Cooperative Learning is GREAT

This week we had to read about cooperative learning in Marzano. I have been experiencing cooperative learning in my clinical. This is the first time I have witnessed this type of learning, and I really like it. I did not utilize this teaching strategy when I taught fifth grade, and I wish I had. It is such an excellent way for students to work together in the learning experience. The class that I am doing my clinical in is a seventh grade Language Arts class. The teacher is a veteran teacher with over thirty years of experience. I was surprised to see how modern her teaching style was. I guess that was an unwise judgement on my part, but I simply expected to see her having students read and answer questions. BORING! Instead, she has them placed in groups, doing many different types of assignments together. They are graded both individually and collectively to make sure that each student does their part. What I think is so great about cooperative learning is that it helps to make all students equal. Yes, there are those students in the groups that seem to be the "leader"; however, no one appears to be bothered by that. When stories are assigned to be read, the groups can decide to read them silently as indivduals, or aloud as a group which takes turns. Taking notes also becomes a group effort, as well as any worksheets or graphic organizers that are assigned. I have even seen the teacher allow for a group spelling test! If there are four students in a group, each student takes a turn writing a spelling word. The list continues to go around the group until the test is over. Once the test is finished, students have two minutes to look over and make changes collaboratively. When I first saw this, I was not sure that I liked it. Yet, as I watched, I saw that these students were learning to trust one another and listen to one another. I think this is wonderful. These skills are skills that they can carry with them forever. They are skills that they can use in high school, college, and when they enter the work force. I was pleased to see that the teacher that I am working with is so up to date with her teaching strategies. When I read chapter seven of Marzano, it solidified my impression of cooperative learning. Though I did not use it as a teacher in the past, I certainly plan to use it in the future!