Group dynamics

The students knew each other only casually (in spite of the small class size) and so were initially reluctant to toss ideas out in front of the group. Moreover, there was a natural tendency for each person to address their remarks to the instructor. Rather than answer, I would turn the question over to someone else for comment. As the students became more responsible for the material, they became more self-reliant. At the beginning of each class I would ask ``What have you done since I last saw you?'' thus encouraging the students to meet regularly outside the class. I saw my role as that of a constructive and critical resource for their self-directed research. By the end, the group was cohesive, self-reliant, and without exception willing to pursue self-learning aggressively.