I received this letter a few days ago from a satisfied teacher using IG in her classroom.  Enjoy!

Dear IG Sensei,

A few years ago, I was just like any normal teacher.  I thought that I had my students learning in the best possible way, cooperative groups.  Unfortunately, my thoughts were completely wrong.  That year, I felt my students were over-prepared for our statewide testing (State Higher Instruction Test.)  When the results came back, over half of my students were scoring BFG (Below Forrest Gump!)  I was shocked.  I felt that I had worked to the best of my ability, and yet my students didn’t show it.

Late one night as I was crying watching television, an ad for your program came on.  I was immediately interested as the announcer talked about the use of BS words in the classroom.  I needed to make my classroom more “Challenging, Rigorous, and Progressive.”  Once I started teaching CRAP, my students actually began to learn.  It changed the way I taught COMPLETELY.  Now, my math class is CRAP.  My reading class is CRAP.  Heck, even the bell work is CRAP.  All of my lesson plans are CRAP!  Wow, everything I learned in college was a complete waste after I bought into your program.

For my first project this year, I am going to have my students write a narrative about their individual life growing up, as a group.  Once they complete that activity, I am going to have my groups compete in a three-legged race, individually, to build character.  Just look at how easy it is to make your group work individual!  I can’t wait!

Sensei, I am looking forward to your next book.  Strategically Communicating and Mediating (SCAM) looks to be a great asset to my classroom.  Well done!

Thanks again,

A Teacher who gives CRAP

Using IG makes those first few days of school very easy.  I often walk into a classroom and become disgusted with the layout of the classroom.  Often, I see too much individual work or too much group work.  The key is to make your groups individualized, but your individuals into groups.  Take a look at these pictures below, and let’s see what you think.

A. Well organized classrooms.  This is what my classroom looks like! (A “Book Smart” teacher)

B. What was this teacher thinking?  They must have just started teaching.  (A “Street Smart” teacher)

If you chose A, you need to go back and read my first post.  You are not ready for the IG classroom experience.  If you chose B, you are ready for the next step!

This video was the inspiration for IG.  I believe it’s important that we DO SOMETHING!

“By Sight” (BS) words are a developing trend in the educational setting.  In IG, we believe that BS words should be Challenging, Rigorous, and Progressive (CRAP).  BS words should be used to help students become prepared for the real world setting.

Here is an example list of some BS words:

obstentanious

oxymonotriglyceronucleiclyness

trulific

falsable

closedooredness

heterogerm

As you can see, these words can be very useful in the classroom setting.  Our BS words are CRAP.

This is the first question I get from teachers planning on using IG in their classrooms.  With IG, your classroom should be individualized, but in a group setting.  It’s really easy.  I like to put my students in groups, but by themselves.

Also, remember that the core essential of IG is to make your group work individually.  Also, your individual work should be guided towards a cooperative group.

If you are reading this site, you probably are interested in doing what is best for your students.  As we go through the next few months, I want to give teachers a way to help their students.  I believe that “Individualized Groups,” which I will now refer to as IG is definitely the way to go.  IG is a strategy that has been tested, examined, prodded, and washed.  IT WORKS!  If you are not exited about IG yet, just wait!