| When developing classroom plans and teaching | | | | about them. This provides for the leisure and |
| methods, many teachers use collaborative | | | | fun time activities. |
| learning techniques. This generally involves | | | | |
| intergroup learning and the use of verbal | | | | When passing out tests or worksheets or |
| interaction. Where the teacher is not just | | | | notices, write the names of absent students |
| teaching, rather giving the students an | | | | on the papers left. When students arrive to |
| opportunity to learn through interpersonal | | | | begin the day, have them remove everything |
| interaction. Some use peer groups for | | | | that will be needed during the day. Have a |
| classroom management, thereby creating more | | | | rule: NO one may get into a backpack during |
| time for personal interaction with individual | | | | the day. Write a red M in the top right |
| students. Others use this teaching strategy | | | | corner on all Master copies. This will |
| to enhance students' motivation by making | | | | distinguish the Master from a copy very |
| class work more "fun." Still others believe | | | | easily and prevent accidentally passing out |
| that collaborative learning can provide | | | | the master to a student. Always spend the |
| valuable opportunities for students to work | | | | last few minutes of the day and review: |
| together across ethnic and gender lines, | | | | Hopefully, when parents ask about the day, |
| thereby facilitating friendships. All of | | | | students will have an answer other than |
| these reasons for the use of collaborative | | | | "Nothing!" |
| group work are worthy goals in classroom | | | | |
| instruction. Seldom, however, is conceptual | | | | In addition in particular classroom |
| learning the primary goal behind the use of | | | | activities can be assigned to different |
| collaborative group techniques. | | | | students individually or in pairs. For |
| | | | instance someone can be made the monitor, to |
| Following is a classroom plan that enables | | | | clean the blackboard, someone can be the |
| effective classroom management of time, and | | | | chair stacker, someone can be the timekeeper |
| organization of activities for children. | | | | etc. This way the small tasks that need to be |
| | | | completed through the class are managed by |
| Prepare a schedule that allows time for | | | | the students enabling them to take |
| learning as well fun and activities. | | | | responsibility. |
| Rearrange the daily schedule, go outside to | | | | |
| read, give clipboards to students and go | | | | One key here that adheres to the theories on |
| outside to draw, have a theme day. For | | | | classroom management by Howard Glasser and |
| instance for every first Monday of the Month, | | | | Dreiker, is that of collaborative and verbal |
| students can come dressed in the colors of | | | | interaction learning. Throughout the class |
| the rainbow, or for older students, they come | | | | time students should be involved with verbal |
| dressed creatively in some historical attire | | | | interaction with the teacher. The day should |
| and bring along something that they have that | | | | be planned such that it gives time and |
| relates to that attire. Discussing these | | | | opportunity for all different students to |
| makes a good start for the day. These are of | | | | have a special moment. Some experts believe |
| course just ideas and leave room for the | | | | that every student can have a focus week, |
| teachers' ingenuity. Begin the day with bell | | | | where he/she gets a few minutes in the |
| work, which is an introductory task or | | | | beginning of every class to share his life |
| activity that should get them into the | | | | with the students. It not only aids in |
| learning mode. From then on the lesson plan | | | | interpersonal learning, as well as linguistic |
| can be followed with regular fun intervals | | | | learning, but it also makes the students feel |
| and breaks. | | | | special. |
| | | | |
| Ask the students to write once or twice a | | | | Bibliography |
| week: What did you learn today? for instance, | | | | |
| and also take them outside on the school | | | | Chizhik, Alexander W., Collaborative learning |
| grounds and ask them to study something | | | | through high-level verbal interaction: from |
| specific, be it the actions of a gardener, a | | | | theory to practice.. Vol. 72, The Clearing |
| butterfly or even the different kinds of | | | | House, 09-19-1998, pp 58(4). |
| flowers in the garden. Then ask them to write | | | | |