What do you do if students struggle with task delegation?

I start with something creative in my class asking students to draw a painting or just to write some sentences about any topic I want to discuss. It helps me to understand their level of understanding and how to make the things easy for them. For example in my class on material culture, I ask them to draw an object that has some important meaning in their life. Some of them draw quilt given by their grandmom, some draw hand made painting, some show me their body ornament gifted by someone special. Then I connect with the example that they provide and elaborate how material culture signifies their relationship with other. That gradually helps me to bring broader theoretical concept in my discussion.

Sometimes, help isn't always beneficial. In certain situations, it's best to allow students to work independently rather than constantly monitoring them. In my experience, I will let them do the job, but consistent to discuss about what the problem they meet. It's very important to build discussion, and let the students understand the problem

Have a one-on-one conversation with such a student to gain an insight into what seems to be the problem, having discovered that, then counsel the student to be more relaxed and then break the task down to a more granule one such that the student can pick the task in pieces, grasp the understanding of the task and merge all the pieces and finally review the outcome to affirm that the task has been resolve, thereby restore confidence in such student to take up other tasks with the same approach and build up from there.

Maybe I will "flak" them Do you know what "flaking" is? In the distant years (about 100 years ago) in my country, students went to " Maktab Khane" for primary education. If they don't know how to do their homework, they would be punished with "Flak". Their feet were tied to a tree with a rope and they hit the soles of their feet with a stick when the soles of their feet were up. Usually, if a student could, he would run away from school and disappear However, in this course, when students benefit from all kinds of communication and media technology, it is necessary to make the student interested with encouraging (not punitive) methods and, if necessary, use the advice of educational psychologists.

I think, by addressing the challenges students face with task delegation and providing targeted support, teachers can help students develop the skills they need to work collaboratively and effectively manage tasks.

Encouraging effective teamwork and collaboration, often referred to as 'Esterblish,' can greatly enhance learning outcomes, especially in group settings. By distributing tasks equally among children, each member can focus on their assigned responsibilities, leading to a more efficient completion of tasks and fostering a sense of shared accomplishment.

Be fair in delegating. Let the students know their relative strengths and weaknesses those weak in certain assignments may be stronger in others. Delegating responsibilities should follow this and all the students would find no cause to struggle.

Encourage open communication and collaboration among students by emphasizing the value of diverse skills and perspectives. Facilitate team-building activities that promote trust, respect, and effective communication. Provide guidance on how to divide tasks based on strengths and interests, ensuring each team member contributes meaningfully. Foster a supportive environment where students can offer and receive constructive feedback, learn from each other's strengths, and collectively problem-solve. Empower students to take ownership of their roles within the team and celebrate shared achievements. By nurturing teamwork skills, students develop essential collaboration abilities crucial for success in academics and beyond.

In my classes, one thing that students have found helpful is the "status meeting" exercise. Each person must report work in progress, what is going well, and what areas they could use help or feedback. This exercise helps each student reflect on their own work, identify strengths, practice identifying blindspots, and learning how to ask for help (teamwork usually follows). This exercise helps build a sense of agency over their part of the project and gives them a chance to use their voice/presentation skills in a more informal setting which leads to more confidence in their work overall.

Task delegation is tricky for children, teens and adults. I have unfortunately found, through my studies, from childhood to adulthood, that I am a procrastinator. My brother, from the same family, was not. I remember that when he came home from grammar school, he would quickly complete his homework. I, on the other hand would put it off until the last possible moment. My brother graduated from high school, as valedictorian. Each student's make-up is different. We must first identify strengths, and weaknesses, goals and desires. All the resources in the world will not help the student to succeed, if we do not first align with their own personal goals to achieve their personal best at this exact moment in time in their lives.

Always examine your own skills at delegating for varying student abilities/disabilities, emotional factors like shyness or lack of confidence. This student might need extra support in simple step breakdown and clarity of the task being presented and why and how they can accomplish this task with support from teacher and other students. Leave no one behind, be inclusive, be kind, be thoughtful and encouraging.