Cooperative+Learning

= __**Cooperative Learning Overview**__     = My high structure, suburban, math class design is roughly based on the overall concept of cooperative learning groups, or small groups. The small group explorations and sharing of student math computations, theories, and functions will help create a complete understanding. In this type of learning environment, students will have individual accountability along with overall group goals to reach.

=**__Group Construction and Functions __**=

I will assign, assess, and reassign groups, around four students, and the students' placements throughout the school year. My goal is to create a productive group of students that possess different strengths and weaknesses, and they will all collaboratively work together toward a common goal. Reflections completed once every two weeks on the level of functioning throughout each group, will help detail the effectiveness of each group and also give influence to group member placements. Students will be asked in their reflection to describe helpful or unhelpful member actions, actions they would like to continue or change, things that their group is doing well, things their group could improve on, and any type of whole group or group member feedback. Their feedback, along with my daily observations, will greatly influence student group arrangements.

Each group member will be assigned a daily role; I will determine student assignments by numbering everyone one through four repeatedly, each number will designate a particular job. These role assignments will be teacher monitored throughout the class day and contribute to the students' daily points. A group that has each member working actively and productively in their responsibility is likely to function efficiently and work smoothly. Groups, with positive functioning group role members, will most likely be able to process more select math information than before; my setup will also help promote discussion and questioning on covered math topics. The four cooperative learning group roles:
 * Facilitator: This student is responsible for keeping all group members on the current task at hand.
 * Questioner/Checker: Making sure that the group actually understands and is thinking outside the box; that is the responsibility of this student. They might also bring up an alternative situation to consider for a problem, or just ask a student to elaborate on their thought/idea.
 * Recorder: Keeping a written account of all that each group discusses, discovers, questions, tests, or creates is the job of this selected student.
 * Encourager: This person is responsible for keeping the positive energy flowing throughout the group and all their members. A word of encouragement or support can really make a difference.

=**__<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Group Goals __**=

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">My classroom's cooperative group goals will be posted in the classroom and viewable for all students and visitors to regard. At the beginning of the school year, the class will discuss, read about, and actively engage in the training of our classroom's small group goals. I have compliled a list of the best four long term, small group goals; they are based on the learnings and abilities that student groups will hope to have accomplished by the end my class' school year. The achievement of all four group goals will also signify that a student should be able to attain a higher level of math comprehension than before. Each of the group goals touches on the idea that students will be able to reason, apply, relate, compare and contrast, explore, master, and understand mathematical concepts to the very best of their ability. The group goals poster information: <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">ALL GROUPS WILL BE ABLE TO...
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Provide a reasonable, applicable, and relevant reaction or criticism to another individual's thought/idea, different from the groups'.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Prove a true conceptual understanding, exploration of alternative solutions, and thought/idea growth and change throughout a given task.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Productively work together with their peers to master select mathematical theories and functions.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Explain and demonstrate the key concepts that construct their own successful group foundation.

=**__<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Grading __**=

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Students will always be assessed and monitored for a daily participation grade using the Daily Participation Checklist. For days that a task or assignment will be completed in small groups, I will also be assessing and observing each students' capability to constructively work in their assigned group role. I will promote the cooperative learning idea of "sink or swim together," amongst groups by rewarding those comprised of students with a Monday through Friday average daily participation grade of 90% or higher. An incentive of five extra bonus points will help further student-group accountability and delegation. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">Each individual cooperative group activity will require a detailed, specific grading rubric; a printed copy of each rubric will be available as a hand out to all students for better awareness. Individual work and answers may be most valuable thing in one situation, but then I might ask for a group's collaboration method or thought process as the chief detail being assessed. I will always provide students with the appropriate assignment knowledge, both directional and conceptual, before beginning. As always, students must keep in mind and follow our classroom rules or withstand the resulting consequence(s). Along with everything else, I will obtain any/all cooperative learning group grades with absolute fairness, equality, and objectivity.