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Three steps to insure support is provided to all class members during an assignment:

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Three steps to insure support is provided to all class members during an assignment:

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1. Make sure to give students the freedom to choose a topic area that interests them within the scope of the course or that is the most relevant or meaningful to the team members. This decision helps create a sense of ownership and enhances the students’ level of engagement.
2. Make sure that all students understands what is expected to do for a group assignment.
3. Every students should have same amount of work and if they have any problem they can ask their group members and teacher.

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Call it "active learning," or "classroom participation" -- every teacher wants to know how to motivate students to particpate, and how to nurture more involved students and fewer apathetic ones. With a little extra planning, that is possible.

Below are four common reasons students don't participate and techniques to solve those problems and spice up your lessons.

Maybe it needs to be repetitive because the students don't really "get it," or maybe you're reviewing for a test. In any case, they're tuning out.

Solution #1: Assess their prior knowledge.

This could be as simple as asking students, "What do you know about (topic)?" and writing their responses on the board. You could also try a pre-test or a graphic organizer like a K-W-L chart . The goal is to find out what they already know (or think they know). You create buy-in for the students because they feel smart, and you can tailor your lesson to the information they don't know or don't remember correctly.

Solution #2: Try skills grouping.

Divide the class into groups based on what skills they need to practice - not forever, but for a class period or two, so they can focus on what they really need help with. So have a group that works on multiplying fractions, one on dividing fractions, and one on converting fractions to decimals. Make a group of "already got 100% on the test" kids and give them an extra credit activity or let them preview the next lesson. Then take time to move between the other groups and help them review. You'll have more students engaged in the lesson and they'll get specific, focused practice time.

Solution #3: Let them teach each other.

Especially good when reviewing before a test: divide the class into groups and give each group a topic. Set some guidelines and then let them teach each other. Encourage them to do interesting activities - write tests for each other, design review games, etc. - and evaluate each group on the accuracy of their content, the creativity of their approach, and how well they work together as a team. This is also a great way to discover how to motivate students.

This is really half the problem. The other half - especially with older students - is their fear of "looking stupid" by asking questions.

Solution #1: Allow anonymous questions.

Put out a "question box" where students can submit questions any time. Give each student an index card and ask them to write something about the reading assignment they did for homework. If they don't have a question, instruct them to write a comment on the reading. Collect the cards and use them to lead a class discussion. You'll easily recognize what parts of the reading confused a lot of students and they won't feel embarrassed.

Solution #2: Allow them to work together.

We can't do this all the time; individual students need to be assessed. Ask yourself: is the goal of this activity for them to learn the content, or for them to be assessed? If you want them to learn the content, why not let them work together? When they bring in their homework, do a quick survey for completeness, then put them in pairs and let them review the homework together. Encourage them to make changes if their partner's answer looks right. When they've finished, review as a class. Students may be less embarrassed to share a group's answer than their own and you may be able to complete the review more quickly.

Solution #3: Try a jigsaw approach.

No, we're not talking about puzzles or scary movies. If you're introducing new, difficult content, divide the class into groups and ask each group to master only one portion of it at a time. If, for example, you're teaching the American Revolution, have one group focus on the Continental Congress, one on Washington's Army, one on French support for the war, and so on.

Ask them to do a reading on their topic - to become the class "experts" on that subject. Then split up the class into new groups that include one "expert" on each topic. Ask these new groups to work together to write an essay or complete a worksheet that requires information about all the topics. They will teach each other in the process. Learn more about the Jigsaw Approach.

Problem: There's too much information to present in too short a time.

Sometimes there's no way around it: you simply have to get a lot of information out there in a short amount of time. So you opt for a lecture and just want your students to absorb the content. Instead, they fall asleep or stare out the window. What can you do?

Solution #1: Keep it "bite-sized."

Remember: research shows the average student's attention span is as long as her age. So even high school kids can only handle about 15 minutes. If you have a lot of information to convey, re-arrange your lesson plans so you never lecture for more than 10-15 minutes.

Break up large concepts into smaller sections - give a brief lecture, then do an activity to help it "sink in." Repeat this process over several days. You'll increase participation - and improve comprehension, too.

Solution #2: Keep them busy.

Don't allow students to stare into space while you talk. Give them something to stay connected. Try "fill in the blank" lecture notes. Delete key words and phrases in your lecture notes to create a "fill in the blank" worksheet. Then ask students to fill in the worksheet while you lecture. Another fun variation - lecture bingo .

Solution #3: Look into the future.

Before a lecture, give students a prediction activity. For example, tell them you will be lecturing on Shakespeare and ask them to predict what you will say, or give them a set of true/false statements and ask them to take their best guess.

As you lecture, instruct students to compare their guesses with what you actually say.

