June 29 Class Reflection

After working with the group I was able to pick out a lot more information from the text that I otherwise would have missed. Its amazing to me how well a group of students can analyze and interpret an essay or academic article. When one student is working they are limited to one point of view, often their own point of view which can be very limited in scope. After working in the small groups I had a much more clear understanding of the author's intent and purpose of this essay. The advantages of small group work in a classroom setting became apparent, and continue to become apparent as I continue my experience of being a "student" teacher. As I picture myself in front of a classroom of my own, I envision how my students will respond to such strategies as small group work. Hopefully they will benefit from it as much as I have in my career as a student.  Another advantage of the small groups is when they all reconvene to demonstrate what each group has learned. This is an effective way of dividing the material and conquering the content.