How to Work in a Group
Making a Group Decision
Often in School you will need to work together with your classmates on a group project. When you work in a group, you have to help each other achieve a goal. You will have to make choices and decisions as a group.
Suppose your group goal is to learn about the exchange of goods and services by bartering at a class trade fair. To barter means to trade or exchange goods or without using money. There are many ways to barter. For example, people barter goods, such as food or clothing, for other goods. People also barter services, such as repairing a car or cutting someone's hair, for other services. Goods can be bartered for services, and services can be bartered for goods. Your group will have to decide both what to barter and how to barter. Learn how to make decisions and work in a group by following the steps on the next page.
STEPS IN a Group
1. Make a Group Plan
Your group should first talk about your project. What exactly is your assignment? Does everyone understand the goal? As you talk, each person should have a chance to share his or her ideas. It is very important that members of your group listen carefully when a group member is talking. you should try to reach a decision that everyone in the group agrees with. When you have a group decision about your goal, write it down.
2. Figure Out Tasks
Once you are clear about your goal, your group should decide what needs to be done to achieve it. Each group member must choose a task or job to do. The work should be divided as evenly as possible.
3. Keep to a Schedule
Group members should agree when they will have each task finished. Write down a schedule for when each task will be completed.
Gorup Plan
A. Our project is: __________________ <---- Goal
B. Things we need to do: ________________ <---- Tasks
C. Jobs for each group member. <---- Jobs for everyone
Name: __________ Job: ____________
D. Schedule: <----- Schedule
Job: ____________ Date Due: ______________
TIP: Take notes on everyone's ideas. Then combine the best parts of everyone's ideas into a plan on which everyone agrees.