Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is more elaborate than group work activity. Cooperative learning should be employed as part of a classroom management system. If you train your students to work effectively in groups, the results can be a very productive (and fun) learning environment.

One of my first experiments with cooperative learning was to let my students work in groups of their own choosing. Of course, they chose to work with their friends and were not very productive. I used this to my advantage when I later assigned group partners, careful to avoid having close friends in the same group.

Each school year I wait until October before assigning groups. This gives me a chance to get to know my students and learn about their social and academic abilities. After about 6 weeks of teacher-directed lessons, students welcome the idea of group work. I set aside an entire 40-minute period for our first group work experience. I assign four partners to a group (chosen ahead of time). The partners are chosen mainly by ability so that each group will have one top-level, two middle-level and one struggling student in each group. I also try to account for personality differences. Students may choose any name for their group that is appropriate for a classroom.

The first group work assignment is usually a simple and easy one. This gives students a chance to adjust to their partners and to choose a group name. Students love to choose group names because it is cool and because it gives them decision-making power. Ideally, all groups should choose a name by the end of the class period. One member of each group places the name of the group and the names of its members on an index card for me.