Cooperative+Learning

Read and Reflect
==I do use a lot of cooperative learning in my classroom. My students are arranged in tables so there is always some type of cooperative learning going on. This allows them to work together, when I am not teaching infront of the class. They are able to help each other if one doesn't understand something. Cooperative learning also provides lessons in how to work together with other people. They have the opportunity to learn how to resolve conflicts on their own and develop roles for each other. My class this year has done one group project this year and it was a real eye opener. I saw who were my extremely verbal and forceful leaders, my quiet leaders were and who my students who were unable to get along with others were. Much of my class wants to do things their way and not budge. We are working on how to work cooperatively. Last year, when I taught 7th and 8th grade, they worked really well in groups. We did an Oregon Trail simulation and they were really good at discussing the problems that arose and coming to an agreement. They were able to compromise. I still had a few that did not understand how to work together, but for the most part it went really well. For both instances, the guidelines and how to work as a group was discussed and modeled, but different results occured. I think that my 7th and 8th graders were use to working in groups, where as my 5th graders this year were not use to it due to the classroom situation they came from last year.==

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== I would like to use google docs with my students, but I need more time to play with it and figure it out myself. I am not sure what to make and where. I just need more time to explore it. I can see myself using in next year, but not this year. I can see myself using the same type of set-up as the presidents with them for various things in science and social studies. ==