This essay discusses the topic of how people’s intellectual skills might be more improved by participating in group activities rather than completing a task individually. In the following paragraphs I will introduce my point of view and experience related to the importance of working in groups and how that might help or disadvantage one’s intellectual growth.
To begin I’d like to note that when speaking of a person’s intelligence I consider it to be a term that carries various aspects of one’s abilities. For this essay, I will focus on rational intelligence, or knowledge and interpersonal intelligence, or the ability to relate to others and manage relationships. Overall, I agree that group activities improve a person’s intellectual skills, but it is not always a given. Sometimes group settings can polarize people’s behavior and habits, leaving very little room for actual growth.
People must complete tasks and solve problems in some form of a group setting throughout our entire lives, but more often during our education years. From early childhood education, where kids play together, all the way to university group projects and further teamwork in employment. Since the educational years are the most significant for one’s personality and intellectual development, that’s group activities can be the biggest blessing or a curse for one’s intellectual growth.
During my school (primary to high school) years I was the quiet child, with good ideas that were often overshadowed by someone who was slightly louder or more confident than me. Often when assigned a group project we were not encouraged to consider everyone’s ideas and asses together what would be the final group idea to present. Mostly meaning that the loudest ideas became the group’s ideas. On a similar note, when playing sports with my classmates most physically advanced got the opportunity to play when a tournament of any sort came around. It did not matter how much I loved to play or wanted to learn how to play. And while in sports it might seem logical to put the best players ahead of those who need more attention or time for the sake of victory, those experiences made me think that maybe I shouldn’t bother participating in something if I’m not noticeably good at it right away.
Group projects are great if they are facilitated healthily. If teachers and coaches guide the group work process so that the quiet kids learn to express themselves and the loud kids learn to listen and encourage, then the process will genuinely improve the participant’s intellectual abilities. There will be more room to share ideas and find new ways of relating between the group members.