Author:
Owl Nest Manager
Subject:
Agriculture
Material Type:
Teaching/Learning Strategy
Level:
Middle School, High School
Tags:
  • Group Work
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • NE Ag
  • NE Food
  • Nebraska Department of Education
  • Teaching Strategy
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike
    Language:
    English

    Education Standards

    'Foreman' Role for Group Projects

    'Foreman' Role for Group Projects

    Overview

    Assigning students particular roles can be an effective way to organize groups and simulate job site communication.  Assigning a ‘foreman’ for groups in an agriculture education classroom helps to distribute responsibility among group members and ensures accountability for all students’ participation. As students practice assuming greater responsibility, they can develop new skills. Designed by Donald Fowler.

    'Foreman' Role for Group Projects

    Procedure:

    1. Determine the roles needed:

    I was tired of tools being broken, not getting put away, or disappearing. Multiple projects needed completed. I had 12 students and split them into four groups of 3 each. I designated a “foreman” for each group.

    2. Provide Students with Expectations for Role

    With this project they were to act as if they were on a job site, they were getting paid for their labor (participation points), and the tools were their own theoretically. The pay (points) per hour was $20. They had to treat the tools like their own therefore if bits were broken it was 2 dollars (points) from their daily pay (participation points). If tools were left out they lost $5 (points) per day. At the end of each week their total was out of 100 points/dollars and I kept track each day how many points/dollars they lost.

    I let entire class know the “foreman” is simply heading their group. They are not the “boss” but rather the lead worker in the team. Make sure your “foremen” do not abuse their power. They get the points the same as the rest of the “workers” get their points.

    3. Evaluate

    I used this in my Landscaping class for three weeks but it could be used for any class and any amount of time and the points/pay could be changed based on grading policies, hours per day in class, or personal preference. Most of the students in this class are headed to the workforce in some aspect and they took this very serious and did quite well.

     

    Materials needed:

    Paper to track points - could be done daily in gradebook. 

     

    Related resource:

    This 'Assigning Roles for Group Work' Teaching Strategy is closely related.

    Assigning students particular roles can be an effective way to organize groups and simulate job site communication.  Assigning a ‘foreman’ for groups in an agriculture education classroom helps to distribute responsibility among group members and ensures accountability for all students’ participation. As students practice assuming greater responsibility, they can develop new skills. Designed by Donald Fowler.

     

    2023 Nebraska Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Learning Standards:

    AFNR.HS.10.1.a Demonstrate personal responsibility in the workplace and community.

    AFNR.HS.10.2.a Model personal responsibility and demonstrate safety in the workplace and community.

    AFNR.HS.10.3.b Model proper management of teams and large groups.

    AFNR.HS.10.4.c Demonstrate workplace characteristics that contribute to a positive morale and workplace environment.

    AFNR.HS.10.5.c Communicate using strategies that ensure clarity, logic, purpose, and professionalism in formal or informal settings.

     

    Learning Goal:  Students will delegate effectively and demonstrate workplace responsibility as they participate in role assignments with peers and contribute to group work.

     

    Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash