Group Projects... the two most horrible words you can hear in the classroom!

Can I just say I have been dealing with this since Elementary school! I am SO frustrated. I HATE HATE HATE group projects, always have always will. I am just one of those people who would rather do the whole thing by myself with only my name on it. Besides the fact that I usually take the leadership role when it comes to these kinds of things (it is just my personality I can't help it) But I also hate when group projects go bad. I think we ALL know what I am talking about here. I am in a Teaching History class and I love it, but we have these group projects that we all just started working on, where we design lesson plans etc. and it is a bunch of little projects apart of this GIANT project we are turning in at the end of the semester. We are on our first little project and it is due today, and guess what I am doing even though I have another huge project due for another class tomorrow? I am finishing up all the work my other two partners didn't do. At least the one girl attempted to do something the other kid has done absolutely nothing! In ym complainging last night Trevor says I should tell the teacher. I mean we arn't in Highschool anymore I don't want to have to "tell" on the kid, PLUS I have to work with them the rest of the semester I don't want things to be awkward or uncomfortable. I basically am doing this whole project by myself and I am the type of person that HAS to turn in something that is of the quality I would be proud of, so I find myself re-doing the half done work of this on chick and then doing all of my share and this other kids. They seem just peachy to let me have the full plate too which sucks. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

6 comments

  1. I have always hated group projects also for the same reason & I hated it when you kids had them because you kids would end up doing most of the work - well most of you anyway :)

    Dad had to do a group project for his graduate degree at UCSD. He thought they should do it one way but he was voted down by everyone in the group and he had no choice but to go along with everyone. They ended up with a B and had they done it Dad's way they would have had an A. He really hates group projects!

    I hope you won't have many group projects the rest of your college career.

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  2. totally agree ... and I think that college group projects are way worse than high school group projects.

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  3. Ugh yeah I agree. Though don't be afraid to tell your partners. I was in a group project for a filming class. There were three of us and one person was a total dud. He did absolutely nothing and then put his name on the project. We got an A and then totally ratted on the guy. Our teacher made him do his own project. He begged to be back in our group and myself and the other girl said no. We produced some pretty cool films without him.

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  4. I meant to say don't be afraid to tell the teacher. But talking it over with the group might help a little bit.

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  5. OK Alycia. Let me tell you how I would handle this (and I would know):

    1. In separate encounters you complain to each of your partners (there are two?) about the work the other one is not doing. They will agree with you to cover their own guilty rears.

    2. Next you call a group "planning" meeting in which you say, "you know I am not complaining but I feel like I am carrying this entire thing on my shoulders" I am willing to do it but you should know that if I don't get more support we won't do very well. I can't do it alone." They will have been mentally prepared for this by step 1 and will have to offer their services to cover their own rears.

    3. Either during the meeting or after the meeting you divy up assignments. Keep the assignments specific and with due dates. Most procrastination occurs when the work or deadline is not clearly defined.

    4. You harrass them for a few days with constant emails for updates. (remind them that they committed to doing this). If they are on top of things you shower them with gratitude. If things are not as you would hope you subtly suggest that you are not above telling the teacher why your group project was sloppy.

    5. Seriously consider performing steps 1-4 having already secretly told the teacher. Let her know later if they begin to comply.

    6. Remember to exploit their need for acceptance and their fear of an unambiguous punishment. These motivations are so strong they keep cowards from deserting in war.

    7. If all else fails, tell them you are cutting them loose. Inform them that because you did the entire project by yourself only your name will go on it. This will usually snap them out of it but it may back-fire when you turn it in and the teacher docs you for not "playing by the rules". You can mitigate this by performing step 5.

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  6. I hate group projects. After my one and only "B" in grad school due to a group project I just did all group projects myself and if I had partners they got a free ride. It was better than getting another B.

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