Why Teamwork Works: Helping Students See the Value of Collaboration

Teach teamwork as deliberately as the math: share the why, model the questions, and show students what great teams look like.

October 19, 20261 min read

Teacher Tips 2026–27 · Tip 4 of 8

Just as students are learning new mathematics, they’re also learning how to work together effectively in teams. Communicate expectations clearly, model the kinds of questions you hope students will ask each other, and reinforce constructive team behaviors all year long.

Share the why

Students respond more positively to teamwork when they understand why it matters. Share the well-documented benefits of collaborative learning regularly, and keep talking with students about the why and how of teamwork in your classroom. Research-supported benefits include:

Working in a team gives students opportunities to see and discuss multiple approaches to problems.
Students make greater learning gains when they have many chances to explain their thinking and discuss ideas.
Working with others helps students become skilled collaborators, which serves them well in many careers.

Show students what great teamwork looks like

The Lesson Mathcasts in the Teacher Notes, and the videos under Teacher → Team Support in your eBook, show effective teamwork in action. Watch them as you prep, then consider showing a few to students so they can see and hear what effective teams do. Follow up with a discussion about what they noticed to clarify expectations.