Collaborative Study Groups (CSGs)

What are Collaborative Study Groups (CSGs)? CSGs are a time for students to collaborate twice per week and help one another with questions they are having in academic classes.

How Often Do CSGs Occur? CSGs are typically scheduled either on: Mondays & Wednesdays or Tuesdays & Thursdays

Taking Notes in Class Students take Cornell Notes from lectures, videos, presentations, textbooks, etc. in their academic classes.

Preparing for CSGs At home, students complete the top portion of the CSG form based on questions, problems, concepts to teach, or current events they may have from their academic classes, Cornell notes, homework, class work, quizzes, or tests. Current events may also be addressed.

Collecting CSGs As students enter the classroom, the Scholars teacher or a Scholars Tutor collects the CSG Forms. CSG Forms are the “golden tickets” required to enter class.

Forming Collaborative Study Groups CSG Forms are quickly divided into groups by the Scholars teacher or a tutor based on your questions/problems/concepts to teach/current events Integrated Math I Biology English

Getting Into CSGs Your teacher or a tutor will call the names of each student who is in the biology group, for example, and will assign them a location to work. This step is repeated for each group.

Materials Once in your groups, pull out any materials needed to help with your question/problem/concept/concern/current event. Materials may include Cornell notes, textbooks, worksheets, online textbooks, pens, calculators, etc.

Choosing Student Tutors X One student from each CSG will be assigned the role of Student Tutor. Student Tutors help facilitate the CSG process and will choose students in their group to present their questions on the white board.

Who Goes First? Once you are in your CSGs, the student who has been selected as “Student Tutor” will have all group members read their Questions/Problems/Concepts to Teach/Current Events aloud. Students who are in most need of help (i.e. a test next period) go first. Questions/Problems/Concepts to Teach/Current Events that can wait go at the end. X

White Board Set-up Write Write Question/Problem/Concepts to Teach/ Current Event Here Write Collaborative Study Group Notes Here

How to Present a Question Write the problem neatly on the whiteboard. Face the group members. Read the question, problem, concept to teach, or current event out loud to the group. Explain any prior knowledge and what you already understand. Explain what strategies you used in attempting to answer the question.

Recording Notes Group members record everything that is written on the white board on their CSG forms. Each question/problem/concept/concern/current event that is presented on the white board is separated by a squiggly line on CSG forms.

Questions to Ask During CSGs Can you explain your question in another way? What do you already know about the question? What have you already tried? Where could you find a similar problem in the book? Do you have Cornell notes that may help? Where could you go for more information? What website might help you with your question? What does ___________mean? How would you graphically illustrate your process? What would happen if you changed _____________? What if you tried ______________? How would you teach this to a friend?

Reflection & Evaluation During the last 5 minutes of CSGs, you will complete the reflection and evaluation portion of the CSG form on side 2.

Why Reflect? In a study, students who reflected on their learning did 18% better than students who did not In another study, employees in a job training program who reflected on their learning scored 23% better on the end of training assessment than employees who did not reflect on their learning. Simple Math: If your grade would have been a 55% with no reflection, it could go up 18-23% with some reflection. 55% + 18% = 73% Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/05/study-you-really-can-work-smarter-not-harder/370819/

Need this for later? If you need the information from your CSG form to help you with homework or an upcoming test, take a picture before your turn in your CSG form.

Staple the CSGs After your group has finished reflections & evaluations, staple your CSG forms together and turn them in to your teacher.

Scoring Your teacher will score your CSGs on any or all of the following: The quality of your question/problem/concept/concern The quality of the notes taken during your CSG Your reflection The evaluation of yourself on your CSG form The evaluation scores your group members gave you Teacher/tutor observation of participation and materials brought in and used

Scoring Your teacher may choose to use the scoring die to determine what part of your Collaborative Study Group form will be graded for your period.

Finished Early? Do your homework. Remember that you have a group of students available to help if you need it! Write summaries for your Cornell notes Write questions on the left side of your notes Study your notes or quiz one another Organize your binders Read a book silently Ask tutors about their college experience

Role of Tutors During CSGs Encourage students to ask questions of one another Keep the discussion going Make sure all students participate Guide students to the answer without simply supplying the answer Ask students higher level questions to help them dig deeper Encourage students to ask higher level questions of each other

Role of Tutors During CSGs Distribute Collaborative Study Group Discussion Cards as needed At the direction of the Scholars teacher, tutors may occasionally award students certificates to be used for extra credit