When the lecture is over, have a class discussion and evaluate how accurate student predictions were.

Problem: The lesson emphasizes the teacher, not the students.

Solution #1: Keep them busier than you are.

The traditional classroom of yesteryear had the teacher at the front of the room, droning on while students doze. Re-imagine your classroom as a place where students are busier than you are.

Keep the "sit still and let me talk to you" moments as brief as possible; get those kids working! Give them worksheets, activities, discussions, and projects. That doesn't mean you get to sit around -- you will still be busy, moving from student to student or group to group, correcting, evaluating, or providing feedback. But now everyone is busy and involved.

Homogeneous grouping? Heterogeneous grouping? Tracking? Forget the buzz words: having students work in groups is one of the best ways to increase student participation. Don't keep them in the same groups all the time -give them a chance to be the "smart kid" who can help someone one day and the kid who needs help the next.

Take a traditional worksheet or activity and give it to students in groups. Offer a reward to the group who finishes first with the most answers correct and watch them go! Note: it helps to have additional prizes available to keep groups motivated after the first group "wins." Even high school students enjoy these competitions.

Solution #3: Give them a voice and a choice.

Do students ever get a "say" in your classroom? Of course you need to make most decisions, but there must be some things you could leave up to them - whether it's what color chalk you use today or how long they practice a specific activity.

Kids tune out because they feel like their ideas don't matter. Show them their opinions are important and they'll pay better attention and speak up more in class.

There will always be some unreachable student who won't respond, even with these efforts. But if you give these a try, you may be presently surprised at the previously unreachable students who just might join in!

How do you encourage participation in your class? In what ways did you discover how to motivate students? Share in the comments section!

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top 12 ways to increase student participation

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Top 12 Ways to Increase Student Participation

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Call it "active learning," or "classroom participation" -- every teacher wants to know how to motivate students to particpate, and how to nurture more involved students and fewer apathetic ones. With a little extra planning, that is possible. Below are four common reasons students don't participate and techniques to solve those problems and spice up your lessons.

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It's frustrating.

You spend your entire prep-hour strategically placing students into groups. You teach, model, and role-play what you want them to do. You assign roles, provide clear objectives, and confirm their understanding of your expectations.

You give them all the support you know how to give, setting them up for easy success-a slam dunk on an 8-foot rim. All they have to do is follow your clear and simple guidelines and they'll succeed.

But once they start working, you realize that it isn't going to be so easy. Sure, they may be getting along okay, but it's taking them forever to warm up to each other, to get into substantive discussion, and to make even the most basic decisions.

Some students don't say a word. Others lean in, perhaps, but feel too unsure around their group mates to assert themselves. Still others are too assertive and end up doing most of the heavy lifting.

Your leaders try their best to get everyone involved, but it's a tough task. They look at you with eyes that say, "What more can I do?" So you find yourself jumping in, taking over, and making decisions for them -defeating the whole purpose of group learning.

There is an easy solution, though, that also happens to be a lot of fun. It's called the decision game, and in mere minutes it will accelerate your students' ability to work together to a level that otherwise could take weeks.

Here's how it works:
Number each group.
Assign each group a number and write these numbers in separate columns on your whiteboard. You'll keep score of the game by tallying points below each column.
Encourage your students to lean in.
The object of the game is for each group to quickly come to a unanimous decision. Because of the urgency involved, encourage your students to lean in-even if it means placing a knee or two on their chair.
Provide a decision topic.
After asking for attention, give your students a simple topic of interest to them for which to make a group decision-like, for example, their favorite amusement park or favorite subject in school. There is no need to write it on the board. Just call it out.
"Your favorite flavor of ice cream!"Allow ten seconds to make a decision.
Each group will then agree on one answer that represents the entire group. Whether each individual actually likes chocolate chip ice cream or Six Flags is irrelevant. The idea is to come to a consensus. The challenge is that they only have ten seconds to do it.
Give your "times up."
After ten seconds or so, depending on your grade level, call "times up!" If any group continues to talk, subtract one point from their column. The game is fast and fun and losing points is part of it. No big deal.
Call each group.
One by one call each group number. Say, "Group one?" Then allow that group to respond aloud and in unison with their answer. In a short time, you and your students will find a rhythm to this part of the game.

Example: "Group one?" "Chocolate!" "Group two?" "Cookies and cream!" "Group three?" "Chocolate chip!"
Assign points.
If every member of a group responds the same, then give that group a score of five. If not, if one student calls out a different answer or no answer, then they get a score of four. If two students call different answers, then give three points, and so on.
Go to the next round.
To be most effective, move the game along quickly. Don't give your students a chance to lament their lost points or consider who may have made a mistake during the previous round. Call out your next topic as fast as you're able. "Funniest movie!"
Model how to play.
Although it's critical to teach and model the game thoroughly before playing, it will take actual play before you and your students get the hang of it. After a few practice rounds, though, you'll pick it up quickly.
Add challenge and creativity.
One way to make the game more challenging, especially for older students, is to assign greater points for more creative answers-which can be based on your judgment or on whether any other group provides the same answer.

