Latest / Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies / 255. 4 Smart Ways to Make End-of-School-Year Group Work Actually Work

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255. 4 Smart Ways to Make End-of-School-Year Group Work Actually Work · Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies

0:01
Heidi: This is episode 255 of Teacher Approved.
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You're listening to Teacher Approved, the podcast helping
0:09
educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I'm
0:11
Emily: And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
0:12
Heidi.
0:13
Window, where we give research-based and
0:16
teacher-approved strategies that make teaching less stressful and
0:17
We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to the show.
0:19
more effective. You can check out the show notes and resources
0:22
from each episode at secondstorywindow.net.
0:24
Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's episode, we
0:39
are talking about how to make group work actually work at the
0:43
end of the school year, and we're sharing a teacher approved
0:45
tip for building up your students' stamina for
0:48
collaboration.
0:50
Heidi: But let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we share
0:53
a quick one that you can try in your classroom right away.
0:55
Emily, what's our suggestion for this week?
0:58
Emily: Okay, if you're giving directions before students start
1:01
a partner activity or group work, instead of asking, Do you
1:05
have any questions, have students explain the directions
1:09
to their partners before you turn them loose. So say, tell
1:12
your partner what you're going to do, and then your partner
1:15
will repeat what you said.
1:17
Heidi: And then you got to have the partners switch roles so you
1:19
know, they both get a turn to listen and talk.
1:21
Emily: Yep.
1:22
Heidi: That way they will have heard the directions at least
1:24
three times before they had to try it on their own.
1:27
Emily: Yes, and I just love anything that can cut down on my
1:31
least favorite question, which is, what are we doing? What are
1:33
we supposed to do? So if you like this idea too, or anything
1:38
else, we share here on the podcast, would you take a second
1:41
and give us a five star rating on Apple podcasts or your
1:45
podcast listening app?
1:47
Heidi: So we are deep into that weird late April energy right
1:51
now. Have you felt that?
1:54
Emily: Yeah, I'm gonna bet that you have, talking to the
1:56
teachers at my kids' school. It's, it's in the air right now,
2:00
because it's like, somehow your class has just forgotten how to
2:03
walk into line, but they can recite every single lyric to
2:06
whatever song is trending this week.
2:09
Heidi: It's all about priorities.
2:11
Emily: And at this time of year, you know, the instinct, or at
2:15
least mine, was kind of just like, I give up. It's almost the
2:19
end of the year anyway, right? And then I would let the little
2:22
stuff build up until it became big stuff, and then I just would
2:27
panic and crack down.
2:28
Heidi: Yeah, nobody's doing their best work right now,
2:31
especially the kids. I think they're as done as the grown
2:34
ups.
2:34
Emily: Yeah, everybody, everybody is so done. I don't
2:37
think anyone craves summer break as much as a teacher, though,
2:40
but the kids are probably a close second.
2:44
Heidi: Yeah, they are so full of energy, but the last thing they
2:47
are willing to do is invest it in class work.
2:50
Emily: So instead of fighting that impulse, what if we worked
2:53
with it? That's what today's episode is about. The end of the
2:56
year is actually a great time for group work, collaborative
2:59
projects, learning games, partner challenges. You're
3:02
wrapping up your curriculum, the kids have energy to burn, so
3:05
hey, let's channel that.
3:07
Heidi: But, and this is important, group work at the end
3:11
of the year can go from productive to chaos in about 90
3:15
seconds flat if you have not thought it through. Schools need
3:18
those signs like they have in the mountains. Maybe, if you
3:24
don't live in the mountains, you don't know this, but they put up
3:28
big put up big signs that tell you the fire danger. So they'll
3:29
say, like, no campfires today, the danger of wildfire is high.
3:30
Emily: Yeah, and because everyone is teetering on the
3:32
edge right now in your classroom, all it takes is the
3:35
tiniest spark to ignite a meltdown, and you do not want to
3:39
be dealing with that when you are already so tired.
