We focus on children's approaches to managing group work in classrooms where collaborative learning principles are explicit. Small groups of 8-10 year olds worked on collaborative science activities using an interactive whiteboard. Insubsequent interviews, they spoke of learning to "be patient" and "wait", for multiple social and technical reasons. Conclusions are drawn about how children's dialogue during and after lessons constitutes and develops their collective capacities to deal with frustrations and problems arising for themselves and others. Attention to children's thinking and language about managing group work should promote their future success in collaborative learning.