We are currently in an ecosystem where there is continuous effort being taken at home front as well as in schools to promote and nurture the benefits of team work and collaboration. These are being addressed with earnest thoughts to promote the surrounding and to enable methods that would facilitate the ‘shy’ student and the ‘bold’ to work together as a team.
Possibility of revolutionary ideas that might spark when multiple brains of two extremes work in collaboration. The best of innovative thoughts as an outcome of such practices in given works space or at schools.
Terms like Cooperative learning and Collaborative work has taken over the vocabulary ‘group work’ at Schools.
Methodically, to involve students in to a practice of co-existing with team members has found its place in recent decades. With all the efforts being taken towards bringing out the cumulative efforts to emerge and make every one part of success and accomplishment, the chances that of the lot, few may remain less attracted towards these group achievements.
A cluster of students in every class who may not find satisfaction internally in the group’s success. A handful of students who may observe, focus and progress but might not want to project it.
The same variety might not find engagement in group work or collaboration as their desired style over working independently.
These introverts are often times unnoticed, invariably, as louder and bolder group tends to sweep the attention in a typical class environment.
There has been a guaranteed applaud and claps to the extrovert children as against the introverts.
An effort is required in a planned way to recognize and appreciate the introverts.
In this fast paced world, at schools, at work space and at homes are we there yet to have recognized them?
Have we identified and acknowledged them for what they are and in the manner they portray themselves in crowd?
Do we label them as shy and brush aside their true colours and efficacy?
As a teacher, personally, I have come across resistance to group work arising out of a cluster of students. I have encountered issues out of group work as one tends to dominate the rest.
I have observed that the whispers from a child is actually the utterance of good observations and answers to the queries posed during discussions.
Some parents mentioning in personal meetings about the nature and the preference of their child on any given day being inclined towards independent working.
It is a practical situation found everywhere and it is ideal and fair to accept that in any given space there are extroverts and introverts existing.
We need to make them co-exist without their identity and preferred style of learning being unaltered.
It is also fair as educators, we accept and cultivate an atmosphere, one that would unconditionally accept introverts as a significant part of growth as much as extroverts do by being out going and expressive.
How do we embrace an introvert friendly atmosphere?
Do’s
- An effective classroom management practice that assures every child is heard
- A practice of quiet reading hour as a cultivated habit in classrooms
- A conscious effort in lessons plans to include independent reading/working that ensures quiet child being noticed and acknowledged
- An appreciation of work in coherence and yet in silence
- An observation of non-verbal communication days at school that would also expose the extroverts to yet another way of communicating besides being outgoing and expressive always!
- A well laid success criteria of group work that facilitates participation of introverts
- A practice of giving slips of paper to those few in class who may be good at putting down in writing than verbally saying it aloud.
- A chance and a choice MUST be facilitated by the teacher in class as a conscious practice.
Don’ts
- A teacher to refrain from defining what kind of student is successful in class. E.g . ‘If you raise hand and answer then you get a star else not!’.. Kind of remarks to be avoided
We need to remember introverts may not want to gain attention but still they have a valid point to contribute.
- Do not thrust the idea that only by being social he/she is accepted in society or in school. This may put them off forever. And, we are at loss of that significant portion an introvert may contribute towards wellness of humanity.
Any teacher, at the sight of the children in class and within a few minutes of interaction can easily get an idea of the mix and the nature of students in class.
An introspection of the self and the known around , in our own work space and in the family, will elucidate the fact that the World has space for all kinds.
It’s time we embrace the varieties consciously and whole heartedly and exploit the potential of ‘Introverts’ too!
Do watch this Ted talk by Susan Cain to have more insight in to this topic of my blog.
https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts
The Teacher Connections 