You’ve got a huge group project coming up and you’re psyched
about working with your super-smart bestie…until your teacher decides to assign
partners instead of letting you pick your own. And—just your luck—you’ve been
given the gal that does nothing.
What now?
Divide and conquer
The first time you and your partner meet, you need to divvy
up the responsibilities. Write ‘em down and make a copy so that neither one of
you has an excuse when it comes to knowing (or not knowing) what you’re responsible
for. Stick to the list and make it clear that you two are equals…and you’ll be
doing equal amounts of work.
Make your own deadlines
You’ve got three weeks before this sucker is due. To ward
off a last-second disaster, agree to set deadlines for each stage of your
project. Think: a week for research, a week for creating your materials
(handouts, PowerPoints, posters) and a week for practicing your presentation or
pulling together a paper for your teacher. This will keep you both on track and
prevent procrastination.
Keep tabs on progress
Don’t wait for deadlines to come and go to check in on how
your partner is doing. And don’t accept vague responses—i.e. “It’s going OK”—when
you can get a real answer. Ask direct questions, such as “Is the research on
George Washington done yet?”
Meet up to work together
When you work together, side-by-side, in the same room, you’ll
be able to see if your partner is actually doing the work or spending the time
texting her BFFs. If she’s goofing off while your slaving away, don’t be afraid
to be the bad guy—this is about popularity, it’s about your grades.
Mega problem? Talk to your teacher
When in doubt, discreetly ask your teacher if you two can chat
after class or during a free period. Don’t get whiney, but do tell her the
facts: “I’m really worried about this project. My partner and I divide the work
up equally when we started, but she hasn’t done anything yet.” Ask her for
advice. Your teacher will not want to
see you doing all the work while your partner gets a free pass to a good grade.
Tip? This is best done before the
project is actually due. If you’re concerned, don’t hesitate to mention your
partner probs to your teacher.
BY BRITTANY TAYLOR ON 3/3/2011 7:00:00 AM
POSTED IN studying secrets, bust school stress, grades