Cooperative Learning

Cooperative Learning

     What is cooperative learning? Simply: students working together to accomplish a goal.

There are many types of cooperative learning: think:pair:share, jigsaw and group investigations to name a few. Cooperative learning provides students with active learning time which provides more meaning for the students. Cooperative learning does take more time in the classroom and more preparation time for the teacher. Cooperative learning does take more time than lecture but that does not mean it is wasted classroom time. Teachers need to let go of the need for lecture and let students acquire knowledge in new and exciting ways.

Benefits of cooperative learning:

• Can reduce peer competition and isolation
• Can help learning disabled students work in a better setting for them
• Higher thinking skills
• Self esteem
• Satisfaction
• Self management

More benefits of cooperative learning.

Here is a video that shows the benefits of cooperative learning:

     Math has always been thought of working individually. I remember my math education being review previous homework, lecture, start new homework. There was not much change, and I am disappointed to not remember cooperative learning. Math is a great subject for cooperative learning. Students are able to get support from peers, ask questions among peers, discuss ideas and learn from one another. Math problems often have more than one way to  the solution. In a small group setting a student may show how she/he got to the solution. That solution could be the same way the teacher had shown during lecture, so it may not help all students in the group. But then another student shows a DIFFERENT method and a different logic to the solution....now things are happening in the group. Different learning styles and preferences are being demonstrated. This is when 'Aha' moments happen for students. 

     Math is not just silent work! It needs discussion too (other than classroom lecture). I do know that classroom lecture is time efficient and has a place in the classroom. I just do not think it should dominate the math classroom anymore. Teachers have to spend more time planning/implementing/monitoring students during a cooperative setting, but it is worth it in the end. People often forgot that students need to learn to learn. The expression "all I need to know I learned in kindergarten" could not be more true.....it is a whole year of learning how to learn. The rules and expectations set in kindergarten will follow you to adulthood. When watching cooperative learning in my mentor's classroom, it got more successful as the school year progressed. It is a first grade classroom and the students had to learn how to work in a cooperative group with their peers. My mentor explained that it sometimes takes up to a whole quarter for some groups to be a successful group. 

Here is a video on tips for cooperative learning:

     I feel that cooperative learning has a benefit for all students. It is very versatile and helps all types of learners. I feel that the advantages of cooperative learning outweigh the disadvantages. Cooperative learning takes a lot of planning, but there are a lot of good resources on the web to find good cooperative lesson plans that will save a lot of time. Cooperative learning takes more time in the classroom, but who can complain about active learning time?