Reading Reflection 5 - I'm thinking...

I feel that one of my major focuses this semester has been on cooperative learning. I have been thinking a lot about the necessary student training and teacher planning that goes along with it to increase success. I’ve also been reflecting on my Clinical Practice 1 experiences, and observations I’ve made of classrooms this semester that are engaging in group work. The distinction has become clear to me between group work and cooperative learning. I feel excited about but also intimidated with trying to facilitate successful cooperative learning in my classrooms. I believe the skills necessary for students to engage in effective cooperative learning are some of the most important skills they can learn in preparing for the future.

As I read Cohen’s chapter about assigning group members roles and I think about the cooperative learning games that we’ve played in our EDSS 541 class, I wonder how much of an effect each of these things really has on cooperative learning. I wonder whether using these strategies will really teach high school students new skills that will help them work better in groups and improve their communication skills. I hope so. I am willing to try. Ensuring that students are performing their group roles seems like yet another layer to attend to as I thoughtfully facilitate my lessons. It feels like there are so many layers to attend to already! I suppose that is why a teacher never gets bored. There’s always something new to learn from or improve or focus on.