Group Work Jobs Assignments

Many teachers, including myself, have had trouble with students who do not pull their weight during group work sessions. In these instances, it is very important for the teacher to be a part of the groups' lessons and educate using a team approach. In a team approach, the students are all assigned specific jobs while working in their group. Since they each have a job, they are all graded on their individual job as well as their final group product. It is much easier as a teacher to see which students are pulling their weight and which students need more guidance using this type of team building approach.

The specific jobs assigned to students can differ depending on the tasks/lessons. The ones I use most often are: the facilitator, the recorder, the time keeper, the supply manager, and the motivator. The facilitator is responsible for guiding the group. They are the leader of the group and ensure all students are working together on the specific assignment. The recorder is the student who is in charge of writing down what the group has discussed and figured out while carrying out the tasks of the assignment. The time keeper makes sure that the group is moving at the appropriate pace. They are responsible for moving from one topic to the next so that they complete the assignment during the scheduled time. The supply manager is responsible for getting all of the materials needed to complete the assignment. The motivator is like the peace keeper. This student ensures that everyone is on topic and provides positive insight to what the students are saying. The motivator keeps the team's spirits high.

As you can tell, many of the job descriptions overlap one another, so that they all can work together on a common goal: learning. It really keeps the team focused on the assignment, and everyone keeps one another in check. The students know that they are graded on their individual tasks as well as their final product, so they work toward achieving these goals. The teacher is able to observe each group and how each student is carrying out their specific job. Throughout the year, the students are introduced to all of these various positions. The teacher can assign the students to roles that best suit them, or the teacher can assign students to roles that are more challenging, which enable students to use their brains in various ways. By the end of the school year, the groups work like clock work. This really assists students who struggle with group work to know what their role is and apply it to the learning of the group.