When groups go sour
Just wondering if anyone had some good suggestions as to how to handle things when a group absolutely does not get along.
I hate the thought of breaking them up and reassigning them. However, keeping them together leads to poor contributions and sometimes outright hostility.
I have used group projects in my psychology classes. They are allowed to self-select into the group. They are also told that they will be doing peer evaluations and that if there is a serious issue with a group member, they will have the opportunity to present their case to "vote them off the island." I have never had to drop anyone off of a team. However, I have had no end of complaining about team members. Ironically, the complaints have come from high performing teams as well as low performing teams. They are encouraged to use this experience to learn as much about group dynamics as they can. When members of a group come to me to complain about another member, I play devil's advocate and give reasons for why the person might be participating the way they are. I also suggest that they take a look at their own attitudes and engagement to see how they might be able to do things differently to support the other person. I point out that this is real life and if they are miserable, they might want to take a look at what they brought to the table, because they will have to deal with this again, and the next time their job may depend on their ability to make lemonade out of what they currently see as lemons.
I think it is important to address WHY things went wrong. Much like people who remarry two, three, or four times because self-issues are not dealt with, it could be that deeper issues within a student or students caused it to go sour. Reassign and same things happen. On the other hand, it could be group dynamics are just not right because of the fault of no one. Breaking up and reassigning may be the best thing!
Hi Ronald!
I erally like this approach. A group has to mesh together otherwise, there will be no successful outcomes.
Good job!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
students must learn how to get along with people they may dislike because that is how it is in the real world.
i remind my students you have to be able to get along with others, you don't have to be friends with them, but you do have to work with them.
The old axiom of deal with it always comes to mind. Sadly most students aren't ready to accept that in their field they wont get the option to choose who their coworkers will be. I try to elaborate on the fact that they will often have to work with someone who has a bad attitude but is really good at a certain skill.
I try to look at "why" the group goes sour. Or moreso have THEM evaluate why. Normally it is in attitude/ personality conflicts. One person talks more than the others or takes over. Or has a bad attitude. I remind the group that even if there is someone in the group that is disruptive or if the entire group can't get along, there is always a lesson to be learned, even if it's patience and understanding.
