Cooperative Learning-Structures for Success Part 1

Hello!

When I saw the first video, I just saw it as a sequence of photos, without sound. What I got generally, there were groups of students working together and sharing something to each other. The most important thing that grabbed my attention was that between the groups existed a good social relationship, no racism as there were people from different races. My favorite part was the one that when one member of the group was speaking, the others were just listening, showing a great attention to the speaker.

When I had the opportunity to watch it in a loud voice, I noticed those things that I encountered, but also many other things. The students were exploring things in different way from traditional learning, following the Kagan Structures, which were focused on the development of collaboration, cooperative learning, multiple intelligences, character development and cognitive abilities. Through Kagan structures, there was a lot of student interaction. Students shared their experiences. They say that collaborating together its fun, because you move around and meet new people. Furthermore, it  helps them to get to know different ideas and point of views.

Using Kagan structures is easier for the teacher too, because it encourages student interactions and by interacting with each other students learn better. Teacher is more like a supervisor and director rather than the authority of the class.

I strongly recommend using Kagan structures, because they have a lot of benefits in student education. They accelerate academic achievement, develop thinking skills, improve racial relations, enhance social skills and social relations, increase liking for school, class and academic content. I would have liked a lot to have been taught in this way.  At least, I hope to apply those structures in the future during our teaching process.

Cooperative Learning- Structures for Success Part 2

The second video is more about the success of the schools and teachers using Kagan structures.  Schools that used Kagan structures experienced greater success than other schools of districts and state, even though the schools were multicultural. They showed mark improvement and growth in students demonstrating mastery in writing, reading and math, in a higher percentage than other schools. What I found interesting was the fact that teachers pick up Kagan structures very  easily and quickly and once they have learned a Kagan structure, it becomes automatic.  Teachers can use it everyday they want, in every content and across every level of students. I hope to be so easy, but I believe that it needs experience.

 Teachers enjoy Kagan structures, because they see a difference in students' attitude, in the way of learning and building team skills. You can see also a difference in the way they react to the material and the curriculum.

I think it is very important to have all students engaged in the lesson instead of one or two students as in traditional teaching, so using Kagan structures might be the right way for us  as future teachers. Furthermore, by using Kagan structures you can see better listeners and students that really care for each other. Students support each other, rather taking pleasure in the failure of others. This has for me a great  importance.  We  should encourage  our students a caring attitude for their classmates.

To conclude, Kagan structures would be very appropriate for both components of learning process, teachers and students with lot of benefits from both sides. I would like that each of us to use them in the teaching process, but even to be used from  our teachers in our learning process.