This week's lesson on cooperative learning was very valuable. Teaching a second grade class, I use a lot of cooperative learning or social learning techniques. Each morning my students have an hour and a half of rotations that they complete. They go to their reading rotation where they read for thirty minutes in a homogenous grouping. They go to their seat work rotation where they complete lessons in small groups. And they go to their exploratory center rotation where they create projects, solve puzzles, and play various games in small groups. At the beginning of the year, I sometimes run in to the issue of one student completing the work while another copies, but I look at that as an opportunity to redirect their behaviors and reteach my expectations.
Social learning theory aligns with cooperative learning. Having students work together, provides them with the opportunities to learn through teaching and allows them to work within their ZPD.
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Hi Heather...I agree! Cooperative learning in the real world. So often we work in teams, committees, groups as educators and they do the same in the business world too. Only makes sense to do it in the classroom too! Have a great week. Shayne
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of having your students do roatations. It is a great way for students to interact with each other. I wonder if rotations would work with high school aged students? It be a great way for them to learn socially as well.
ReplyDeleteI think as long as they were monitored, high school students would respond well to rotations. Classroom management is the key to any successful instructional strategy. Let me know if you try it!
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