Managing group work when you're the only one who wants to work ...

[RedSkyLastNight]

Advice for me to give DD please!

English was one of her favourite subjects however this year (year 8)

• the teacher is overly strict (apparently known for this)
• she has no friends in her English class (quite a feat as she has a broad friendship group)

and to top it off she's been placed in a group with no other girls (DD at the stage where all boys are annoying) who are to quote DD "the popular boys" which apparently means they spend all their time worrying about their hair and talking about football.

Reading between the hyperbole (and DD is normally a "buckle down and get on with it" child) she is very worried that she is going to end up doing all the English group work largely by herself. Of course she realises that over the course of the year, the groups will be mixed about, but equally that she is stuck with the one she is in for at least half a term, so she needs to find a way to make it work.

Suggestions? The only thing DH and I have been able to suggest is that she at least gives the boys a chance before she writes them off, and that she makes the teacher aware of exactly how much of the work she is doing.

Well they might be the popular boys, but are they capable of working? Does she have evidence that they are time wasters and won’t do anything? It seems surprising that this group has been set up but I know teachers like hard working children to chivvy the others up. Be the group leader so to speak. That doesn’t mean doing all the work, but it might mean delegation. I also think teachers are capable of seeing the quality of one person and realise they are not responsible for the work of others. Can she lead, delegate and do her own work? I think that’s what I would suggest in the first place. Leave the approach to a teacher until, or if, the wheels fall off!

We had a similar situation with DD in first year at a middle school. She was one of a few girls that could handle the boys so I think was used to calm them down. Final straw for me was when one boy was told by the teacher to ask my DD to help him (he needed support from the teacher not my DD). I emailed school said my DD was now not enjoying English and the reasons why and could they monitor it. Not sure the school were used to being challenged but they sent me a reply justifying their approach but moved her up a set the next day.

She needs see if the boys pull their weight and if they don’t she needs to speak to the teacher and explain the situation and let her deal with them.

Break up the tasks into the number of people in the group.

I'd suggest to her that at the beginning of each project she takes it upon herself to note down what tasks each person agrees to do. Then that is handed in as part of the project.