Learning Together by Working Together

1
Learning Together by Working Together

• Middle States Project

2
St. Bartholomew Peer Prayer

• Dear Jesus,
• You taught us the greatest commandment to love
  one another. Please help us to value and respect
  each other, to support and learn from each other,
  so that we may grow together in wisdom, service
  and charity to others.
• Amen

3
What is the Middle States Accreditation?

• Every ten years the school takes part in a
  process of reflection and renewal for the Middle
  States Association.
• In the process the school follow the guidelines
  set by the Middle States to complete either a
  self-study or a project.

4
Why was a project chosen?

• Our school qualified to do a project because we
  have completed all of our annual evaluations and
  we have a stable school community.
• The faculty wanted to focus our efforts in a
  project that would further strengthen our school
  academically and socially.

5
The visit

• In November, a team of four educators
  representing the Middle States Association, will
  visit our school for two days.
• We will have a Colloquium the night before to
  showcase all of the peer learning activities we
  have put in place.
• Then the team will visit the classrooms and see
  the project in action.
• At the end of the visit they will give a short
  oral report with commendations and
  recommendations.
• A couple months later we will receive a full
  written report.

6
Peer Learning

• Positive Outcomes
• Some of the methods of peer learning include peer
  tutoring, cooperative learning and cross grade
  activities.
• Reflection

7
Positive Outcomes

• Promotes higher achievement
• Improves ethnic relations
• Ability to adjust ones behavior to work
  effectively with one another
• Increase communication skills
• Increases ability to solve own problems
• Peer support lowers student anxiety

8
Methods

• Peer tutoring-one on one tutoring, higher
  achiever helping lower achiever
• Cooperative learning-certain structures
• Cross grade groups

9
Cooperative Learning

• Positive Interdependence
• Individual Accountability
• Simultaneous Interaction
• Equal Participation

10
Positive Interdependence

• Create team goals
• Recognize team accomplishments
• Assign roles
• Divide materials/Divide labor
• One student share teams answer
• Design tasks requiring cooperation

11
Individual Accountability

• Have students show own answers
• Color code individual contributions
• Assign and grade mini topics
• Have students paraphrase
• Randomly select students to demonstrate or share
  competence

12
Equal participation

• Use turn taking strategies
• Structure for participation by all
• Assign gatekeeper role to ensure that everyone is
  contributing
• Use think time so reflective students can share
  ideas
• Have students share for equal amount of time.

13
Simultaneous Interaction

• Use frequent team and pair work
• Have students share with partner instead of
  calling on one student at a time.
• Have teams present to each other instead of one
  at a time

14
Cross Grade Buddies

• Students work with children from other grades to
  produce things such stories, plays, and skits.
• Older children help younger children by
  reinforcing class concepts.
• Younger children are given the opportunity to
  read to older children.
• Older children can teach a new concept or skill
  to younger students.

15
How does cooperative learning help high achieving
students?

• Research has shown that tutors make substantial
  academic gains. It allows them to have a deeper
  understanding of what they are learning.
• They also gain leadership skills, self-esteem,
  conflict resolution and role taking abilities.

16
Doesnt group work often mean one person does all
the work?

• Formal cooperative learning methods ensure that
  each student must contribute if the group is
  going to reach its goal.
• Learning is individually assessed and students
  are individually accountable for their own
  learning.

17
Peer Learning Benefits

• Students can share strengths and also develop
  their weaker skills.
• They develop interpersonal skills.
• They deal with conflict
• Students improve their understanding of subjects.

18
Reflection Journal

• Teachers and Students will use their journals to
  reflect on peer learning.
• What worked and what didnt?
• What can you improve for next time?
• Is this improving students achievement?