So if they want to agree that their favorite soft drink is beet juice, they can-and should be rewarded for their creativity.
Let the winning team celebrate.
After playing the game for ten minutes or so, tally up the points and declare a winner. You can call them up to the front to take a bow, dance, or high five each other. Give them their brief moment in the sun, then erase the points and move on with your day.
Why It Works
The decision game works because its speed and urgency forces students to count on each other-in equal measure. And because it's fun and furious, and the engaging topics seize upon their natural desire to voice their opinion, they'll readily set aside their fears and anxieties and dive right in.

You may have students who naturally take on a leadership role, but as long as they're not making decisions for the entire group, it won't diminish the effectiveness of the game. Your class will still grasp that the betterment of the group comes before any individual preference.

You can use the game as a warm up before beginning academic group work or as a stand-alone exercise. Either way, once your students get down to business collaborating on a science project or sharing their thoughts in literature circle groups, you'll be thrilled with how much better they work together.

Although there is always the need to thoroughly teach what you expect of your students-i.e., taking turns, compromise, active participation of every member-making the jump from knowing what to do to actually doing it can be a challenge.

The decision game is an experiential way to speed up their understanding of how to work together. It turns what can seem like an impossible leap across a rushing river . . .

Into a stroll over a footbridge.

If you haven't done so already, please join us. It's free! Click here and begin receiving classroom management articles like this one in your email box every week.

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How To Get Your Students To Work Together - Smart Classroom Management

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It's frustrating. You spend your entire prep-hour strategically placing students into groups. You teach, model, and role-play what you want them to do. You assign roles, provide clear objectives, and confirm their understanding of your expectations. You give them all the support you know how to give, setting them up for easy success-a slam dunk ...

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“Real World” Class Jobs: Sharing Responsibility in the Classroom (Virtual Tour)

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Students complete applications and performance reviews to obtain and keep classroom jobs that match their skills and interests.

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As a new school year approaches, I have lots of things on my mind as a teacher. One of them is always, "How will I help the kids make new friends and work together as a team?" Building a classroom community is one big way to do just that! Even better, teachers, kids, AND families can work together to build community in the classroom (thus modeling how to work as a team)!

what is a classroom community?

I'm sure that each teacher has a slightly different definition of a classroom community. As I explain it to my students, "We're a preschool family. We play and learn together. We have fun together. We don't always agree with each other, but we treat each other kindly. It takes ALL of us to have a good preschool year." In my mind, a classroom community means that my room is a safe, friendly environment for everyone (kids and teachers, alike) to learn and grow together. Yes, that sounds very general, but it's my goal.

why is a classroom community important?

Kids need to feel safe and wanted. They also need to feel like they have some ownership of their actions, surroundings, and decisions. When that's in place, they're more receptive to learning. This means they're more receptive to learning across the board - be it academics, social interactions, etc.

5 ways to cultivate a classroom community

Let the children see themselves in the classroom
I don't like posters. There, I said it. I'm not huge into buying them to put up around the classroom. I think I have a hundreds chart and an alphabet chart, and that's it. I try my best to have most of the "decorations" in my classroom be kid-generated. That means their interactive writing goes up, their artwork goes up, and we even make charts together to display.

In addition to that, I really love having family photos in our classroom. I've had them up on bulletin boards before, as well as in frames throughout the classroom. Children love to see their family members in the room, especially at the beginning of the year when they're transitioning into school. The photos are also an awesome way to get kids talking to each other! I love listening to them share stories about their families with their new preschool buds! In a related topic, children also adore bringing in pictures of their pets!

At the beginning of the year, I like to talk about the rules and what we're going to do in preschool. I keep the rules simple so they're easier to remember and make sense. We review them every single day that first month of school, then about once a week after that.

Before the year even starts, I draft a preschool schedule for my class. I explain and model the preschool day a ton during that first month. We practice the routines A LOT! Over and over and over again. I also like to spice it up and add some humor while we're doing it. I enjoy being silly with the kiddos, and they love it too. Plus, a little humor makes things even more memorable to children. So I might say, "After lunch, I take my lunchbox and go put it on my head!" Inevitably the kids will go, "No, Miss Mary Catherine, it goes in your backpack!"

Each week, we pick new kids to fill our preschool classroom jobs. I keep a chart so I know who has had each job. That way, everyone gets at least one turn with each job during the year. The kiddos are so proud of themselves when they're trusted to be a helper! They know I value them and trust them to be a leader in the class.

