HS teachers that give group projects

[Anonymous]

Question for teachers on DCUM. If you give group projects, do you want to know if kids not participating/helping in a group? Or do most teachers take approach that the kids need to work it out if some in group not pulling weight? Do teachers give any skills tips for kids on how to handle that or just play by ear? Thanks,

[Anonymous]

As a parent I tell my kid to do the bulk of the work and not worry what other kids do. Teachers don't care.

[Anonymous]

When we do them, the kids are individually assessed for their participation. They’re working collaboratively so during the process if we can see one kid isn’t doing anything or sharing ideas or building on someone else’s ideas, they lose points on their rubric. Same for the creation and presentation- they’re designed in a way for me to be able to see clearly who contributed what and if you just stand there in a presentation or don’t share or only share low knowledge stuff like the title, I know you didn’t do much. I have never ever assigned one whole grade that applies to the whole group.

[Anonymous]

My kid who is studious and conscientious really dislikes group projects. He usually ends up doing most of the project. He especially despises when the teacher groups him with 1-2 students who do nothing to very little instead of having the students who are hard working grouped together.

Teachers almost always tell the class they can see who is doing the work and who isn't and they are going to grade accordingly. It never seems to happen. If anyone in my son's group ever complains to the teacher the teacher says some BS about in the real world you have to learn to work together so they have to deal with it. At times my son has lost points because he asked the teacher what to do if someone says they are going to turn in their part but then never does after the group members beg the student to complete the work.

How do I know the slacker kids get the grade as the student who has put in all the hours? I have another child who is the slacker. He is a bright but does the minimal. He often seem to find a group to join with a Type A girl. From the get go he goes up and tells her he is willing to relinquish all control to her and she can do the whole thing and he will stay out of her way. He is good at presenting so he says he will present whatever she writes up for him if there is a presentation.

Slacker son also chooses a student whose parents with advanced degrees do the work for the student so they get the best grade. Those parents really like my slacker kid because he is willing to go along with not doing anything but is smart enough to be able to answer questions if asked and not tell anyone the parents are really doing the work. So he ends up getting A's for doing absolutely nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we do them, the kids are individually assessed for their participation. They’re working collaboratively so during the process if we can see one kid isn’t doing anything or sharing ideas or building on someone else’s ideas, they lose points on their rubric. Same for the creation and presentation- they’re designed in a way for me to be able to see clearly who contributed what and if you just stand there in a presentation or don’t share or only share low knowledge stuff like the title, I know you didn’t do much. I have never ever assigned one whole grade that applies to the whole group.

That's not always accurate. My child is neurodivergent but very smart and always ends up doing all the work and even scripting the presentation but shy and will give to the others to present. To assume she did no work would not be accurate. Thankfully her teachers know. Ironically, one time the other kids told on themselves when they had to stop mid presentation and ask her something.

[Anonymous]

A kind HS teachers gives kids the option to work in a group or alone. My son always chooses alone. It's the same effort either way, why boost up some other kid and stress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A kind HS teachers gives kids the option to work in a group or alone. My son always chooses alone. It's the same effort either way, why boost up some other kid and stress.

Working in a group is at least we important as analyzing a poem or studying ancient Egyptian economics.

[Anonymous]

Every kid should have to submit a signed statement about what they contributed to the project, honor code style.

They should be graded according to their contribution.

[Anonymous]

Group projects suck.

It’s also different than work so I don’t know what the point is. At work someone is the boss and there are ways to hold people accountable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every kid should have to submit a signed statement about what they contributed to the project, honor code style.

They should be graded according to their contribution.

Yes! And for SATS and college apps and essays too! Full transparency all the way!

[Anonymous]

I hated when my kids had group projects.

The worst was when DD had a project with a Pupil Placed kid who did not live in our area. They were not yet driving and it was a real headache.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
How do I know the slacker kids get the grade as the student who has put in all the hours? I have another child who is the slacker. He is a bright but does the minimal. He often seem to find a group to join with a Type A girl. From the get go he goes up and tells her he is willing to relinquish all control to her and she can do the whole thing and he will stay out of her way. He is good at presenting so he says he will present whatever she writes up for him if there is a presentation.

Slacker son also chooses a student whose parents with advanced degrees do the work for the student so they get the best grade. Those parents really like my slacker kid because he is willing to go along with not doing anything but is smart enough to be able to answer questions if asked and not tell anyone the parents are really doing the work. So he ends up getting A's for doing absolutely nothing.

Slacker son has a high EQ. He'll go pretty far in life.

[Anonymous]

Kid has to learn to deal with slackers, lazy, and just doling out easy stuff to them and doing the hard work.
There are plenty of group projects in college to wade through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid who is studious and conscientious really dislikes group projects. He usually ends up doing most of the project. He especially despises when the teacher groups him with 1-2 students who do nothing to very little instead of having the students who are hard working grouped together.

Teachers almost always tell the class they can see who is doing the work and who isn't and they are going to grade accordingly. It never seems to happen. If anyone in my son's group ever complains to the teacher the teacher says some BS about in the real world you have to learn to work together so they have to deal with it. At times my son has lost points because he asked the teacher what to do if someone says they are going to turn in their part but then never does after the group members beg the student to complete the work.

How do I know the slacker kids get the grade as the student who has put in all the hours? I have another child who is the slacker. He is a bright but does the minimal. He often seem to find a group to join with a Type A girl. From the get go he goes up and tells her he is willing to relinquish all control to her and she can do the whole thing and he will stay out of her way. He is good at presenting so he says he will present whatever she writes up for him if there is a presentation.

Slacker son also chooses a student whose parents with advanced degrees do the work for the student so they get the best grade. Those parents really like my slacker kid because he is willing to go along with not doing anything but is smart enough to be able to answer questions if asked and not tell anyone the parents are really doing the work. So he ends up getting A's for doing absolutely nothing.

As the parent of a Type A girl, your son is causing a huge amount of stress in her life. Sure on some level she wants that full control, but not so much that she really wants this set-up.

You should not be encouraging/allowing this behavior.

[Anonymous]

I refuse to give group projects. It means I have to grade 4x as many submissions, but I don't feel right allowing any student to get marks for another student's ability/knowledge.

Any assessment is individual, completed in class only so that mom/dad can't do it and Johnny can't have Jimmy do his work.