3:42
Heidi: And you already have a mile-long to do list before
3:45
summer starts. So today, we are walking through four categories
3:49
for making collaborative work run smoothly so we avert any
3:53
wildfire risks. We will show you how to build groups, how to prep
3:56
kids for success, how to structure a meaningful activity,
4:00
and how you close it out so it goes even better the next time.
4:03
Emily: Our first category is about assigning groups. The key,
4:07
and we cannot stress this enough, is that teacher assigned
4:11
partners and groups need to be the default right now.
4:15
Heidi: Oh, do we sound mean?
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Emily: Well, we are mean.
4:18
Heidi: Well of course kids love choosing their own partners, and
4:22
there's a time and a place for that, especially at the end of
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the year, maybe as a little treat.
4:27
Emily: Yeah, letting them pick once in a while feels like a
4:30
reward, but has a rule, you want to be the one assigning. And it
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isn't because we're mean, even though we are mean, but it's not
4:37
because of this that we're mean. No, but really, it's because, as
4:42
the teacher, you know things that the kids don't. You know
4:45
who amps each other up the second they sit down together.
4:49
You know who's strong in math and who's going to benefit from
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being paired with a kid that's strong in math, and you know
4:56
which of your quieter students has a secret leadership streak
5:00
when they're with the right partner.
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Heidi: But since we know that kids don't love having their
5:06
partners assigned, the only way to keep it fair is to change up
5:10
those assignments frequently. You don't want any one kid stuck
5:14
managing the same tricky classmate for weeks on end.
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That's just not fair.
5:19
Emily: Just because a kid is responsible doesn't mean they
5:22
should always have tough partners. I think those of us
5:26
who grew up hearing we were a joy to have in class spent more
5:30
than our fair share of time helping manage tricky
5:32
classmates, because our teachers needed the backup.
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Heidi: And you know, sometimes that's what you got to do to get
5:39
everyone to that three o'clock bell. But it is also true that
5:43
responsible kids should get a break from having to be the
5:45
helpers all the time. So here is what I used to do that made this
5:49
group arrangement so much more manageable. So as I was heading
5:53
into the end of the year, I would sit down and I would make
5:56
four different group lists ahead of time, like list A, B, C and
5:59
D. Each list had different pairings or different groupings.
6:03
I might need, you know, I separate them so I have lists
6:05
for pairs and lists for groups. I found that in my class I
6:09
really liked groups of three. I thought that was the sweet spot.
6:12
If I could make that work, I try not to go larger than that.
6:14
Emily: This is so smart because it means that you don't have to
6:17
reinvent the wheel every time you want to do a partner
6:20
activity. If every single collaborative activity requires
6:24
you to organize a strategically balanced grouping chart from
6:28
scratch, you're probably just going to want to hand out a
6:31
worksheet.
6:32
Heidi: Yeah, you're never going to want to do it. So I would
6:35
make all of my lists at once, and then I rotate through them.
6:38
So maybe on Tuesday, for doing readers theaters, I grab list A,
6:42
and then for Tuesday afternoon's math game, list B, Wednesday
6:46
science partner activities, list C, and then, you know, just
6:48
rotate through them.
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Emily: And this is great because you're doing the upfront work
6:52
once, and then for the rest of the year, or at least for a long
6:56
stretch, you just pull the list you need and go.
6:59
Heidi: Exactly. And everybody's needs are accounted for, but the
7:02
kids are still getting some variety.
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Emily: Okay, so once you've got your groups built, the next
7:07
category is how you prep kids before the activity starts. And
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there are really two pieces to this. Kids need to know how to
7:14
behave during the activity, and they need to know what to
7:17
actually do during the activity. And those are two different
7:21
things, and you need to address both.
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Heidi: Yeah, and I think sometimes we blur these
7:25
together, and then we're surprised when it doesn't go
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well. So let's start with the behavior piece. By the end of
7:33
the school year, there's this assumption that kids should just
7:36
know how to work with a partner. They've been in school for eight
7:39
months. They have done group activities before, shouldn't
7:42
they have it down by now?
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Emily: And the answer is, no, no, they do not have it down.
