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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C: Practice: There are about 6 students in Resource Room for Language Arts. They are regularly grouped informally in pair-share groups of two. Students form informal groups in a variety of ways: homogeneous, heterogenous, ability and mixed ability. They pair-share for fluency reading checks and answering comprehension questions after reading fiction or nonfiction. Students are given "Think" time and then time to discuss their thoughts as a group. Throughout the year, students discovered they may have similar answers and/or elaborate their answers or think of a new idea when answering questions in their group.
Reflection: I prefer the pair-share for the small group because students have time to discuss their thoughts and listen to others ideas. This helps students with their social skills. This strategy offers shy students the opportunity to speak and discover his/her thoughts may be similar to his/her partner and/or discover lively discussions can be fun learning experiences.
Practice: I have been using the informal groups such as pair share, turn to your neighbor this year. I often use pair share during whole group comprehension strategy instruction. We were practicing text to self. As I was reading the book, Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes, I would periodically stop and have kids get "eye to eye and knee to knee" to share their text to self connections. Today, they kids sitting closest to the white board would share first. I typically listen in and choose one or two groups to share their connections with the whole group. Sometimes, we just partner share and move on. I find that these partner groups are a great way for everyone to have a voice and be heard even if it is at the partner level.
Final strategy instruction: After reading this chapter, I realize that I use the strategy with informal groups for reading comprehension instruction and during writer's workshop, but I rarely, if ever, use these cooperative learning groups formal or with base groups. I have been thinking about ways that I can put kinders and first graders in more formal groups. I feel that in doing this, I would need to teach them the format first with very minimal "learning" and move towards cooperative learning groups. I am thinking about making inquiry groups with the help of our teacher librarian. Grouping kids with similar interests to study a topic of interest. I would have them research specific questions or use a specific format. I just need to figure out what that might be/look like for kinders. I think I would need to recruit some parents and have an adult help facilitate each group through this process. I will keep pondering this idea of using more formal groupings with younger children.
C.I would like to explore the strategy of creating base groups in a French or ESOL classroom. With the increase in class sizes due to budget woes, this may help foster a community spirit in the classroom. Right now the French high school teachers have a seating chart. The chairs are in rows because there is not enough space in the classroom for any other configuration. And next year classes of 30 will increase to 36. We must make the best of what we have. A base group of 5-6 students could help with classroom management. The base group could be responsible for letting those who missed class know what assignments are due. I would plan a project where the base groups could get to know one another and introduce each other to the class at the beginning of the term. They also could work on certain projects together and take turns in organizing cultural events.
D. I have learned many of the cooperative learning techniques in my ESOL endorsement classes. Unfortunately, sometimes what looks good in theory does not pan out in practice. Deliberate planning, strong teaching and perseverance are all necessary tools for effective cooperative learning. But the key to success is creating a classroom setting where all students are comfortable with sharing with each other. Cooperative learning is allowing others to take part in your learning experience. It is a valuable skill for all aspects of life, and I look forward to the day when I am able to use these strategies with my own group of students.
Thanks Linda, Heidi, and Dana for your comments on cooperative groups. Mary had a baby girl, so I’ll be helping her out with this course for a little bit…so bear with me if I’m missing a little bit of all of your background information that comes with all your comments! :)
Linda – I completely agree that the “think-pair-share” is a great structure for your students. I imagine it works perfectly with your group of 6, allowing everyone to both listen and reflect on a partner’s comments while also having the opportunity to share their own thoughts.
Heidi – We are all on such a time crunch in our classrooms, that having kids “turn and talk” within whole group strategy instruction is the only way they’ll get a chance to share their thinking. Having the students work on an inquiry based project with the librarian sounds like a super idea. You know who has some great info about inquiry based projects for kids at this level is Debbie Miller in her book Reading is Meaning. I absolutely love her “Wonder Boxes”.
Dana – Wow! 36…numbers are definitely getting up there! I do think your idea of using base groups may help you manage your larger class sizes…best of luck! I completely agree that at the heart of cooperative learning “is allowing others to take part in your learning experience”…perfectly stated :)
C. One of the strategies that we use, as listed in the text is organized groups. We do not necessarily group according to ability level during our literacy block, but on the area they need more intense small group attention in. This may be comprehension, inferences, fluency, etc. This has proven to be very successful and we have seen positive results in our state test scores.
