Cooperative Learning - McRel Video

Workshop Series Part 3 - Cooperative Learning

Classroom Instruction That Work

Workshop Series – Part 3 Cooperative Learning

January 2013

Engage “The Hand Game”/ “The Trust Walk” /Cooperative Learning Hand Wrestling

Explore * Anchor Chart
              * Cooperative Learning Expectations
             * Small group vs Cooperative Learning

Explain Tips for teaching from CITW ed 2 pg 46

Elaborate T.E.A.M. or other groupings Coaching Site Resources*

Evaluate How to monitor and evaluate groups

* Additional Resources located through B-Connect, select Instructional Resources, click on the District Instructional Coaching Google site, and finally select the tab “CITW – Classroom Instruction That Works”.

Working Agenda / Presenter Notes

Hand Game – came from wall wisher on CITW Google site.  Cross over hands with each other.  One tap starts the rotation around the semi circle, double tap reverses rotation.  Hands are crossed so everyone has to rely on the person before them and after and pay close attention.  If you tap out of turn, that hand is out. 

Trust Walk requires partners to work together to get through the obstacles.  The blindfolded partner can't see, but the seeing partner can't touch to blindfolded one.  They must safely walk their blind partner around the hole (paper circle on the ground) and over the stump (a cone in the path) and safely into the chair at the end.  

The Hand Wrestling has partners wrestling.  The goal is that which ever team gets the most hands down on table wins.  (Adults quickly figure this out, but kids start to fight against each other until they realize they should be a team)

The purpose of these activities - what do you have to do to complete the task? Can you complete the goal/task without the help of other team members?

Explore – groups will create a Teamwork anchor chart – one that they would want to use in their class.  What do you want cooperative learning to look like, what do you want it to sound like, what are you expectations?

Explain – Review the TIPS for Teaching on pg 46. 

1. discuss how team building activities at beginning of the year allow students to grow together and work together, get to know one another.
2. set expectations with an anchor chart, model and practice expectations
3.  
4.   Cooperative learning should be used to master or practice a skill
5. clearly defined goals, roles and responsibilities for each member while maintaining individual accountability.
6.  

TEAM(S) poster and grouping, grouping cards, when to use grouping.  Questions to ask if Cooperative learning is a good strategy:
* is negotiation, debating, problem solving, or team skills being taught, practices, or assessed?

* will the children learn the material more effectively with peer support than with out?

* do the students need a break from independent work or teacher directed activities?

Partner learning is another form of Cooperative Learning

Reference www.lauracandler.com for many free Cooperative Learning resources

Discuss managing groups – STOP signs to remind groups to have a moment of silence to reflect on what they are learning or to make sure they are on track.  (Gave copies to participants of http://www.lauracandler.com/strategies/CL/CooperativeLearningSOS.pdf and http://www.lauracandler.com/strategies/CL/TeamStopSigns.pdf

Elaborate – RESOURCES!!! on Coaches google site

Evaluate – discussed ways to have students self reflect on group work.  Shared an example of an evaluation.  TEAM evaluation if using TEAM – maintains accountability of all group members and self reflection. How do you grade cooperative learning assignments? Individually or as a team?

Reinforcing Effort & Providing Recognition - McRel Video

Setting the Objective & Providing Feedback - McRel Video

Workshop Series Part 1 & 2 - Setting Objectives &Providing Feedback and Reinforcing Effort & Providing Recognition

Setting Objectives & Providing Feedback

Reinforcing Effort & Providing Recognition

* Teachers will identify tools and resources necessary for effectively setting objectives & providing feedback in their classroom.  Teachers will participate in activities that reinforce effort and provide recognition.

• Review of the 9 Classroom Instruction That Works
• Goals & Anxieties

Setting Objectives & Providing Feedback:

• Verbal & Written
• I can… Statements
• Anchor Charts
• Tasks Lists
• Rubrics
• Menus

Reinforcing Effort & Providing Recognition:

• Class Dojo
• Pause-Prompt-Praise
• Rubrics
• Prompt Posters (anchor charts)
• Affirmation Cards

• I am willing to try ______________________________________ to set objectives and provide feedback.

• I am willing to try ______________________________________ to reinforce effort and provide recognition in my classroom.

Working Agenda:

• Review all 9 strategies
• Have teachers share goals and anxieties about CITW
• Share/discuss items for Setting Obj
• Review to agenda being a tasks list (How many of you have already started checking tasks off?)
• Show example of menu and have teachers select activities they would choose if they were the student and had been given that menu.
• Class Dojo should be up and running from start of class.
• Share/discuss reinforcing effort & providing recogn. Items listed
• Have teachers create a social skills prompt poster/anchor chart
• Affirmation cards – who has the most dojo points gets set of affirmation cards.
• Note about praise: abstract praise is more effective than tangible.  What ways is the campus providing concrete/tangible rewards?  Beginning level students need abstract praise more (through gestures, verbal, pantomime.  High level students want you to explain in detail their academic achievement.
• Any questions? Continue giving points for anyone discussing or sharing posters/ideas, etc.
• Conclusion statements – teachers complete.  As teachers complete, give dojo points. Who has most points – gets prize!

Overview of CITW

The first session in the workshop series is the Overview.  Below are the presenter notes from this session. The title at the top of each box is of course the instructional strategy.  The addition text in each box are notes as to the activity the participants would do or what they would write or discuss at that time. At the conclusion of these notes, 18 participants were randomly given a card with notes or a strategy.  Playing "I have..., Who has..." participants reviewed all 9 strategies once more.


And if you would like to use the "I have..., Who has..." cards here is the link for that document:

Workshop Series

Now that administrators have received the training for CITW and the walk through tool, we can begin collecting data on campuses.  Some administrators would like to wait just a bit longer because their teachers have not had training in the nine effective instructional strategies.  As their instructional coach, I will hold workshop series that target CITW.  In small group settings during period by period or during collaboration time, teachers will receive 30 minute overviews of each strategy.  The first will be introduction to all nine followed by 9 sessions looking more deeply into each strategy individually.  As I present these strategies I will post session agendas.  Perhaps they can be of use to someone wanting to implement these in their own classroom, on their campus or in their district.  In addition, as I post agendas, McRel has videos on You Tube with explanation for each strategy and these will be posted, too.