7:47
Heidi: They do not. In fact, at this point in the year, they've
7:50
somehow forgotten everything that they ever knew. It probably
7:54
should be studied.
7:56
Emily: Yeah, it's very remarkable. So just assume
7:58
nothing and teach the social skill.
8:01
Heidi: And we're not talking about like a character ed
8:03
lesson. We're talking about a quick mini lesson on one
8:06
specific skill that you know your class needs. Think about
8:09
what's been going wrong during partner work lately. Maybe it's
8:12
figuring out who goes first. Why is that always a battle? Or
8:16
settling disagreements, active listening, speaking kindly when
8:20
a partner does something that you don't love.
8:22
Emily: Pick one per activity and teach it. The mini lesson
8:25
formula is really simple. Just name the behavior, model what it
8:29
looks like, explain why it matters, and then state the
8:31
consequence if it doesn't happen.
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Heidi: And you can do this a couple of ways depending on what
8:35
feels right. You can teach the social skill first and then say,
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Okay, here's the activity. Remember what we just practiced.
8:43
Or you can explain the whole activity first, and then, right
8:46
before you send them off, you say, let's review how to
8:50
disagree respectfully. I'm going to be looking for that today.
8:53
Emily: Yeah, both of those work. So just go with whatever fits
8:56
your flow. If you can make an anchor chart, great. You can
9:00
refer back to it next week when you need to go over this skill
9:03
again.
9:04
Heidi: But seriously, don't let that hold you up. Don't make an
9:07
anchor chart, if that is just one more thing to manage. Yeah,
9:10
anchor charts are nice, but you know, if you don't do it, a two
9:13
minute conversation still gets the job done.
9:15
Emily: Absolutely. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the
9:19
good.
9:19
Heidi: I feel like I have to learn that lesson all the time.
9:22
Emily: Yeah, especially at the end of the school year. The
9:24
skill mini lesson matters way more than whether it's captured
9:27
on a piece of chart paper.
9:30
Heidi: Okay, so that's the behavior piece. Now the activity
9:33
steps are different, and those actually do need to be written
9:38
down.
9:38
Emily: Yeah, this one is non negotiable if you want to keep
9:41
the peace. So list every step students need to remember. Step
9:45
one, get your material. Step two, read through the
9:48
instructions with your partner. Step three, start with problem
9:52
one. Yeah, whatever your steps are, those need to be visible
9:55
and easy to reference.
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Heidi: The top cause of off task behavior during group work is
10:00
confusion. A kid who doesn't know what to do is just gonna
10:02
find something to do, and it's not gonna be what you had in
10:06
mind.
10:07
Emily: Yeah, it's definitely gonna involve somebody's eraser
10:10
and somebody else's pencil and a whole fiasco about who started
10:14
what. So let's avoid that. Post the steps on the board, and this
10:18
doesn't have to be an anchor chart either, you can project
10:21
these on a slide or just write them on the board.
10:23
Heidi: But the best version, the version that will save you the
10:27
most headaches, is an individual list that each student or each
10:31
group has with them.
10:32
Emily: Yeah, I'm a big believer in the paper in their hand,
10:35
because kids forget to look up at the board somehow. The words
10:40
are six inches tall and they're just invisible to them, but if
10:45
the steps are right there next to the paper, they're much more
10:48
likely to glance down and check.
10:51
Heidi: So teach the social skill and write out the activity
10:54
steps, two different things, but both are necessary.
10:57
Now our third category is how you structure the activity
11:00
itself. This one starts with the question, Does this work
11:04
actually merit collaboration?
11:06
Emily: Oh, this is so important. Because if you're just having
11:09
kids sit next to each other and fill out the same worksheet,
11:11
that is not group work, that's two kids working near each
11:14
other, and they are going to get bored and goof around very
11:17
quickly.
11:18
Heidi: Yeah, if you're going to the trouble to let students work
11:21
together, there should be work worth doing. There needs to be a
11:25
problem to solve, a product to create, or a question to debate,
11:29
something that genuinely requires more than one brain.
