Yes, group projects. That one phrase that students of any grade level dread. Particularly an annoyance from elementary to high school; after all, kids are patently unruly. Even more of a bane in college – if you have that one dead weight, all you think is, “You’re a grown adult and you’re like this?” But really, I feel as if the reasons for why group projects are so hated go beyond just like “I have to do all the work if the others don’t.”
Clearly, that’s a huge factor. The truth is, however, that it sometimes feels like individuality could speed up a project. Sometimes, a group project may feel as if it’s tying someone down with others’ writing styles and pacing. Honestly, however, it may even go beyond that. The truth is – yes, collaboration and teamwork are values taught from a young age – that said, the methods of collaborating on formal projects is not something we’re properly taught.
As per usual for writing.
It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve discussed inadequate teaching methods in the field of writing. That said, this is why Writing “Eyeball to Eyeball” by Rebecca Ingalls stands out. She provides an intricate procedure for going into group projects that is seldom taught in the usual school environment. It’s not busywork, either – it is specifically meant to help students make heads from tails.
One of her most valuable pieces of advice here is to make a contract. Personally, I might not go as far as to create and print out a document that everyone must sign. However, her main point there is to set a foundation for what is expected of the group; also make it easy to refer back to in a worst case (or best case) scenario.
Why do we hate group projects so much? Because, like with so many aspects of writing, it’s not something we’re properly taught until after we’ve nabbed our high school diploma.
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