I also informally use partner pair share throughout the day. I think this allows every student to voice his or her opinion or answer. It also gives my students who are unsure about the answer the opportunity to collaborate with a peer.
D. This chapter was a good reminder to not always focus grouping on ability but similar interests or even an idea from a student. I really do think I will continue to use partner pair share, especially when brainstorming for writing or figuring out an answer for a difficult math problem.
Assignment #7:
C. Practice:
I use cooperative learning a lot and really enjoyed studying some of Spencer Kagan’s beliefs during my graduate program. My students sit in groups of 4 all day. I have 5 “teams/tables/groups” in my classroom. I mix those up every 4-5 weeks. Those students are generally placed for with behavior, proximity to the front etc. I also make sure to never have two low students next to one another. I like to have someone helpful to sit next to a student who needs more assistance, patience etc.
I think it’s important that students don’t rely too much on their peers. I always try to encourage all to participate, to speak, and to be prepared to share with the class what was discussed in their groups. That’s also good for getting your ESL students to talk since there are many times they choose to let someone else do the talking for them.
I use pair share, turn and talk to a neighbor, or the person across from you all through out the day. I like the safety that provides for students to share in smaller groups.
D. Final Strategy Reflection:
• How might I change how use cooperative learning in my classroom?
I was reflecting on my own teaching and what I do in my classroom especially when I read the part in the chapter about homogeneous groups. I try to allow high students to be with high students at times because they speak the same language and can challenge one another. I also try to pair high with medium, so they can help those medium students rise to the occasion. I never put two low students together, knowing that won’t be very productive.
• What is something you now understand better about cooperative learning?
I love it, and am a big fan. I liked being reminded of some creative ways to group students: favorite color, birthday months, and even maybe I’ll try favorite sports teams or something along those lines. Kids like consistency but it’s fun to shake things up from time to time.
Meagan – it sounds as though you are using some great strategy group work in your classroom. Are you using the Daily CAFÉ? Partner think pair share is a great way to get all learners to share thinking…especially those more quiet!
Jackie and Mary- Yes I use a modified version of Cafe, although next year that's what I'll be using so I will definitely use the Partner think pair share. I always love new suggestions, so thank you!
C/D: I use cooperative learning frequently in my classroom. From regularly asking the kids to share ideas with their partners, compare answers, to helping each other with work to groups of 3 or 4 working on LABs or projects together. I really like cooperative learning most of the time. I find that if the students are interested in the assignment and want their team to succeed it goes quite well. I do find however that sometimes students get frustrated with groups because not everyone is a good team-player. Often times, assigning roles helps with this, but not always. The method that most interested me in the chapter was the idea of 'base groups,' this is something I have wanted to implement for several years. A few years ago, I had the four day training in TRIBES (http://tribes.com/) learning community processes. This training opened my eyes to all that could be accomplished through cooperative learning groups and I have been able to implement many parts of the process into my classroom. However, the base group idea is one that I have not been able to follow through to completion. Everything I read about this concept leads me to believe that this process could bring much success to my students. Sometimes I have the best of intentions but have difficulty with follow through. Many of my colleagues put their student desks in table groups, I have always put my student desks in rows. Mostly, I think because I like order. What I am realizing is, if I set them up that way at the beginning of the year, creating base groups will be easier to do. Maybe this Fall I will rearrange my desks into table groups and implement base groups for the kids to build a sense of small families within the my classroom's learning community.
Thanks Jennie and Miss Chevalier for your comments on cooperative groups.
Jennie – It sounds as though you have an amazing system set up for kids to be able to work cooperatively together. Making decisions on how to balance the use of all strategies and instruction is the hardest part of teaching. Thanks for sharing some of your great ideas!
Miss Chevalier – Tribes is excellent training….it seems as though your district is buying into it more than my old one did, so it was never successful. We only had sporadic classrooms using it independently; it was never a whole school initiative. The management of any type of cooperative learning can be tricky at times, but it would definitely be worth a shot to try and give up those rows for a bit next year :)
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