11:32
Emily: Otherwise the kids just sniff it out immediately. And
11:35
the fun of messing around with our partner is way more
11:38
interesting than the task at hand.
11:41
Heidi: Yeah, probably because it is more interesting.
11:43
Emily: Well, yeah, it is. So first, make sure the work
11:46
deserves collaboration. Then plan for the friction points
11:49
before they happen. Friction points are those little
11:53
transition moments that can derail the whole thing. Think
11:56
about materials. If every group needs to grab materials from the
11:59
back table, what happens if 28 kids get up at once?
12:03
Heidi: Yikes. So send a few groups at a time. Think we
12:06
talked about that in last week's episode. Go back and check that
12:09
out. Or have the materials already distributed. Do what you
12:13
need to do, just think it through. Then consider where
12:16
everybody's going to work. If students are going to spread out
12:18
around the room instead of staying at their desks, you
12:21
either need to assign the spots ahead of time, or you need to
12:24
give them criteria for choosing a good spot.
12:27
Emily: And my standard for this was always two big steps. You
12:30
had to be two big steps away from any other group.
12:33
Heidi: Oh, that rule saved me so many times, and I loved how
12:37
serious the kids would get about measuring their two big steps.
12:40
Emily: These, you know, ginormous steps.
12:43
Heidi: Yes, like, one, two.
12:47
Emily: And it does seem silly, but those guidelines, without
12:50
them, the kids will absolutely try to work right on top of each
12:53
other. And then, of course, the two groups are talking or
12:55
fighting instead of working.
12:58
Heidi: Okay, so far, you have assigned strategic groups,
13:01
prepped the kids for social and academic success, planned a
13:04
meaningful task, and the next step is to assign roles within
13:08
groups. Think materials manager, timekeeper, recorder, reporter,
13:12
whatever makes sense for the task that gives each kid a clear
13:16
job.
13:16
Emily: Now, if you look up anything about cooperative
13:19
learning, it will recommend assigning students roles. But
13:22
Heidi, you had some problems with that, right?
13:24
Heidi: Well, I did, and to be fair, it could have just been
13:28
that I did not prep my kids well enough. It very likely was that,
13:32
but I did find that roles were pretty hit or miss.
13:36
Developmentally, younger kids don't always understand how
13:39
their job is different from somebody else's job. You tell
13:41
one kid they're the materials manager and another kid they're
13:44
the recorder, they don't necessarily get the big picture
13:47
of how those jobs work together to support the group.
13:50
Emily: So if you're working with younger kids, you might need to
13:53
simplify, maybe just two roles instead of four, or maybe roles
13:58
with really visual cues, like the materials manager gets a
14:01
special badge or lanyard.
14:03
Heidi: Oh yeah, they would love a prop.
14:05
Emily: Oh, for sure.
14:06
Heidi: And this is another place where the individual step list
14:09
becomes your friend, because you can put the role right on top of
14:12
that kid's paper. Now Partner A, you're the materials manager.
14:15
Here are your jobs.
14:16
Emily: Or if roles aren't working for you, it's okay to
14:19
skip them. Again we're not going to let the perfect be the enemy
14:22
of the good, because it is term four.
14:25
Heidi: Yeah, do what we gotta to survive.
14:27
Okay, now it's time to close out the activity, and this is the
14:31
one that I think teachers skip the most, because by the time
14:34
you get to the end of a group activity, you just want to get
14:37
on to the next thing.
14:38
Emily: Which totally makes sense, but a quick debrief at
14:40
the end is what turns a one time activity into something that
14:43
actually gets better over the year.
14:46
Heidi: Now, obviously you are probably wrapping up an activity
14:49
with a discussion about the learning, but this debrief is
14:52
not about, you know, what they learned about frogs or
14:54
multiplication. This debrief is about the partnering. How did
14:59
working together go?
14:59
Emily: If you want to make sure this is something you can stick
15:02
with, keep it simple. Pick two standard questions that you can
15:05
use every single time.
