Cooperative learning is a learning and teaching style that contrasts greatly with the traditional direct instruction model. In direct instruction, the teacher generally does an example for the class, then with the class, and finally the students try it on their own (I do, we do, you do). In cooperative learning it's generally the students starting the problem, working it out together, with the teacher providing closure where students present ideas as well as allow opportunities to connect the ideas and add in academic vocabulary. According to my review of the research, fewer students can access the content using direct instruction and usually forget it quickly. Cooperative learning allows for opportunities for productive struggle where students feel safe to make mistakes in a safe environment, and learn from those mistakes with explanations from their peers and teacher.
Group work takes commitment. For many teachers and myself, it is difficult at the beginning. You want to fight the urge of giving up control. This is precisely though how the students have time to try out ideas, listen to each other, and gain confidence amongst their peers and the whole class. It can and will be frustrating at times. Remember: we aren't all naturally great at group work. I had to teach my accelerated class the word "tact" after dropping my jaw at what they were saying to each other and/or how they were saying it. Students knew I was serious about talking to each other "tactfully," which is explaining or disagreeing with someone without hurting their feelings or making them feel dumb. It takes practice, and with the following suggestions of establishing study team norms and using study team support strategies, your students will improve and you will see positive results.
Each year I introduce the study team norms and reinforce them with participation quizzes (I'll expand on those later). I basically use no talking outside your team, keep the conversations on math (realistically 90% of time), asking questions not giving answers, the team is not done until everyone's done, don't work ahead, keeping desk clear of clutter, justifying your answer, asking your team before the teacher, and more. A colleague of mine, Aristotle Ou, developed the study team norms with each class. This idea was suggested to him by the Week of Inspirational Math on youcubed.org by having students finish two statements: "When working in groups I like when... and I don't like when..." The list is phenomenal with gems like "I don't like when people are off topic, give up, say the answer before you tried it, etc."
One of the most important and effective study team strategies suggested by CPM (College Preparatory Math) is the participation quiz. Basically, you put a grid on the board and/or your clipboard of the group seating arrangements. Before they start the lesson, you could highlight one of the study team norms you will be looking out for especially. Then you update the board as the lesson progresses with positive and negative quotes that are evidence of sharing ideas, critiquing ideas, and checking if teammates understand it. They love getting the instant feedback, and are not distracted by it. Sometimes they even read off the study team role cards I have at their desk a suggested question, which I am OK with.
Another strategy I've used is called red light green light. In the example linked, students worked on three situations where they had to analyze if they were proportional or not and justify with a table, a graph, and an explanation. Then a representative from their group goes up to the board, checks the answer. If they are wrong, that's a red light to stop, and discuss the mistake with their group and fix it. Then they have the green light. If they got it right the first time, green light. This sounds like a simple strategy, but students are motivated when they don't need the teacher to confirm whether they are right or not and empower students to be responsible for their own learning.
A partner and group strategy that I also like is called Rally Coach or Pairs Check. Students work on a problem in a pair. The catch is, one person is talking and explaining the problem while the other is writing and saying nothing. Then they switch roles if the writer disagrees. Then the pairs check with the pair across the table from them to see if they got the same answer. This strategy increases accountability for students that hide in a group of 4.
The final strategy I'd like to share is called Hot Potato. A group of 4 has 1 piece of paper, and each student has a different colored pencil. They then do one step of a problem, then pass the paper on to the next person, who completes a step, and so on. This strategy is effective because students actually lean in and watch what a person contributes to a step. I also can look at a paper and instantly see if everyone is contributing.
How have you gotten students to work efficiently in groups?
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