About Student Small Group What are the reasons for breaking the
class up into small groups? Why are the groups set up for
approximately equal academic abilities in its members (balanced
groups)? In a Class of Mostly Unbalanced Groups - The teaching
goal for the members of small groups should be: - Learning to
work in groups. - Learning personal responsibility for - Master
the material being - Stretch students to reach their maximum -
These goals are not - To inflate the scores of underachieving -
To protect the egos of underachieving - Slower students are
likely to not try to stretch their minds. - Slower students
would tend to take a free ride on the faster students. - Faster
students will be held back because others of equal ability do
not stretch them - It is more likely that every group will need
attention from the teacher. In a Class of Mostly Balanced - Fast
Groups - Through their synergy, each will be stretched towards
their maximum potential. - Those groups will need little or no
assistance during the