15:06
Heidi: Plus, that way the kids get used to the format. Try
15:09
asking, How is someone in your group a good partner today, and
15:13
what will you remember to do the next time you work with a
15:16
partner?
15:17
Emily: I like those two questions because one is looking
15:19
back at what worked, which helps students recognize the types of
15:23
behaviors that are helpful. And the other question is helping
15:25
them see how they'll put those behaviors into action for
15:28
themselves.
15:29
Heidi: And this check in should be quick, like two minutes. The
15:32
kids are as eager as you are to get onto the next thing.
15:35
Emily: And there is a hidden benefit to doing this every
15:38
time. When kids know that a debrief is coming, they know
15:40
their behavior might get discussed, not in a scary way,
15:44
but just in a, I want someone to recognize what I'm doing way.
15:48
That little bit of social accountability can make kids try
15:51
a little harder.
15:52
Heidi: It's amazing what a little peer pressure will do.
15:56
Emily: In the best way. So those are our tips for managing group
16:00
work. And this is so great for the kids, especially at the end
16:03
of the year, but there's no way around it. It is more behind the
16:06
scenes work for you as the teacher.
16:09
Heidi: Yeah, it is. Building the group list, planning the mini
16:12
lesson, writing out the step sheets, thinking through the
16:15
friction points. There's a ton of work before the kids even
16:19
know what the activity is going to be.
16:21
Emily: But here is a little end of your payoff you might not
16:24
recognize. When a group activity is structured well and the kids
16:27
know what they're doing and are engaged in meaningful work, it
16:31
creates this golden moment of time during class where you are
16:34
not actively teaching.
16:37
Heidi: I love those moments. We call them pockets of prep, and
16:41
you want as many of these as you can get in May. I used to use
16:45
that time to catch up on grading or to declutter the spot on my
16:48
counter that had become a disaster. It's like a magnet for
16:51
clutter.
16:51
Emily: Oh, yeah. Or to check something in your avalanche of
16:55
end of year tasks like report cards, inventory, cleaning out
16:59
cubbies, organizing files. You know all of that that never
17:03
ends.
17:04
Heidi: It never ends. So when your group activity is running
17:08
well, you can sit down at your desk for 15 minutes and actually
17:11
make a dent in something. And that's not slacking. That is
17:14
smart classroom management.
17:16
Emily: The kids are learning, they're engaged, they're working
17:19
together. You are doing your job, even if you're not actively
17:22
teaching a lesson. You are also getting something done. And so
17:26
that is just a win, win in May.
17:28
Heidi: Okay, let's do a quick recap. Build your groups
17:32
strategically, change them frequently, and make your ABCD
17:36
lists ahead of time, so that you're not starting from
17:38
scratch.
17:39
Emily: Consider how you prep kids before they start. Teach
17:43
the social skill with a quick mini lesson and post the
17:45
activity steps in writing. Make sure your activity actually
17:49
merits collaboration. Plan for friction points and assign clear
17:52
roles. And wrap up intentionally so good choices carry over to
17:56
the next activity.
17:58
Heidi: If you want to put some of this into practice in the
18:00
last stretch of the year, in the Teacher Approved Club in May, we
18:04
are discussing how to close out the year strong. You can find a
18:07
link to join us in the show notes.
18:10
Emily: Now for our Teacher Approved Tip of the Week, where
18:12
we share an actionable tip to help you elevate what matters
18:15
and simplify the rest. This week's teacher approved tip is
18:19
build group work stamina. So tell us how to do this, Heidi.
18:22
Heidi: So this tip is for the teacher who's listening to this
18:25
episode and maybe feeling a little panicked because they
18:28
haven't done a ton of group work this year. It's okay. We've got
18:32
you. It's true that if your class hasn't done much
18:35
collaborative work all year, you cannot walk in tomorrow and ask
18:39
them to tackle a 45 minute stem challenge with assigned roles
18:43
and three stages of work. You need to scale your expectations
18:47
to match what your kids could actually handle right now. So
18:50
remember that group work is like any other skill. It takes
18:53
stamina. So if you want to build in group work for the last
18:57
stretch of the year, just start really small. My go-to are
19:01
always partner games. Start with five or 10 minutes and keep
19:04
things very low stakes, something like a quick math fact
19:08
game with a partner, or like a partner read of a passage.
