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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Assignment #7
Cooperative Learning
By Ryan King
C) I used informal grouping to create teams of three to four students to compete in mathematical Jeopardy as a review. During a recent half day, I teamed the students up to review content from the chapter that we were working on. I gave each group a whiteboard and dry erase pens, so that they could share ideas together as they worked through problems. The students were allowed to select their own team names, and we devised a scoring method were the first correct answer received double point for a problem while all others received the normal point total. This encouraged the students to work together to solve questions as quickly and accurately as possible. Also, the team who was first to correctly solve a problem was allowed to select our next category. The result of this activity was kids bouncing ideas for possible solutions off of each other, and once they had agreed on a strategy the kids would work independently and then share answers. This allowed them to both share ideas and get individual practice. As a math teacher that is the best of both worlds. The only drawback to the activity is that it was loud, as seven groups of students were excitedly discussing the problems that were being presented to them.
D) One potential change that I may make to my grouping of students is that I very rarely will create the groups myself. Typically, I allow the students to create their own groups, and will only step in to assist if a there are a couple of students left behind. I have noticed a tendency for the upper end students to gravitate towards each other, because they want to win the competition. Another thing that strikes me about the cooperative learning is how much social development goes on as the students work with others. Many times students will barely know each other as they begin the group work, but as they share ideas that they have a common knowledge of a lot of the shy awkwardness goes away. I very easily could fall into the trap of using cooperative learning too often, but I have tried to limit it to early release days. This way students look forward to those days as “whiteboard” days, and are excited to get to work in groups. Maybe they are just excited to not have homework. Either way, the level of engagement is almost always excellent and the students usually enjoy their time working together.
Hi Ryan – thanks for sharing, it sounds as though your cooperative group activity was successful…I know the downfall is usually the “noise” it generates, but as you said, but from what you described, it was a purposeful and focused noise. It may be a good idea to “mix-up” the groups so that even the more average or struggling students benefit from hearing the thinking of the higher end students.
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