The skills associated with successful group work go way beyond the classroom. They are life skills that can be applied in all areas of our lives. Patrice [Palmer's] wonderful course...is a must for any teacher and every resource room.-Chris Mares, author of 50 Ways to Be a Better Teacher
Successful implementation and completion of team activities requires instructors and students alike to confront challenges not present in individual work. To maximize learning, group projects need a solid lesson plan that helps students
- understand the benefits of group work,
- develop ground rules and assign responsibilities,
- value everyone's contributions, and
- resolve potential conflicts.
Teacher, curriculum designer, and "teacherpreneur" Patrice Palmer offers thirteen easily implemented, robust group-work activities formatted to foster the development of life skills. Designed with secondary and postsecondary students in mind, Palmer's workbook takes students through the team-building process, from getting to know one another to a final evaluation of the group's work and success.
Written in a user-friendly format, Successful Group Work: 13 Activities to Teach Teamwork Skills allows teachers to choose activities that best meet their students' needs. Make group work a powerful addition to your teaching repertoire. You may be surprised how your students rise to meet a new challenge!
About the Author: Patrice Palmer taught English for speakers of other languages for twenty years before parlaying her experience into a business. She now teaches online courses, writes English-language-teaching materials and blogs, and designs courses.
Palmer received her bachelor of arts degree from York University, Canada. She holds a master of education degree in teaching, learning, and development from Brock University; a second master of arts degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto; and an OCELT certification.
In addition to teaching college-level communication courses, Palmer has developed English-language curricula for Hong Kong secondary schools and vocational programs.
Palmer is the author of a ten-module online course for Saudi Arabian students as well as courses on anger management and increasing well-being. She also wrote An A-Z Guide: How to Survive and Thrive as a New ESL Teacher and Dream Beyond the Classroom: The Essential Teacher to Teacherpreneur Toolkit.
