an overview by marianne kenney, secondary social studies instructional specialist created for...

AN OVERVIEW BY

MARIANNE KENNEY, SECONDARY SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST

CREATED FOR MONTBELLO HIGH SCHOOL

March 9 , 2009

Cooperative Learning

Today’s Goals:

By the end of our time together we have:Engaged in a study of cooperative learningExplore the benefits for studentsPractice several cooperative learning

methods to use in your classroom


Think – Pair - ShareWhat is it?

Cooperative LearningWhat is it?

Cooperative learning is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of varying abilities us a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject.

Each member of a team is responsible not only for learning what is taught, but also for helping teammates learn, thus creating an atmosphere of schievement.

Important Management Technique: Quiet Signal

Qualities of a Good Signal Students can SEE it from anywhere in the room Students can HEAR it when they are interacting with their team It’s not overly annoying Students can spread the quiet signal to others Room should be quiet in 3 to 5 seconds.

Examples of Quiet Signals Teacher hold up hand Teacher claps twice Teacher taps chimes or xylophone Teachers turns the lights on and off quickly

1. A statement is announced and students take a stand on an imaginary line which stretches from one end of the room to the other

2. Students line up without talking3. Students listen to similar points of view (those standing

next to them in line)4. Value line is folded, and then they play “Talking

Chips” or another communication skill structure.5. Examples: Agree/Disagree/which would you rather

be/birthdays/heights/alphabetical order

Ideas for my class?

Value Lines

Value Line

Agree or Disagree:

I use cooperative learning in my classroom.10 = all the time 1 = not at all

Values Line

Social Studies examples:The killing of innocents is never justifiedThe United States made the correct decision

in dropping the bomb on Nagasaki.The bombing of Dresden was an act of

terrorism.

Talking Chips

Each student has one “talking chip.”Students place their chip in the center of the

team table each time they talk.Students can speak in any order, but cannot

speak a second time until all chips are in the center.

When all the chips have been placed (everyone has spoken), the chips are all collected and anyone in any order can speak again.

When groups complete task they high 5.Ideas for my class?

Talking Chips

Discuss your personal experiences with cooperative learning from the perspective of a student.

What worked for you to aid your learning? What hindered you or served as a barrier to your learning?

Benefits for Students

Traditional Only one task emphasized Social skills assumed and

ignored Teacher ignores or assumes

group functioning No group process No interdependence Homogeneous No individual accountability One appointed leader Responsibility only for self

Cooperative Task and maintenance

emphasized Social skills taught Teacher observes and

intervenes Group process their

effectiveness

Positive interdependence Heterogeneous Individual accountability Shared leadership Shared responsibility for each

other

How Do I Assure Positive Interdependence

Model group behaviorGive students precise verbiage to usePractice, practice, practice

Rallyrobin

Students form pairs within the team and take turns with their partner or listing ideas back and forth

After set time have pairs share and compare as a group.

Ideas for my classroom

Rallyrobin

What is one important point you want to remember from the information that was just presented?

What are some of things you can use from this presentation?

Ask you partner a pop quiz question about what you have just learned

How Do I Assure Individual Accountability?

Create smaller group sizes.Give individual assessments.Periodically check for understanding –

student reports for another’s point of viewObserve groups and record progress and

contributionsAsk groups to assess team performance.

How can you build accountability?

One set of answers for a groupOne worksheetJigsaw materialsOne set of materials/tools to shareDifferent colored pensSame grade

Without positive interdependence there is no motivation to cooperate

More on accountability

Use signaturesSpot check student workRandomly call on studentsDifferent colored pensThe message is:1. You must do your fair share of the work.2. You must master the material being learned.3. You will be held accountable for your share

of the work and mastering the learning

Be Explicit

Explain the academic task and learning objectives

Structure Positive Goal InterdependenceStructure Individual AccountabilityStructure Inter-group Cooperation

Social skillsRole play what “listening” is and is notDiscuss how it feels to be ignored or not

listened

Time Activities

Intentionally structure timeStick to itUse a kitchen timer in class

Numbered Heads Together

Teacher has students number off in their group.

The teacher poses a question.Students put heads togetherTeacher calls time and spins to see which

team member will answer the question.Team member that answers cannot have any

help from team mates.Ideas for my classroom?


Explain what the following people, places or events have in common.

Napoleon Bonaparte Adolf HitlerMao Tse-Tung Saparurat NiyazovKim Jong Il Saddam Hussein

And the answer is…

All of these are leaders who have used propaganda and the media to create cult of personalities, to gain or maintain power.



The requirement that South African blacks carry passes.

The encomienda system in colonial Latin America.Ukrainian collectives under Josef Stalin.Mao’s Cultural Revolution in China.


All are ways that one group ( a minority) dominated and/or subjugated another group (the masses) in order to keep control and power.



The Hutu and Tutsi after the Rwandan genocide. The Union and Confederacy after the American Civil War. East and West Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Serbs and Croats after Slobodan Milosevic. Red and Blue states after the 2000 election.


These time periods all demonstrate the difficulties involved in reuniting after a bitter conflict because of long-standing hatred, mistrust or abuse.

Show Down

Teacher reads a questionStudents write answer on white boards

making sure no one else sees their answer.Teacher announces “Show Down.”Students compare answers and make sure

everyone in the group has the right answer.When groups complete task they celebrate

with a high 5.

Show Down


Kashmir PalestineTibet Former Yugoslavia


In all these places, long-standing conflicts occurred over land with strong cultural, ethnic and/or religious meaning.

Show Down


The Byzantine Empire Mesopotamia Ancient Rome Ancient Greece Egypt Jamestown


These are all examples that demonstrate how geographic location and advantage can contribute to the success and longevity of a civilization.

How Do I Assure Equal Participation and Simultaneous Interaction

Questions to AskEqual Participation: How equal is the

participation?Simultaneous Interaction: what

percentage of the class are active participants in any one moment

Inside-Outside Circle

Discuss with your partner what you found valuable about today’s workshop.

Inside-Outside Circle

What structure are you going to try this week and how are you going to use it?

Remember

If you are not having fun, neither is anybody else!

Use cooperative learning structures to turn your teaching into fun and active learning.


“What children can do together today, they can do alone

tomorrow.”Vygotsky

an overview by marianne kenney, secondary social studies instructional specialist created for...

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