Cooperative+Learning

Read and Reflect I am not currently using cooperative learning in a structured manner, as I do not have a classroom of my own in my current role as a teacher consultant. Previously, I frequently used cooperative learning groups when I was teaching in my own classroom. I believe that this is a valuable tool to promote student learning, however I find that it is very challenging to manage at times. I used a variety of methods to randomly group students, and it takes a great deal of work to create the classroom climate and culture to not have the "I don't want to be in this group", "Can I switch with ___?", craziness that is work to overcome. All of my classroom teaching experience has been in working with students who have Emotional/Behavioral Disorders in a public high school as well as Day Treatment Center. I found that this particular population was extremely challenging in cooperative learning situations where they were asked to work with peers, and demonstrate effective interpersonal skills. Sometimes cooperative learning worked extremely well, sometimes whatever issues students were individually dealing with came out and were escalated by peers, despite by constant efforts to develop the classroom climate where students were to be working together as a team was essential. I found that my students had difficulty making decisions when they were not in agreement, essentially allowing their group to become "stuck", and conflict resolution was an area we constantly were working to improve. It is difficult to get students to help each other learn and applaud the effort and success of their peers until you get them to value it for themselves.

Apply and Reflect  []  I added Eisenhower.