Allowing students to work in groups or with a peer mentor fosters problem solving, time management skills and social skills. I believe that students learn best from each other while guided by an adult. I feel that by engaging in project-based student-led endeavors, children will discover how to learn through problem-solving adventures. This also places the accountability and motivation onto the student and allows for an enormous amount of growth to occur.
With a majority of the learning being student driven, there needs to be structure in place to encourage this cooperative environment. Early on in the school year, rules and procedures, as well as meaningful consequences for negative behavior are established. In order for children to fully understand the behavioral expectations, they need to see it. I must live what I teach through modeling the