19:12
Emily: And then you can build up to short partner tasks with a
19:15
clear finish line, something that takes maybe 15 minutes and
19:19
has a defined end point so the kids know what they're working
19:22
toward.
19:23
Heidi: And then if and only if, you still have the energy, you
19:28
can work up to the bigger collaborative projects, the ones
19:31
with multiple roles and longer time frames and bigger outcomes.
19:36
You're just building that muscle gradually.
19:39
Emily: Yeah, and you've got several weeks left. That is
19:41
enough time to build real stamina, if you start where your
19:44
kids actually are. And even if all you get in are just three or
19:49
four short partner experiences, your students are still getting
19:52
the benefits of working with a peer, and that will completely
19:55
change how the end of the year feels.
19:58
Heidi: All right. To wrap up the show, we are sharing what we're
20:00
giving extra credit to this week. Emily, what gets your
20:02
extra credit?
20:03
Emily: I'm giving extra credit to the Nod Pod. Have you seen
20:06
these before, Heidi?
20:07
Heidi: I have no idea what this is.
20:08
Emily: Okay. So this is a sleeping mask. And I feel like
20:13
masks should sort of be in quotes, because its goal is not
20:17
to block out light, although it does do that. But what it is, is
20:21
basically a weighted blanket for your eyes.
20:25
Heidi: Okay.
20:27
Emily: So, I mean, just imagine, like a long strip of like minky
20:31
sort of fabric, so soft.
20:33
Heidi: Okay.
20:34
Emily: And it's got like four little bean bags in it.
20:37
Basically, it kind of reminds me of like a pea pod. And so if you
20:42
sleep on your back, then you would just put the two middle
20:46
pods over your eyes, and then I just covered my face while I'm
20:49
talking into the microphone, because I have to demonstrate
20:53
putting it over your eyes. So you put those two pods over your
20:56
eyes, and then the other two are just kind of to the side of your
21:00
head. And so it's just like, it's a lot more comfortable way
21:03
to have a mat, a sleeping mask on because it doesn't have to be
21:08
wrapped around your head, although it can be. It does
21:10
have, like, a little loop. So you can do that if you want to.
21:13
But I sleep on my side, so I thought this wouldn't work for
21:17
me. But then somebody I follow was like, no, no, you you can.
21:21
And so if you're sleeping on your side, you have it where you
21:24
do two of the the little pods that are on the edge of the
21:27
four, and then the other two just go over the side of your
21:31
head that's face up, basically. And so it just kind of like
21:34
holds it in place. It's so hard to describe this thing or why it
21:40
would be appealing.
21:41
Heidi: What does it do?
21:43
Emily: It's so comfortable. Like, it's just the softest,
21:45
most gentle pressure on your eyes. But, like, not in a way
21:48
that hurts. It's just so like, I feel like I'm getting to sleep
21:52
so fast, like I get into bed now and I'm like, Ooh, I get to put
21:55
on my Nod Pod. It always takes me a minute to, like, get
21:58
situated. I do think it is harder to use as a side sleeper,
22:02
but it still works. And, I mean, I wouldn't even necessarily say
22:05
I keep it on the whole night. Sometimes I wake up and it's
22:07
Okay, I will take your word for that.
22:08
still on. A lot of times I wake up and it's not, but I think
22:12
it's main benefits is for helping you fall asleep. Like a
22:15
weight, you know, it's just like a weighted blanket, but for your
22:18
eyes.
22:22
You should try it out. And I did find it on sale. I will say
22:26
that, because it is a little bit pricey. But keep an eye out for
22:29
it, listeners as well, if you're interested, like, keep an eye
22:33
out for a deal. Like, I frequently see at least some
22:36
discount on it, so don't buy it at full price. And I actually
22:39
saw it at Ulta for, like, 50% off for like a daily deal. So
22:43
keep an eye out.