The children have a morning routine as they come into class - greet the teacher, hang up backpack, set out lunchbox, put water bottle in appropriate bin, put daily folder away, sign in, and then choices. It sounds daunting written out like that, but it's really not. We practice and practice (and practice!) this routine the first months of school. I'm there to help out as needed, but I encourage them to take on more and more independence in each activity.

Basic, everyday tasks are included here. We work together in preschool, so the children are definitely expected to help each other out. If a box of crayons gets knocked over, there's usually more than one child helping (even if they didn't knock it down).

Have fun together
This is a huge part of a classroom community, too! Make memories with the students, and let the kids make memories with each other! It can be something as simple as reading a silly book at circle time, making a snack together, writing a class book, or creating collaborative art. It can be more in-depth like planning a pajama party or painting a car together.

Keep in mind how important the "little" memories are too! Moments like laughing together at a corny joke, giving or receiving an "I missed you!" hug after winter break, or a child's triumphant cry of, "I did it!" as he finally sails across the monkey bars while you watch.

Having fun and making memories isn't all about the planned activities in preschool. It's more focused on being genuine and warm with the children. My students know I have high expectations, and there are consequences when rules are broken. They also know that I will smile as they come into the classroom and laugh with them throughout the day - because I genuinely love them and what I'm doing. They know that I'll give them hugs when they're hurt, and high fives for working hard. It's a connection, and that connection cannot be adequately described with words. I know all this sounds a bit hokey, but it's really how I feel and what I think, so thanks for putting up with the sentimentality!

Keep up consistent communication. Yes, it can be difficult to do so sometimes, but keep at it! Parents need to know what's going on with their kids, and what's going on in their classroom.

Ask questions. At the beginning of the year, I ask my parents to fill out a short questionnaire about their school year expectations. I love getting their viewpoint about the preschool year.

Invite them in. Let them know they can come and help out in the classroom if they want to. Invite them to celebrations and special events. Encourage them to share their interests with the kids. My students loved it when a dad brought the family pets in during our reptile theme, and the dad had a blast too!

Understand if they can't come in. Conversely, be understanding if they aren't able to come into the classroom. I try hard to walk that line - I want parents to feel welcome, but I don't want to pressure them into coming.

5 ways parents can help with the classroom community

Well, I sincerely hope this was helpful to both parents and teachers! How do you create a classroom community with your students? How do you, as a parent, encourage that sense of community? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

making friends | Early Childhood Education team

Be sure to pop over and see what the rest of the #TeachECE crew has to say on the topic of making friends:

Role Playing How to Be a Good Friend by Mom Inspired Life
Songs About Friendship for Kinder and Pre-K by Capri +3
Teaching Kids About Friendship and Being a Good Friend by Raising Lifelong Learners
Making Friends: Teaching Kids to Learn and Respect Different Names by Munchkins and Moms
How to Play with Friends a Preschoolers Visual Guide and Game by Powerful Mothering
Helping Your Homeschooler Socialize by Still Playing School
Making Friends Even When You Are Homeschooled by Learning 2 Walk
Making Friends: Qualities We Look For in Friends by Tiny Tots Adventures
Book Friends by Growing Book by Book
Tips for Helping Preschoolers BE a Good Friend! #TeachECE by The Preschool Toolbox Blog

Free Friends Play Dough Printable by Life Over C's
Working Together to Create a Classroom Community by Fun-A-Day!
Teaching Kids How to Make Friends by The Educators' Spin On It

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Working Together to Create a Classroom Community

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As a new school year approaches, I have lots of things on my mind as a teacher. One of them is always, "How will I help the kids make new friends and work together as a team?" Building a classroom community is one big way to do just that!

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Active Learning Classrooms: Sharing responsibility for learning

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Creative Teaching: Simulations, Games, and Role Playing

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To keep up with the educational expectations of today's youth, we're called on to use innovative teaching techniques. Where resources and training programs aren't available to keep pace with our growing technological expansion, methods must be developed and used that involve active learning without depending on high technology.

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Side by side, seven-year-olds Anna and Frances work intently on a storyboard in which they are plotting out a book:

Anna: What will we call it?

Frances: How about The Mean Girls Club? Look, I can draw them with mean faces.

Anna: Why are they mean?

Frances: I don't know. Maybe someone was mean to them.

Anna: Let's make them be nice -- first mean, then nice.

Frances: Then what will happen to the club?

Anna: It will be the Nice Girls Club. Look, on the title page we can put a line through mean and write nice above it!

Just then, their teacher, Mrs. Geni, flicks the light switch, signaling that it is time for students to wrap up their writing projects and gather in a large group. Frances and Anna, knowing they can pick up on their project tomorrow, clip their notes and sketches to the storyboard and put it on the shelf.

