“…It is never a bad thing to gain more tools for our “toolbox” while working in groups! I would love to implement this in my classroom each year, but at the beginning of school to set expectations for the year regarding group work.” -Amanda Erwin, 2nd Grade, Hopewell Elementary Some of the most successful teachers spend the first few weeks of school focused solely on routines and expectations for classroom management. They do this because when students know what is expecte

Trends in education are constantly shifting: PBL (Project-Based Learning), Maker-education, STEM, STEAM, Robotics, and Coding, to name a few. Some trends are very promising and stay with us for long periods of time, while others, such as learning styles, run their course and fade. But one fundamental aspect of learning that is consistent across grades, subjects, and even decades is collaborative learning. Students at any age are expected to work together in groups, and all of