Cooperative+Learning

Cooperative Learning

Why cooperative learning...
Cooperative learning reduces isolation and competition between students. Furthermore, cooperative learning promotes positive interrelationships and teaches the social skills necessary to be succesful in the world, after high school. While each student is responsible for his or her own work (and grade), the group is also graded on the effort of the individuals. This concept teaches students to work together as a team to accomplish a goal.

How it works...
Each student is given a role or responsibility. The roles include time-keeper, facilitator, note-taker, and speaker. The students are given an assignment to complete as a group, while each student in a group also has an individual role. The facilitator ensures that the group work or group discussion proceeds smoothly and everyone stays on-task. The note-taker keeps track of any problems the group could not work out together. Once the time-keeper anounces that the time for the assignment is up, the group speaker relays any unawsered questions to the teacher. In this way, the students are given the opportunity to make the learning their own, and do not have to rely solely on the teacher for instruction.

What it looks like...  The desks are arranged in clusters of four. Each desk in a cluster is positioned so that no student has his or her back to neither the main chalkboard nor the teacher's desk. The clusters are spaced evenly thoughout the room to allow plenty of room for the teacher to circulate. There is an instructional area located in the rear of the class room that can be used for small group, teacher-centered instruction. Please see the sketch below.

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