Jace Flores Student Teacher Blog

The average work the students did in class was group work on a packet. These packets were usually based either on content provided by TCI (which Brian has access to) or more likely based on history articles I found that better fit my vision. These packets either focused on a single topic or had multiple topics in its contents depending on the vision of the lesson. Usually the articles were secondary sources, though occasionally I did a primary source packet lesson. The packets the groups and individuals received may also be different depending on the activity. Sometimes everyone across the board got the same packet. Sometimes each group got a different packet, usually for jigsawing as class. Other times every individual in each group would get a different packet, usually for jigsawing as a group. Regardless of the structure of the packets and who got what, the kids were also provided worksheets to answer questions and get the main things I wanted them to get. Usually these worksheets were made by me.

There are multiple reasons Brian and I embraced this group packet genre of teaching. The first is it allows for more personal attention to the students if they have questions. When they work in these groups I can interact with them more closely and give them more attention in that moment to answer their questions. The second is the kids interact and work with others in completing the packet, strengthening their cooperation skills which is important because in life people rarely go at things alone. The third is it encouraged reading and writing skills, as the kids encountered new words and had to write healthy sentences to satisfy the questions. The fourth, and more personal, is it made it easier for me to handle my anxieties. Speaking in front of 30 kids for an hour is a lot! But with the packets I could handle the kids one group of 4-6 at a time which I found much more manageable and not terribly stressful.