Assignment #7: Complete the 4 part assignment format as you read, reflect, and respond to Chapter 7 – Cooperative Learning.
Remember: Although your course packet asks you to post to blog for parts A, B, C, and D…we are asking that you only post part C and D. We’re trying to make the blog easier to read and more user- friendly. Thanks!
A. Self Assessment of Current Beliefs and Practices: This component asks you to reflect on how and why you currently use the instructional strategy of Cooperative Learning in your classroom. The intent of this is to activate your prior knowledge of your strategy use so that you can make comparisons as you read the chapter. Below are the questions to help you complete your self-assessment. After completing your self assessment please post a thought or two as a comment (click on comment link below) to this posting labeled Week Seven: Cooperative Learning.
• What is your purpose for using cooperative learning in your classroom?
• What kind of cooperative learning activities do you use with your students?
• Think of a time when you used cooperative learning and was pleased with the results. Why did it work well?
• Think of a time when you used cooperative learning and was not pleased with the results. Why didn’t it work well?
B. Read & Reflect “Research & Theory”: This portion of the assignment asks you to read chapter 7 and reflect briefly on your thinking after reading the “Research and Theory” section for Cooperative Learning After completing your chapter reflection, please post it as a comment (click on comment link below) in the posting labeled Week Seven: Cooperative Learning.
C. Practice: Choose one of the specific “classroom practice” strategies or techniques shared in this chapter to try out with your students (If you are not currently teaching, you may share how you would use this strategy in your classroom). Please post a brief reflection of how this went to the posting labeled Week Seven: Cooperative Learning. Click on the “comment” link below.
D. Final Strategy Reflection: Use the following sequence of questions/prompts to reflect on what you’ve learned about both the strategies presented in the chapter and what you’ve learned about yourself as both a teacher and a learner. Please post your brief reflection to the posting labeled Week Seven: Cooperative Learning by clicking on the “comment” link below.
How has the information you read in this chapter on Cooperative Learning effected your thinking about teaching and learning? What have you learned about yourself as a teacher and learner? Use the following questions to assist you in writing a brief strategy reflection:
• How might I change how use cooperative learning in my classroom?
• What is something you now understand better about cooperative learning?
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3 comments:
C. Cooperative Learning
I use informal grouping on a daily basis. So many of these cooperative learning structures such as pair-share,pairs check, heads together and turn-to-your-neighbor are quick and really help to provide feedback to everyone in a timely manner. My students really like this and I don't have as many complaints of "you haven't let me share my idea yet."
D. I did like reading about how to use base groups. I haven't incorporated this into my classroom setting but I will next year. I can see how it would provide so much support for the students in the group. There is so much potential there for the beginning of the year and students not knowing one another. I was excited to think about my students having others to help remind them about choosing lunch, touching base about homework and calling one another for help with projects or homework.
C. This week after reading about Cooperative learning groups I decided to try group work in math. Students were asked to cut out rectangular arrays from graph paper and put them on a large piece of poster paper. My goal was to make the groups small to see if I could manage the groups better. I chose to put them into eight groups of 3 and 4. I know groups work well if everyone has a job. But I did not want only one person calculating the arrays. So I let them negotiate between themselves and take turns calculating, cutting and gluing. As I walked around the room students were interacting and discussing what the arrays looked like and how many factors they could come up with. The activity went very well. I am convinced it is because the groups were small and manageable.
D. This sounds terrible but I try to stay away from cooperative learning groups because they usually do not work for me. I have a hard time getting kids back on track when I break to have them check in with each other.
Whenever I put students in groups they are noisy and the room is usually chaotic. It also seems that 1 or 2 people do all the work. After the array activity I realized I have a tendency to put too many students into a group. If the groups are smaller they are more manageable. I am willing to give small groupings another chance.
Thanks again for your comments. Paula, I'm glad that you were excited about giving the base groups a try. I know that the first time I read about them, I was wishing I had a classroom of my own so that I could try it out. I think I've convinced a colleague whose been having issues with student accountability to give it a try next year...so we'll see...
Grace - it's OK to admit that cooperative groups can be somewhat daunting at times :) I think you were smart to put your children in smaller, more manageable groups, knowing what would work best for you. I give you credit for giving it a "go". Keep in mind that children actually need to see it modeled on what it should "look like and sound like" in the groups!!!
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