TEAM MEETING, ENGLISH 490. FALL 2010

On Wednesday, Oct 20, we’ll devote part of the class to meetings in the groups in which you will present your projects.  (A rationale for encouraging this kind of group work appears below, in the form of two quotations from Greater Expectations.)  I expect everybody to be there on this day; your absence will hurt your group.  Before class, carefully re-read the prospectuses of other group members (bring a copy of each with you).  If the focus of your project has changed substantially from what’s described in your prospectus, you need to revise it and give a copy to each group member before Tuesday’s class (and to me).  During the meeting, each person will answer the questions below about his/her project, and another person in the group will take notes to hand in to me.

One goal of these questions, #3 and #4 especially, is to generate a collaborative attitude toward each other’s projects.  How can you help your group members toward a better final product?

#1) Have you finished the reading/research you proposed to do?

#2) What’s still on the list to read?

#3) At this point, what aspect of your project concerns you the most?

#4) What about the presentation—what are your ideas?  What work do you have to do to make this happen?

Two excerpts from Greater Expectations (2002):

Employers focus on the specific abilities they need in their employees. They expect colleges to graduate students able to perform consistently well, communicate effectively, think analytically, help solve problems, work collegially in diverse teams, and use relevant skills of the profession.

A mix of individual and collective classroom activities teaches about independence and about interdependence. Group projects nurture negotiation skills, conflict resolution, teamwork, collaboration, and a practical understanding of people from diverse backgrounds.