Cooperative Learning

Our classroom is a Kagan Cooperative Learning classroom, which means many of our structures are based on the research of Dr. Spencer Kagan. The work is centered on the belief that children of all ages respond with enhanced cooperativeness when placed in certain types of situations. Student interactions are purposefully structured around these four basic principles (PIES):

P: Positive Interdependence

Does one doing well help others?

Does task completion depend on everyone doing their part?

I: Individual Accountability

Must everyone perform in front of someone?

E: Equal Participation

Is participation approximately equal in time and turns?

S: Simultaneous Interaction

What percent of the class are performing at any one moment?

We use cooperative learning structures for learning across the curriculum. One example is a structure called think pair share, where students are partnered up and share their thinking, including feedback from the listener. These structures ensure that all students have high levels of accountability and engagement. Cooperative learning also incorporates social skills, classroom management, team building, and class building.