Anna, Frances, and the other second graders in Mrs. Geni's classroom, in Evanston, Illinois, are learning not just reading and writing but also essential skills for success in the twenty-first century: collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and innovation.

What were once called "soft" skills in the workplace are now essential, key to the success of the business enterprise and the individual worker: working on teams, taking responsibility for one's piece of a larger project, planning for the future, and completing the plan -- these are the gears that will drive their personal and professional lives. All involve cooperative learning.

In cooperative learning, students are organized into small groups and the teacher announces a common goal.

During the course of the assignment, the children work together for a shared benefit, realizing that all members share that goal and the rewards of achieving it. Cooperative learning goes hand in hand with social and emotional learning (SEL). Briefly, the two approaches help develop a number of skills, including

self-awareness: recognizing feelings and identifying interests, strengths, and weaknesses.

self-management: managing feelings and behavior to control impulses and persevere in achieving important personal and academic goals.

social awareness: understanding the needs and feelings of others, while appreciating similarities and differences among individuals and groups.

relationship skills: maintaining positive relationships with others.

responsible decision making: making good choices and contributing to one's school, one's community, and the world.

Studies of cooperative-learning strategies regularly report an increase in engagement and active participation in the learning process, which in turn increase student motivation, time on task, and retention times and improve cognitive reasoning and the ability to see from others' perspectives.

Some teachers feel uncomfortable with cooperative learning because it requires that they assume more of a facilitative role than a direct instructional one. And students occasionally complain about not being able to work with friends or being unfairly assessed because one student in the pair or group doesn't do his or her share.

So, how do we make cooperative learning work?

Professors David W. Johnson and Roger T. Johnson, codirectors of the University of Minnesota's Cooperative Learning Center and authors of more than 400 research articles and book chapters and 40 books on cooperative learning, are international leaders in the study of the topic. In a research synthesis of 550 experimental studies on cooperative learning, they identified essential elements of effective cooperative learning. One of these factors is just how the groups are put together: How do you balance skills and roles? Developmental strengths and needs? Gender and ethnicity? How long should a group stay together? What is the right number? Who will be the group leader? Skilled classroom teachers take all these issues into account as they choose and prepare individual children for cooperative-learning groups. (See " Cooperative Education: Making It Work.")

One important point: Groups may be fluid, becoming larger or smaller in relation to the instructional goals. For instance, Anna and Frances are a writing team during one two-week period, but they separate for a later science project. Positions within the group can also change.

Mary Tavegia, principal at Cossitt Avenue School, in LaGrange, Illinois, emphasizes the need to match students and roles: "The teacher must ask 'What, developmentally, do we expect of kids at this age? What can I expect of this particular child?' You don't take a student who has trouble communicating and set him up to fail by making him the group's discussion leader right off the bat."

Johnson and Johnson say teachers must quickly establish the rules and procedures around working in a group. They point to the importance of each person supporting and encouraging their peers in their roles so that together they are able to achieve something none can do on his or her own. Teachers should also structure the task so that each student's contribution is important to the whole, and so that each has the chance to promote the others' success by helping, encouraging, and praising one another's efforts. No one is dispensable in cooperative learning.

A class debriefing and discussion should follow the group work. Students can then reflect on whether their group's goals were attained, whether they got along during group work, and what other strategies they would use next time. Through this process, students come to understand that the success of their group, and therefore their individual success, depends on each person's full participation. Debriefing is instructional for the teacher as well, providing useful feedback for shaping the next cooperative-learning project.

Tavegia also emphasizes that cooperative learning should be seen as an "instructional and learning opportunity, not a grading opportunity." This perspective, she adds, eliminates the concern that cooperative learning is "unfair because only a few might do all the work, while everyone gets the same grade. Everyone is unhappy when it is used for grading."

Cooperative learning provides opportunities for group learning that, sadly, are declining outside the classroom. Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, contends that in light of declining opportunities for free play without adult supervision and meaningful ways to contribute to their communities, American kids are getting worse at cooperation, at being able to work things out and control their impulses. "You can't blow up in a group and get away with it," he says. "The group exerts a pressure, a force for helping a child want to learn to get along with others. It's a wonderful place to learn emotional intelligence."

Getting along with others, being able to see another's point of view, and managing one's own emotions help students stay on task and maintain positive peer relationships to achieve group goals. It also turns out that children who have these capabilities are better at paying attention, taking in information, and remembering what they read and hear. SEL programs teach such skills intentionally and experientially; cooperative learning provides opportunities for practice and reinforcement.

