With permission from the students I taped conversations of various groups doing research on various topics. After careful analysis of the transcripts it became evident that students involved in group work are accomplishing valuable experiences. The survey the students took at this same time showed that they enjoyed group work and thought that the product of a group was a superior product. They also believed they learned from each other and therefore were better informed. These results have fortified my stance on collaboration.
Examination is continuous.
This year the class exploded to 44 students and therefore an additional part time teacher. Part of this explosion was the admission of many students from outside our school district. Although there are many opportunities to divide students into smaller groups for activities as well as having half go to music class while half remain for other instruction, I have decided that there is an optimum size and that this year was too large. Next year will have the smaller numbers again since students will be limited to current students and within district. Throughout this program there is an intensive reading component.