Cooperative learning is a key component in having a successful classroom. "When students work in cooperative groups, they make sense of, or construct meaning for, new knowledge by interacting with others." (Johnson, Johnson, & Stanne, 2000) Students learn from each other and gain confidence in themselves when put in cooperative learning groups. In my classroom I incorporate math centers as well as literacy centers every other day. I have put the students into groups that I know they will work well together with confidence and collobaration. I do have the one or two students who work better alone and I let them do that most of the time, but I am a firm believer that those "loner" students need to learn how to work in groups and be successful just like the other students.
Another idea that was talked about again was using student rubrics. "Rubrics help students understand what is expected of them and how their participation will be evaluated." Pitler,Hubbell,Kuhn & Malenoski (2007) Giving students self evaluated rubrics makes them aware of what is expected of them and how to succeed in cooperative group assignments and projects. Letting the students know what is expected, leaves less of a chance of misbehavior and failure than letting the students just "go" with no instruction or guidance. I found "Cooperative Learning" to be very interesting and full of information to help with successful collaborative groups.
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I have those same "loner" students. It is always frustrating to pick groups. I do not want kids to feel left out. I totally understand why some kids hate working with certain students in each class. I understand collaboration is an important skill. I hate explaining the importance of collaboration at conferences. Cooperative learning can be tricky. In the end, most students really benefit from the activities.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeletePicking groups is very hard for me as well. I don't like putting students into groups by "level", but rather in groups that I know the students will benefit and learn from each other. But those "loner" students make it so hard. Every once in awhile, I let the students pick their groups, and I have found that sometimes those groups work out the best since they are friends, but at the same time, sometimes its terrible because then nothing gets done. I do truely find cooperative groups to be very beneficial.