Team Leader Assignments

Today both classes of students decided on who would be a team leader from that class. I have 2 classes and told the students to select 2 leaders from each class. That will give me 4 total students to touch base with on the progress of the project. The plan is that I will not need to discuss the project with anyone other than the team leaders. The sole requirement for the team leader was a desire not to take the AP test. I did not want a student who would be focused on the AP test to be distracted by the worries of managing such a large project.

I started the conversation by telling the students that only non-AP testers were eligible for being a team leader for the project. Then I asked for volunteers. When a student would volunteer, I would have him/her leave the room, and students would "Fist to Five" (will explain below) the idea of that student serving as leader. All students would vote, including the AP testers, and if the majority of the students felt comfortable with that student as a leader, we would name him/her as one of the leaders.

One issue that arose in my second class period was an abnormal number of absences in one day. Apparently, tennis, baseball, and one-act-play were all out today. As a quick fix the process listed above was followed, but one student who was not present was selected as a team leader. Fortunately, I am confident about his ability to lead the group, and I had no objections to the class selecting him as leader even in his absence.

**Fist to Five** This is an opinion measurement tool used in the classroom to gauge the feelings of students on a matter. I will start by stating an opinion such as "Travis should be a team leader." Then students will display their thought by showing with their hand a number from zero to five.

• Zero means "I totally disagree with this statement. I will gladly argue against it if asked." 
• Three means "I do not care one way or the other." 
• And five means "I agree with the statement. I would even argue for it if required." 

Each student is required to vote, and all voices are heard with equal volume. This technique goes even further than merely voting for a leader. Here are some statements I have used with "Fist to Five" in my classroom.

• At the end of a complicated math lesson. "I think we need to work another problem together for me to really get this."
• "I have completed my test review and am ready to discuss issues I had working on it."
• "I would prefer to have extra time on the quiz today rather than use my notes on the quiz."