Assignment form:  Artifact with reflection form

 

Artifact and Reflection Form

 

Name: Julie Henks                 

 

Artifact number: 1

 

Title of artifact:  Class Norms for working in Cooperative Groups

Course number and name: Engaging Learner with Brain Compatible Teaching MAT 728

 

Type of artifact  Class Norms

 

Write a brief description of the artifact

This artifact explains what I did with my students before we started cooperative groups in my classroom. It provides the list of class norms we came up with to follow during cooperative learning groups.

 

Professional and/or Learner Outcomes Represented by this Artifact

Relate this artifact to your listed professional and/or learner outcomes.

This artifact represents the outcome of creating a list of class norms to use during cooperative learning group lessons. The students and I worked together to create the list of norms.

 

Report of Outcomes Attainment

Describe the results obtained and shown on this artifact.

The results of this artifact show that I was able to prepare my students for working in cooperative groups. It shows that my students and I were able to come up with a list of norms to follow while working in these groups. The students did a great job of coming up with the norms.

 

Reflection on the process

This artifact demonstrates that I learned how to prepare my students for something new that was going to take place in the classroom. I learned that my students were very eager to work in the cooperative groups and several of them had great ideas about what norms we should follow. I learned that since my students had a part in making the norms that were much more excited about following the norms. 

This artifact represents that fact that I made the change of the teacher always setting the norms, to allowing my students to help make the norms. I first explained to the students what we were going to be doing, and then I allowed them to share ideas about what they thought the norms should be. I chose this artifact, because it demonstrates that I am willing to make changes in my classroom and it shows what norms my class will be following during their cooperative learning group lessons.

Through this artifact I am able to link the program outcome, “Candidates apply quality principles of leadership, including skills of effective communication, collaboration and motivation to shape change and improve the learning community” with the research I have done on cooperative learning groups. “According to Johnson and Johnson (1993), cooperative learning is the structuring of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other's learning,” Fui Fong HO and Hong Kwen BOO. By allowing my students the chance to work in cooperative learning groups they are maximizing each others learning and at the same time they are building effective communication skills. In the groups they have to learn to work together as a team and work out problems they have on their own. This will help to build the classroom community. Through this artifact I can also link what I have done to the course outcome, “Use the professional research to determine possible strategies to introduce in the classroom.” I research cooperative learning groups and found a great deal of information to help me find new strategies to incorporate into my classroom. This artifact also links to the course outcome, “Candidates demonstrate knowledge of diverse learners, including all forms of exceptionality, and create instructional opportunities that meet the needs
of all learners,” because worked hard to group my ELL student with a group of students he would work successfully with. All of my cooperative groups were diverse based on their academic levels.

       This artifact allowed me to show evidence of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards the Five Core Propositions. First, by showing that I am concerned for my students’ self-concept and want to motivate my students to learn and work effectively with their peers. I allowed my students to help come up with the class norms, which gave them pride and made them more excited about working in the groups.  Proposition #1 outlines this by saying, “They are concerned with their students’ self-concept, their motivation and the effects of learning on peer relationships” (NBPTS, 2008, Proposition #1, para 5). I was also able to show evidence by using diverse instructional strategies in my classroom. By allowing them to work in cooperative groups they had the opportunity to work with someone else and hear the directions from a classmate. This shows that I was willing to use a different strategy to help my students better understand the concept. Proposition #2 outlines this by saying, “They are able to use diverse instructional strategies to teach for understanding” (NBPTS, 2008, Proposition #2, para 3). Through this artifact I was able to show evidence of the Five Core Propositions, and all of the planning and implementing was done to benefit my students learning.  

 

 

References

National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. (2008). What teachers should know and be able to do. Retrieved March 31,2009 from http://www.nbpts.org/UserFiles/File/what_teachers.pdf

 

 

Before we began our cooperative learning groups our class sat down together and discussed what the groups would look like. I explained to the students what we were going to be doing and that as a class we were going to make a list of norms for working in cooperative groups. The students did a great job of coming up with the norms.  I wrote the norms on a large piece of paper and hung it up in the classroom for students to see.

 

 

 

 

Class Norms for Working in Cooperative Groups

 

1.  Assign jobs to group members. Cooperative learning jobs include:
1. Recorder- This group member does the writing for the entire group; he or she uses one sheet, which saves paper.
2. Encourager - The encourager gives compliments related to how the group is working, such as "That was a great answer!"
3. Checker- This member checks and hands in the work for the group.
2. Use “6-inch” voices when working in groups.
3. Once group is together, find a working place (or if teacher has pre- assigned, find this place).
4. Say Only Nice things!
5. Work as a team. All group members must do their part.