Cooperative Learning
Teaching is the highest form of learning along with the immediate application of learning. Cooperative learning provides higher-order experiences for students to internalize their learning.
Giving students the opportunity to work in a heterogeneous team (1 high, 2 middle, 1 low) with their peers, take ownership for their learning, be responsible for the learning of all members of the team - all while balancing individual accountability, is highly powerful, motivating, engaging, and effective. The main difference between group work and cooperative learning is the individual accountability - each member of the team has his/her own task for which to be responsible. This, in turn, provides ownership for their learning and a true understanding of the content.
More importantly, students learn to work together, get along, be responsible for the learning of each other, and build empathy and compassion as they grow together in their little team community.
Having students sit in cooperative teams as the "home base," allows for other flexible grouping to take place, preventing students from feeling labeled in any single type of grouping, and allows for seamless transitions into cooperative learning activities. Keep in mind that "group work" is not cooperative learning. Group work tends to be the "get-in-a-group" scenario that includes the "work hogs" and the "slackers" and causes groups to argue, parents to complain, and teachers to vow to never do it again! Cooperative learning is carefully structured with individual accountability.
"Predictable structure leads to
creative, unpredictable work." unknown
Giving students the opportunity to work in a heterogeneous team (1 high, 2 middle, 1 low) with their peers, take ownership for their learning, be responsible for the learning of all members of the team - all while balancing individual accountability, is highly powerful, motivating, engaging, and effective. The main difference between group work and cooperative learning is the individual accountability - each member of the team has his/her own task for which to be responsible. This, in turn, provides ownership for their learning and a true understanding of the content.
More importantly, students learn to work together, get along, be responsible for the learning of each other, and build empathy and compassion as they grow together in their little team community.
Having students sit in cooperative teams as the "home base," allows for other flexible grouping to take place, preventing students from feeling labeled in any single type of grouping, and allows for seamless transitions into cooperative learning activities. Keep in mind that "group work" is not cooperative learning. Group work tends to be the "get-in-a-group" scenario that includes the "work hogs" and the "slackers" and causes groups to argue, parents to complain, and teachers to vow to never do it again! Cooperative learning is carefully structured with individual accountability.
"Predictable structure leads to
creative, unpredictable work." unknown
Using cooperative learning teams as "home base," students can easily "flex" out to differentiated groupings by level, learning style or interest.
Start Here:
Getting Started with Cooperative Learning
A Little Cooperative Learning About
Coopertive Learning
________
Use the Jigsaw Method to find and share your
expert group's top 3 ideas/concepts.
Record here.
______________________
Coopertive Learning
________
Use the Jigsaw Method to find and share your
expert group's top 3 ideas/concepts.
Record here.
______________________
Reflect
Tips:
- Have students create team names and also number the teams for easy reference.
- Number each student in each team (1-4).
- Keep an anchor chart visible of Cooperative Learning guidelines.
- Keep a poster with cooperative learning team roles (ex. - Recorder, Reporter, Time Keeper, Task Master) that also includes the student numbers (1-4) on velcro to change the roles often and easily.
Cooperative Learning Roles Poster
Print these parts of the poster and mount them on a poster board or to a whiteboard. Velcro or magnets can be stuck to the student numbers in order to allow you to change the roles often. If you plan on using different roles, make a copy of the drawing and modify. If the activity requires additional roles, print/write those and hang them next to the daily roles.
-Title
-Roles - (typical, daily roles)
-Student Numbers
Print these parts of the poster and mount them on a poster board or to a whiteboard. Velcro or magnets can be stuck to the student numbers in order to allow you to change the roles often. If you plan on using different roles, make a copy of the drawing and modify. If the activity requires additional roles, print/write those and hang them next to the daily roles.
-Title
-Roles - (typical, daily roles)
-Student Numbers