that becomes a

model that stays in place while all the

kids are working so Julia thanks for

coming up to represent your group so we

thought that students would collectively

agree that they should be

respectful of others in particular in

their groups to follow the directions of

the task at hand and to take turns

talking and be sure to give everybody a

chance to participate importantly any

thought that students would hopefully

come to the agreement to follow group

number role grants out to raise the hand

if they need assistance from the teacher

and then lastly in our modern day and

age a lot of times kids are using iPads

and electronics for group projects so to

agree to only use the electronic devices

for the assignment and not to be off

surfing the web alright boy this is

really inclusive I like that you got the

electronics again I like that you

mentioned the roles as Christine said

for her group that worked well there

were roles

did anybody the other group that work

did you have anything on your list that

wasn't on group once list or was just

this pretty much mirrored yours maybe

just with different vocabulary okay