There are quite a few reasons why teachers separate students into groups:

• It breaks monotony
• Gives the teacher opportunity to give individual or group coaching to those who need it.
• Allows enrichment for groups of students who thrive on a challenge.
• Speeds up research. Several teams delving into specific parts of a subject will cover that subject quicker than individual or large group activity.
• Learners can be mentors to their peers.
• Teachers can ‘drop by’ literally or virtually to see how the teams are getting along finding solution

Nooks and crannies

You can expect an enthusiastic bunch of teenagers working together to be quite noisy. This is where a well-designed, comfortable breakout space really helps. Soft seating absorbs a lot of noise. High backed collaboration pods can be put together by arranging modular seating in a C-shape. 

This is a great noise solution whether the teacher is on campus or off campus.

Either way, other students might be needing some quiet. And talking about quiet, there are times when any of us need to calm down and replenish ourselves. Make sure that time-out zones are available for a change of pace. Ten minutes in a backwater, separated from the hubbub, could be all it takes to reboot and refresh!