1. Kagan 101: Cooperative Learning
Natalie Jaeger
2011 TFA Alum

2. 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)

3. Find a group of 4 with one category in common

4. 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)

5. Who am I?

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. Cooperative Learning is NOT group work

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. IDEAS FOR MY CLASSROOM
CONTENT
MANAGEMENT

14. 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

15. 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)

16. 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

17. IDEAS FOR MY CLASSROOM
CONTENT
MANAGEMENT

18. 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

19. 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

20. IDEAS FOR MY CLASSROOM
CONTENT
MANAGEMENT

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. IDEAS FOR MY CLASSROOM
CONTENT
MANAGEMENT

25. 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

26. 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

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

28. 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