Small Part of a Bigger Picture

Many instructional methods are based on cooperative learning and SEL skills. For example, in the academic-controversy approach, teams of students research and present first one side of an issue and then the other. Then they work with an opposing team to develop a report that combines the best points from both perspectives.

Another example is called the jigsaw, in which each student takes responsibility for preparing and presenting part of a lesson to the others in a group. Even though each child prepares only part of a lesson (a piece of the puzzle), all receive the entire lesson (the entire puzzle) because of the complementary roles of teacher and learner they have assumed.

Cooperative group learning using SEL skills is also central to project-based learning, where a group of students studies a real-world problem using original documents and data. (See "New Skills for a New Century: Students Thrive on Cooperation and Problem Solving.") The group work results in a report, which is often presented to families and the wider community and may include practical recommendations on ways to address the problem. Project-based learning gives students an appreciation of the complexity of real-world problems and the intellectual and SEL skills needed to solve them. This is also a powerful source of feedback and student learning.

Cooperative-learning groups are a key supporting instructional method used in teaching SEL skills. Although the sophistication of the SEL instruction will vary with children's developmental level, the characteristic feature of cooperative learning -- working together to achieve shared goals -- is the same regardless of grade level.

In the early elementary grades, for example, class meetings are a setting for cooperative learning of self-awareness, assimilating perspectives, and group problem solving. Children greet each other by name, share how they feel and perhaps present a favorite object from home, participate with their peers in a noncompetitive activity, and perhaps monitor progress on a classwide project.

In cross-age mentoring, a cooperative-learning method used in the upper elementary school and middle school grades, students of different ages work together over an extended time on academic or service-learning projects in every subject area imaginable -- language arts, social studies, and art assignments, as well as science, math, and technology projects. (Both older and younger children first learn and practice in the classroom the SEL skills they need to work well together.) Such projects offer rich opportunities to use and develop one's strengths, listen to and give feedback on alternative approaches, and resolve interpersonal conflicts.

What about the adults in the building? They, too, can benefit from cooperative learning that builds on their existing SEL competencies. Faculty and staff who participate in joint study, instructional planning, and teaching initiatives are energized, rather than overwhelmed, by all the new information coming their way every day. Changing the school climate as an individual seems herculean; reforming it as part of a cooperative venture becomes not only doable but also gratifying. Moreover, teachers who are engaged with other adults in the building in supportive and respectful ways are more likely to stay on the job and less likely to burn out.

Benefits Explored

Johnson and Johnson's research revealed that cooperative learning is consistently more effective than either competitive or individualistic learning in promoting student enhancement of intrinsic motivation and effort to achieve, material retained, the quality of interpersonal relationships, reasoning skills used, psychological health, and academic achievement. These learning outcomes held across various content areas, grade levels, countries, and decades.

Cooperative learning yields benefits whether students work together for only a few minutes in ad hoc groups to summarize and reflect on the key points of a lesson or are members of a yearlong study or a project-based-learning group. Even socially isolated students and emotionally disturbed adolescents learn SEL skills better and are more likely to interact appropriately with others when taught in cooperative-learning situations as opposed to more traditional ones.

Cooperative learning not only supports academic success but also teaches students that their own success is not dependent on opposing that of others. This is healthy preparation for participation in the complex and conflicted world of the early twenty-first century.

John W. Payton, Susan Munro, Mary Utne O'Brien, and Roger P. Weissberg work at the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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Common Ground: Teaching Kids the Benefits Of Working Together | Edutopia

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Side by side, seven-year-olds Anna and Frances work intently on a storyboard in which they are plotting out a book: Anna: What will we call it? Frances: How about The Mean Girls Club? Look, I can draw them with mean faces. Anna: Why are they mean? Frances: I don't know.

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Learning Responsibility with Classroom Jobs

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With No Child Left Behind (NCLB) off the table for at least 32 states in the U.S., accountability measures will be left to states and local school systems. NCLB has been clear about closing achievement gaps between groups of students considered at risk. To ensure that there is an ongoing focus on school improvement, accountability should continue to be rigorous and focused on achievement gaps along with whole school improvement.

Clear accountability systems have to be in place at seven different levels to ensure student success now and in the future. Goals, beliefs, values, visions and actions must be aligned similar to what one may find in a balanced scorecard. If these things are not operating in tandem, then the system may be doomed to fail.

The seven levels of accountability for student success are: 1) state; 2) school system; 3) school; 4) principal; 5) teachers; 6) parents; and 7) students.

Level 1: STATE

All states should have a strong plan in place to measure accountability. Out of the 32 states approved for No Child Left Behind waivers, eight states have a conditional waiver, meaning they have not yet satisfied the Obama administration's requirements for a new principal/teacher evaluation system, incorporation of College and Career Readiness Standards and other stipulations. If these states are granted waivers, it is imperative that they have a plan in place so that all educators, parents, students and other stakeholders understand how schools will be monitored and what criteria will be used to determine school improvement.

