Kagan 101: Cooperative Learning Natalie Jaeger 2011 TFA Alum

Ice Breaker As you walk in, fill out the “Self” column of “People Hunt” Stand up and find someone who can fill in the “Friend” box. Ask them the question and write down their response Then, that person will ask you a question and write down your response Find a new person and repeat until time is up (3 mins)

Find a group of 4 with one category in common

Find Someone Who (modified) Pg. 26 Students mix and find partner Partner A asks question Partner B responds Partner A checks (gives feedback if necessary) Partner B asks question Partner A responds Partner B checks (gives feedback if necessary)

Who am I?

The goals for this workshop Experience teaching practices that enhance learning for all students Learn how to maximize the interaction and learning time while ensuring students also develop thinking skills Discover how to have students successfully involved in challenging content through Kagan structures

What is Cooperative Learning? Cooperative learning is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject collectively.

Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures PIES Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures Students are working in cooperative learning structures only if there is… Positive interdependence: Students depend on each other for help and cannot complete the task without the help of the others Individual accountability: Each student must perform and is accountable to the group Equal participation: Each student participates with either equal time or the same amount of turns Simultaneous interaction: All students engaging simultaneously in the classroom, rather than raising hands one at a time

Cooperative Learning is NOT group work

Let’s learn some Kagan Cooperative Learning strategies through practice! RoundRobin Mix-Pair-Share (with RallyRobin and Timed-Pair-Share) Stand-Up, Hand-Up, Pair-Up Fan-N-Pick Placemat Consensus (with Team Stand and Share) Forming Teams

Presidents should be allowed to serve until they are voted out of office. Choose one side of the argument Come up with as many reasons as you can for or against the argument (1 min) Start with person 1, go around the table and share one answer at a time, one person at a time for 2 minutes. Keep going until I say stop.

RoundRobin Page 104 Teacher assigns task Teacher gives think time* Each teammates takes a turn responding Alternatives: Think-Write-RoundRobin; RallyRobin; Timed-RoundRobin Round Robin Question to answer: in print out Teachers each create example for their course

IDEAS FOR MY CLASSROOM CONTENT MANAGEMENT

A note about management… Desks can all face the front if this helps with management If you use the board a lot If you struggle keeping control of the class Students can turn their bodies or come up with a procedures to move desks

Mix-Pair-Share Stand up, mix to music, find partner and give high five, wait for question. What are the three biggest successes you have had in your classroom/ as a teacher this year? Which colleague has been most supportive/helpful this year? (Timed- Pair-Share) Name 3 students you are proud of any why. (RallyRobin)

Mix-Pair-Share (with Rally Robin and Timed-Pair-Share) Page 6 Students mix around the room Teacher calls “Pair” Students pair up with the person closest to them and give a high five. Students who haven’t found a partner raise their hands to find each other. Teacher asks a question Teacher gives think time (about 5 seconds) Students share with their partner Alternative: Stand-Up, Hand-Up, Pair-Up (pg. 13) Mix-Pair-Share Question to answer: not in print out Teachers each create example for their course

IDEAS FOR MY CLASSROOM CONTENT MANAGEMENT

A note about NOISE… It will probably be louder in your classroom Instead of a handful of people, the whole class is engaged Remember, the noise is controlled through the structures in place

Fan-N-Pick Slightly modifying today for practical reasons* Page 44 “Would You Rather” questions: Pick 4-6 and write them on the cards. Student #1 holds question cards in a fan and says, “Pick a card, any card!” Student #2 picks a card, reads the question aloud, and allows 5 seconds of think time Student #3 answers Student #4 responds Rotate roles Round Robin Question to answer: in print out Teachers each create example for their course

IDEAS FOR MY CLASSROOM CONTENT MANAGEMENT

Cooperative Learning Structures PIES Cooperative Learning Structures Students are working in cooperative learning structures only if there is… Positive interdependence: Students depend on each other for help and cannot complete the task without the help of the others Individual accountability: Each student must perform and is accountable to the group Equal participation: Each student participates with either equal time or the same amount of turns Simultaneous interaction: All students engaging simultaneously in the classroom, rather than raising hands one at a time

MODEL Placemat Consensus List all the things you do to relax or things that make you feel relaxed (2 mins) Keep this a secret from your teammates for now Person 2 shares idea Group discusses Person two records consensus (if there is one) Repeat (continue until time is up) MODEL

Placemat Consensus (with Team-Stand-Share) Page 86 Teacher provides placemats and topics Students write Teammate announces idea Team discusses idea Teammate records consensus items Repeat Write down all the things you do to relax

IDEAS FOR MY CLASSROOM CONTENT MANAGEMENT

Classbuilding and Teambuilding Room full of individuals with different backgrounds and experiences become a caring community of active learners Kagan recommends: once a week Stand up and interact with others A group of 4 students with different backgrounds and experiences become a cooperative and caring team Kagan recommends: twice a week Fun, non-academic, easy for all

Forming Teams Rank your students as High, Medium High, Low, Medium Low Create groups (easiest in Excel) Adjust for special cases ELL SpEd Behavior Groups of 3 or 5 Re-group about every 6 weeks High Medium Low Medium High Low Face partner Shoulder Partner

Planning Time Note: More structure ideas in the “Structure Functions” packet

The goals for this workshop Experience teaching practices that enhance learning for all students Learn how to maximize the interaction and learning time while ensuring students also develop thinking skills Discover how to have students successfully involved in challenging content through Kagan structures