Cooperative Learning: It’s more than find three people and form a group!

1. Cooperative Learning:It’s more than find three people and form a group! Staying On Track BT-2s Asheboro City Schools November 2008

2. Tools and Strategies for Designing Inclusive Classrooms for Diverse Learners Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t’ Fit All (Gregory & Chapman, 2002)

3. ACS Beginning Teachers:21st Century Technology • http://www.instructionmatters.wikispaces.com

4. Worth “Quoting” “What children can do together today, they can do alone tomorrow.” Lev Vygotsky, 1962 “We as educators today have the unprecedented job of preparing pupils to participate in a world we can only dimly imagine.” Spencer Kagan “There is a power to working in groups.” David and Roger Johnson

5. Think-Pair-Share ( Pre-Assessment: Cooperative Group Activity) Traditional Learning Groups OR Cooperative Learning Groups ????

6. Spencer Kagan’s FAQs

7. Critical Attributes of Cooperative Learning Promotive Interaction Interpersonal Skills Individual Accountability Group Processing Positive Interdependence (Patricia Roy)

8. Positive Interdependence: Individual members of a team must feel that they need each other in order to complete the group’s task…that they will “sink or swim” together. Individual Accountability: Every member of the team needs to demonstrate individual mastery of the material being studied.

9. Promotive Interaction: Individual members of the team encourage and facilitate each other’s efforts to complete the task in order to complete the group’s goals. Interpersonal Skills: Individual members must demonstrate effective communication, leadership, trust, and conflict management skills.

10. Group Processing: Individual members of the team follow correct procedures to analyze how well their team is functioning and how well their team is using interpersonal skills.

11. Critical Attributes of Cooperative Learning Promotive Interaction Interpersonal Skills Individual Accountability Group Processing Positive Interdependence

12. Handouts/activities – samples of activities for each of the critical attributes • Cooperative Learning Resources

13. Differentiated Instruction – Key Principles • The teacher is clear about what matters in the curriculum. • The teacher understands, appreciates, and builds upon student differences. • Assessment and instruction are inseparable. • The teacher adjusts content, process, and product in response to student readiness, interests, and learning profile.

14. All students participate in “respectful” work…engaging, relevant, challenging, neither frustrating nor boring. • Students and teachers are collaborators in learning. • Goals are maximum growth and continued success. • Flexibility is the hallmark of the classroom. Adapted from The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, Carol Ann Tomlinson, 1999.

15. Think-Pair-Share ( Post-Assessment: Cooperative Group Activity) Traditional Learning Groups OR Cooperative Learning Groups ????

16. Final Thoughts! Cooperative Learning: • Is not random – It involves “intentional” planning that focuses on essential curriculum goals/objectives (targets). • Is based upon students’ multiple intelligences, learning styles, interests, and levels of readiness vs. ABILITY. • Is used as a differentiated instructional strategy in the form of adjustable assignments – not every lesson should be a cooperative learning experience. • Fosters positive/strong social and interpersonal skills demonstrated by members of the team/group. • Assigns members of the group/team roles. • Holds individuals as well as group members responsible for their learning. • Encourages individual team/group members to reflect upon their roles in the group and their work.

17. REMEMBER! • Next Meeting: February 19, 2009 3:45 – 5:00 PDC **Bring samples of student work! Topic: Feedback