Great Collaboration!

Today we had a great conversation about how to collaborate successfully!

While we have improved as a group with our collaboration and communication skills, we are still practicing strategies for ensuring our group finishes on time, and that everyone has a positive experience as they work together.

Here are some tips we talked about. Review these at home, too!

  1. ALWAYS talk in I STATEMENTS instead of YOU STATEMENTS, because then you aren’t being bossy of someone else, you are expressing your feelings, opinions, and thoughts to the group.
  2.  Listen to others’ ideas! GROUP THINK is stronger than SOLO think, with more creativity!
  3.  Remember to PLAY YOUR ROLE. For example, we had a chairperson who kept track of whose turn it was to speak, and we split up our recent project into parts, so you wouldn’t have to do the whole thing yourself!
  4.  You have the RIGHT to ask anyone in your group for HELP! It is okay not to know something, and it is okay to ask for assistance when something is new for you. There will always be something you don’t know out there!
  5.  You have the DUTY to assist anyone who asks for HELP! We’ve all needed help before, right? A stronger group is one where everyone knows what is going on and feels supported.
  6.  Helping is NOT the same as giving answers. Don’t give it all away or tell someone how to do something. Give them some pointers to get started, or show them a quick example of how you did something in the past. They need to learn by doing it on their own, so they have the skill for next time.
  7.  Pay attention to what other group members need. Use personal awareness. If you see someone struggling or standing alone, find ways to help them or to include them in what you are doing!
  8.  No one is done until everyone is done. The group requires everyone to understand what is going on, otherwise the project or task becomes a solo one. Make sure everyone is successful, and then YOU are successful.
  9.  Give reasons for your suggestions. Rather than telling someone to just DO something, say, “I think this might work because……”
  10.  Explain by telling how. Instead of giving orders to DO something, give your idea, explain why, and then give the first step. How do we get started with your idea?
  11.  Make a PLAN.  Have a written plan at the beginning of the project, so everyone can refer to it when they are confused. Lay out the steps for the project. This way everyone knows what the bigger TASK is as a group!
  12.  TAKE TURNS.  Make sure you aren’t the one doing all the talking. Have a chairperson who recognizes whose turn it is to speak. Give everyone their moment to give ideas!
  13.  Disagree with IDEAS not PEOPLE. Say, “I think we could change this idea so the audience can understand what we are saying more clearly.” Don’t say, “Bob, I think your idea is ridiculous and I don’t like what you are saying.” (Again, I statements help!)
  14.  Confusion is part of learning.  Remember to breathe as when you work in a group, sometimes it takes time to sort things out. Be patient. Understand things may take a bit of time to work out! It is okay to be confused and to need help from other group members, too. Learning means not everything is perfect, because there will be mistakes and messiness!
  15. No talking outside of your group.  Don’t wander around the classroom talking to other friends. Stay with your group. If you find yourself wandering, read your body, maybe you need a physical or outdoor break so you can be more focused.
  16. Say your “BECAUSES” and give reasons for your ideas. Your ideas are more likely to be accepted if you have a reason, data, or evidence behind them.

 

Again, great discussion today. Keep up your efforts to collaborate well!  GROUP THINK vs SOLO THINK!

 

Ms. D