22:44
Heidi: Okay, well, that's that's a good one to try out.
22:47
Emily: And yet again, I'm giving extra credit to something that's
22:50
impossible to describe, like on a podcast, like you need to see
22:54
what I'm talking about. I'll have to post a picture in
22:57
stories or something.
22:58
Heidi: There you go.
22:58
Emily: Okay, what are you giving extra credit to Heidi?
23:01
Heidi: I am giving extra credit to the TV show, Jury Duty:
23:06
Company Retreat.
23:07
Emily: Oh, I haven't watched it yet. Is it good?
23:09
Heidi: Yes. So like, gosh, it's been a few years now, like 2021,
23:14
2022, something like that.
23:14
Emily: Yeah.
23:14
Heidi: I think they filmed it before the pandemic, so it would
23:16
have been like 2021.
23:20
Emily: Really? Oh my gosh.
23:21
Heidi: Yeah, they came out with this TV show called Jury Duty,
23:24
and it's on Freevee. And the premise is they're filming a
23:29
documentary about jury duty and all this crazy stuff is going
23:34
on. But that's because everyone in the show is an actor, except
23:38
for one guy who has no clue what is going on. It was so funny.
23:44
And it wasn't mean spirited, like it's not like a giant prank
23:48
show, because the guy is always set up to be the hero, like they
23:52
refer to him as the hero. He's the one that's solving the
23:55
problems. He's the one that's helping everybody, so he's never
23:58
the butt of the joke.
23:59
Emily: Yes, which I feel like, makes a big difference in
24:01
something like this.
24:02
Heidi: So it was so funny. I think it's like five or six
24:04
episodes. It was hilarious.
24:06
Emily: It was a hoot.
24:07
Heidi: And it was just like, well, they, that's sad they can
24:09
never do that again. But they did it. They came back this year
24:13
with a similar thing. It's Company Retreat. So the
24:18
documentary crew is filming this family hot sauce company as the
24:24
longtime owner is handing over the reins to his loser son. And
24:30
they're on this company retreat in the mountains and all of this
24:33
crazy drama and this poor guy's attempt, he just got hired
24:39
specifically for this retreat to be like an assistant for this
24:42
retreat. He's, like, just trying to do his best. And it's, it's
24:46
just like, heartwarming chaos.
24:48
Emily: And I heard something, even though I haven't watched it
24:51
yet, I heard something about how the reason this worked was this
24:55
guy was, like, just inherently not curious about any of these
24:58
people. He didn't go home and Google anybody. You know, like
25:02
with jury duty, they were sequestered, but with this like
25:05
he still had access to his phone, and apparently they had
25:08
made, like fake social media accounts for everyone in case he
25:10
tried to look anyone up, but he never did. So it just helps that
25:14
they picked someone who was a nice guy, it sounds like, but
25:18
also just an inherently not very curious guy.
25:21
Heidi: And like, he is such a team player. Because, like, he
25:24
gets up there and like the guy he's an assistant to, like, the
25:28
manager he's helping is, like, just total goofball. And he's
25:31
like, I'm Captain Fun, and you're my, you're, oh, not my
25:36
captain, but like...
25:37
Emily: Skipper.
25:37
Heidi: Yes, like, so he like, takes and he runs with it. He
25:42
doesn't know any of these people, but he's game, and so
25:44
it's just really enjoyable to watch and the situations they
25:49
come up with. So yeah.
25:51
Emily: Oh I'm so excited to watch it.
25:55
Heidi: Well, that is it for today's episode. Try out our
25:58
four-category framework for managing group work at the end
26:00
of the year, and don't forget to build that collaboration stamina
26:03
before you plan anything too ambitious.
26:07
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm Heidi.
26:11
Emily: And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
26:15
or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an
26:17
episode.
26:18
Heidi: You can connect with us and other teachers in the
26:20
Teacher Approved Facebook group. We'll see you here next week.
26:24
Bye for now.
26:24
Emily: Bye.