Many of the states that have received No Child Left Behind waivers have developed impressive accountability plans.

According to the Kentucky Department of Education, their new accountability model is a more robust - next generation model that holds all schools and school systems accountable for improving student performance and creates four performance classifications that determine consequences and guide interventions and supports. School and system classifications are based on the following measures: 1) Achievement (Content Areas are reading, mathematics, science, social studies and writing.); 2) Gap (percentage of proficient and distinguished) for the Non-Duplicated Gap Group for all five content areas; 3) Growth in reading and mathematics (percentage of students at typical or higher levels of growth); 4) College Readiness as measured by the percentage of students meeting benchmarks in three content areas on EXPLORE at middle school; 5) College/Career-Readiness Rate as measured by ACT benchmarks, college placement tests and career measures and 6) Graduation Rate.

Level 2: SCHOOL SYSTEM

For school systems located in states where NCLB is still active, the accountability standards remain the same: required scores in key subject areas, test participation rates at 95 percent, attendance, graduation rates and adequate performance of special populations such as disadvantaged students and students with disabilities. What will be the accountability of school systems in states with waivers? The measures should certainly be well aligned to the state accountability plan components that we monitor and hold systems accountable for. In many cases, the new accountability measures growth over a period of time. Superintendents, boards of education and school system leaders will need to be visionary, progressive thinkers who are well versed about what is happening around the country and how to keep their school system on the cutting-edge of transformation.

A strong strategic plan that communicates the school system vision, mission, goals, beliefs, values and objectives should be transparent for all to see. The metrics embedded in it should communicate what the system is holding itself accountable for. There has to be a whole school system focus on building a culture of continuous improvement.

Curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional learning are critical success indicators for school systems. All levels of system operation have to link back to improvement of student achievement. High expectations must be in place for school system leaders, principals, teachers, students and their parents.

Level 3: SCHOOL

An important question for a school to ask: "How do we know if our students are successful and what actions will we take if they are not?" Schools with an answer to this question and an accountability plan in place will have the greatest level of success. Generally, the school improvement plan is the accountability plan for the school. It outlines the same components one would find in a school system strategic plan; it is clear about the actions that will take place to address the question posed earlier. There should be an action plan for improving each content area based on current school realities or baseline data from the most recent school assessments; a professional development plan aligned to the action plans; a technology plan; a plan for improving student attendance and parent involvement; and a plan that outlines how data will be utilized, analyzed and interpreted.

Ensuring student success in schools means holding teachers and other staff accountable for quality work directly impacting student achievement. Identification of root causes for lack of student success and aggressive interventions to address areas of weakness must be implemented. Use of research-based practices in all key areas of instruction, leadership and school operation should be evident in schools aiming for high levels of student success. Innovation and creativity are not only encouraged but celebrated.

Level 4: PRINCIPAL

It is often said that principals must be strong instructional leaders. That is only part of what principals should know and be able to do. They also must be change agents, capable of dealing with vast ambiguities; human relations gurus; school culture shapers; savvy budget administrators; and outstanding performance managers. If principals are knowledgeable, courageous and willing to hold everyone accountable for keeping their students at the center of everything they do, success is bound to follow.

An effective principal is needed in every school building of a school system striving for excellence in education. These principals understand the complexity of their position, perform duties and responsibilities at a high level, and are able to multi-task, fitting all of the interconnected pieces of school life together for the good of their students. They are results-driven and accept no excuses from anyone. Success is the only option and mediocrity is simply not acceptable in a school run by a strong leader.

Many states have new leader accountability instruments that will be used to evaluate system and building level leaders. Principals operating at the proficient to exemplary level of these accountability systems will have the most positive impact on student achievement.

Level 5: TEACHERS

Research is clear about the damage an ineffective teacher can do. It can take years of instruction with an effective teacher to turn that damage around. Schools and school systems will need a laser-like focus on building the capacity of teachers through strong induction programs, job-embedded professional learning, support for implementation of the new Common Core Performance Standards with accompanying assessments and teacher evaluation programs linked to student achievement outcomes. Teaching children at a high level of proficiency should be the core work of every teacher.

All teachers should continue to be highly qualified to teach the subjects and grade levels they are assigned. Use of varied instructional strategies, effective assessment techniques, data utilization and integration of technology are a given for teachers who want their students to be successful. Teachers should be held accountable; however, their success begins with holding students accountable for learning what is taught.

Level 6: PARENTS

The outside curriculum of children does matter. This curriculum has to do with how they spend their time away from school, what they value, the support systems they have in place and how parents involve themselves in the school. What is learned in schools can be easily unlearned if not sufficiently enforced at home, in the community, ingrained in character and properly supported.

