Mentor groups

I found that the use of small groups was very helpful. I think it's good to have a mix, as we do, of a week in class and then a week in groups, or splitting up days, or whatever mix works best for a situation, but the mentor groups should be kept.
I think one reason that they work so well is that it's discussion among peers. The class is peer-based, too, but the way it's set up reminds us that we're still students. When we're in the mentor groups, it's easier to bring up any small points that we might let slide in a lecture-format environment. We also get to know a smaller group better and are more comfortable around those people. We have more time to look at specific examples from real classes, since we're in a small group, and it's easier to discuss things without chaos. Having the strong support of a small group- one that we know we'll continue to meet with during the semester- makes me, and probably others, more comfortable about going into a classroom. I think it boosts our confidence and hence our sense of authority.
I'm not sure how well this translates to the freshman classroom. Group work would be a good thing to use, but sparingly. It really depends on the students.