group vs solo “hikes”

I’ve started to tell students when we do group stuff, it’s a “group hike” and when we do individual work, it’s a “solo hike”.

It’s funny how something so silly, so small, can really create a whole new understanding of the work at hand.

When hiking in a group, you have to move at a pace everything is comfortable with. You have to check in and make sure everyone is okay. You have to pause and take a breath when someone else needs to.

When hiking by yourself, you can go as fast, or as slow, as you want.

Framing group work as a “hike” creates a whole different understanding of how to move forward best. And how to preach the importance of group roles, helping each other out, and taking care of one another.