I suppose collaboration is so highly encouraged in education, because it has the benefits of getting a group of students together to problem solve, and to use their critical thinking skills to complete a task. Collaborating touches on a lot of the developmental skills a child may need such as: the social and emotional part, academic, psychological, and it can also help with assessing a child. For the social part, collaborating helps them to be responsible for their own actions while respecting the learning and contributions from their peers.
Collaborating gives them the opportunity to share the responsibility and being accepting of each other thoughts and ideas while still accomplishing their goals. They oral communication skills is enriched through the communication they have with their partner. With this, they can achieve so much more, and the productivity can be so much greater. I always say that everyone who has a voice, always has something unique to bring to the table. This results in relationships that are being built, it helps build self-esteems, and their psychological health.
You may get better results. It also helps with diversity and understanding among one another. It can help reduce anxiety that a child may have and helps with a positive attitude not only towards their peers, but to the teacher also. The students are then actively involved in their own learning processes. It enhances their critical thinking skills and you get better results inside of the classroom. It gives them self-management. They work together in their groups, while contributing to complete the task given to them. Collaborating gives them the opportunity keep going, brainstorming to find ways to complete a task instead of giving up.
In my classroom now as a teacher assistant in a first-grade class, we always pair students together. First, we have some children that are higher. Saying that they can grasp an activity and execute it, where we have some that always want to just give up and not even try.
When we pair them together, that stronger child helps bring out the best in the one who is doubting themselves. When that communication skills and interaction is opened between the two peers it helps that child’s self-esteem. By just discussing and talking to their peer their contributing. Relationships are being built and communities are being formed, and trust is being built. You have children from different upbringing, with different backgrounds and race working together.
