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Cooperative Learning: by Meagan Cassidy

====Cooperative learning is different ways that students work together in groups. There are many different ways to implement this strategy into a classroom. To take full advantage of the benefits of cooperative learning students in the classroom should all know the common goal that their group is working towards and have an up-beat environment to produce the product in. In order for cooperative learning to be a positive and helpful experience there needs to be: ====
 * A group understading of success or failure comes to all of them as a group
 * Students should know they are working in a group but also have individual goals
 * Students encourage one another to do their best work
 * The students know how hard they work will effect their group memebers
 * Students will gain skills you need to work with people
 * Students know what everyone's role is

There are a few important factors to know about before you start grouping your students:

 * Students benefit from being in groups with the opposite sex at some point during the school week
 * Students who perform below average benefit from working with a partner who is above their level
 * Sometimes, without the proper environment, cooperative learning can not produce the desired outcome
 * Make groups who will work well together
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Make groups small (around 4 or less)
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Try not to group by skill levels of students
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Only use cooperative learning when fit
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Make groups by different factors each time
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Help students achieve success



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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">Ways to implement Cooperative Learning:

 * Jigsaw- Groups are set up with 4 students. Each students has to learn about a certain topic and teach the rest of their group what the topic is about.
 * Three-step interview- Members of a team partner with another member. Partners will interview each other. Partner's will talk about their partner to the group.
 * Three-minute review-Teachers stop by during a lesson and gives the group three minutes to review and answer questions.
 * Numbered heads together- Teams are set up and each person is given a number. The teacher will ask the class a question and give the group time to think about it. Then the teacher will call a number and the person with that number will answer for each group

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">Benefits of using Cooperative Learning:

 * Students will gain Knowledge about structure of working with others
 * Students will learn what they need to do when they work with others

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace;">According to Marzano, Questions You Should Ask When Planning for Cooperative Learning:

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Which strategies will help students practice, review and apply that knowledge?”
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Which strategies will help students acquire and integrate that knowledge?”