On Tuesday we played the card game I taught again. This time I just quickly reviewed it for the students that were away. I also didn’t let them choose their partners this time. Through my observations last time I was able to carefully pair them off based on level and ability to work well with one another. I saw a huge difference in performance by doing it this way. Though my first lesson would have probably gone smoother if I had paired them off myself, I wouldn’t of had the learning experience I had and learnt about the students as much.
Pairing them by understanding their strengths and needs is really a positive thing for students. They can learn so much from each other if they are with others who support or help them along in their learning. That being said, having students choose partners for a specific activity such as learning or applying SEL skills, can sometimes be beneficial as well.