Parents need the requisite skills to help their children succeed in school. The local school and school systems should provide these skills through parent education workshops, parent involvement meetings, adult education classes and engagement in volunteerism. The Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets is a good starting point, along with the six types of parent involvement established by Joyce Epstein.

The chances of children being successful increase when their parents are fully vested in the school community; capable of monitoring school work; communicating effectively with teachers; and able to identify resources to help with social, emotional health issues and other impediments to school success.

Level 7: STUDENTS

Students must be taught to be responsible and take ownership for their education. Personalized learning environments are significant when it comes to establishing schools where students can thrive and be successful. Working with teachers who understand the importance of building relationships cannot be overemphasized. We must remain steadfast in our mission to prepare 21st century students in our country to compete in a global economy. Failing to do so will be detrimental to not only the individual child, but to our future as a nation.

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Seven Levels of Accountability for Student Success

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With No Child Left Behind (NCLB) off the table for at least 32 states in the U.S., accountability measures will be left to states and local school systems. NCLB has been clear about closing achievement gaps between groups of students considered at risk.

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Implementing Group Work in the Classroom | Centre for Teaching Excellence

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Group work can be an effective method to motivate students, encourage active learning, and develop key critical-thinking, communication, and decision-making sk

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Do your students give excuses for their poor performance in class? Are excuses like "there was no sufficient time to prepare," "the questions were too tough," "the material was not taught in class," etc. often used in your class? Student accountability is an important trait to develop in your students. It helps them take responsibility for their actions, learning, and helps improve academic performance and achievements.
Introducing student accountability in the classroom
It may not be easy initially to instill this behavior in your students, but with your constant support, students may slowly learn to develop it. Here are some ideas to achieve student accountability in your classroom:

What is student accountability? Few students understand the need to take responsibility for their actions. Therefore, it is essential that you frame rules at the beginning of the year on the actions that are acceptable and unacceptable in the classroom. Unacceptable behavior should have a prescribed consequence (like a time-out) that should be followed closely. The student then decides whether he/she performs the acceptable/ unacceptable task. Understanding this crucial concept will help students take responsibility for their actions.

Be firm with your rules. It is often observed that leniency only encourages students to break rules. When a teacher bends the rules for someone in class, others will expect the same treatment. Failure to comply will lead to complaints of favoritism that adversely affect the dynamics of the class. Thus, following your rules is a good way to instill accountability in your students.

Create a positive environment

Be positive, non judgmental and supportive to the students. Since your students are trying to change their behavior, there may be slip ups initially. Remind the student that every action has a consequence and that it was their choice to face the punishment. You may also have a group system in which students remind and support each other.

Inform parents of the game plan. At times, incorrect or imprecise information is conveyed to the parents. To prevent this and generalize student accountability even outside the class environment, parents should be kept in the loop. If a student misbehaves or fails to turn in the work on time, you can ask the child to call and inform the parents in your presence. Such practices will reduce the incidence of mistakes from occurring and increase the practice of taking responsibility.

Help your students develop a plan to achieve their goals. Instruct them to draw a triangle. At the tip of the triangle, write the goal that needs to be achieved (i.e. improving performance, submitting assignments on time). On the base, write down the steps necessary to achieve the goals. This gives them the opportunity to formulate their own goals and strategies. Writing them down serves as a reminder to the students on their committed to their goals and teachers may encourage them to sign the work and also get it signed by their parents. A copy of this is maintained by both the staff and parents to help the student achieve his/her goals. After two weeks, teachers and students can review the goals to see how much was attained, discuss whether the goals were realistic, figure out changes to the plan or set new goals. Such practices will help students to be proactive in their learning.

Keep an achievement chart

Another way to instill student accountability is to encourage students to evaluate their own work, performance and participation in class. Create an achievement chart that records the various activities and behaviors in class (for example: active involvement in class, academic performance in tests, timely submission of assignments, achievement of goals, etc.). This chart is to be scored by the student daily on a three point scale of 0, 1, and 2 where 2 is good, 1 is average and 0 is bad. At the end of each week, the student adds the score and makes a chart which is a record of their learning. The chart demonstrates how well each student has achieved their objectives of learning and which areas needs more work and effort.

Thus, by teaching students to be accountable for their work and take responsibility for maintaining a level of academic performance, we are encouraging them to be in charge of their own success.
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How can I Introduce Student Accountability in Class to Enhance Student Performance?

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Do your students give excuses for their poor performance in class? Are excuses like "there was no sufficient time to prepare," "the questions were too tough," "the material was not taught in class," etc. often used in your class? Student accountability is an important trait to develop in your students.