Cooperative Learning

I use cooperative learning in my classroom already, but this chapter gave me a lot of ideas to improve the methods that I use. I think that I could use think-pair-share more effectively. I do this a lot when reviewing classwork and homework assignments, but I should give the students more time to talk things over before discussing as a whole class. Also, I found the ideas about using the team interview model for reading comprehension a great resource for my classroom:
- interview each other as characters from the reading selection
- students take the role as a character in the book or the author for book reports

I could use the jigsaw method in my reading classroom with completing a plot chart. Having each student become an expert about one part of the story (exposition, initiating conflict, rising action, etc.) or with the main parts of the story (plot, setting, and characters). I also can see myself using this with concepts such as point of view, types of poetry, or genres of literature. I really like the idea that students are placed specifically in groups that they can excel in and in which others can help them out. The jigsaw method could also be really useful in the fact that in reading I can cover many of these topics with various stories throughout the year, so students could have the opportunity to become the master about each topic using different reading selections.