21st Century Classroom

INTRODUCTION An old farmer once lived with his only son near a small village in rural China. They were very A poor, and an old horse was their only valuable possession. Late one night, the horse ran away, which was devastating. The next day, all of the neighbours ran over, lamenting this misfortune, and crying What bad news! But the old man merely said Perhaps it is. Perhaps it isnt. Perhaps it isnt. Later on, the young son mounted one of the wild horses, but was thrown off, breaking his leg. And again the neighbours hurried over. What bad news! they lamented. Perhaps it is. Perhaps it isnt, said the old man. A few days later, the Chinese army stormed through the village, conscripting young men for the war up north against the infidels. It was well-known that any men who went to this war rarely returned alive. But the young son couldnt go, because he had broken his leg. Soon after, their horse returned, and was leading an entire herd of wild horses. When they all trotted inside the corral, the son ran out and shut the gate, and the two of them were rich beyond belief. When the neighbours came over, they all said What good news! And the old man replied, Perhaps it is. The BAD News The Overload Of Teaching The daily dilemmas faced by educators can feel overwhelming. One of the most remarkable things about schools world-wide is that so many teachers are still encouraging children to achieve at a high standard, in spite of near-insurmountable hurdles standing in their way. The problems in education whether they be the constant pressures to include more in curriculum, the behaviour of students, or the boredom that can so easily overwhelm educators are compounded by the constant changes that are being made to present lifestyles. As it moves into the 21st century, the education system is struggling to maintain pace with a civilization that is being swept along at the speed of a rocket.

Teachers are becoming increasingly isolated by the disparity between schools and the outside world, and yet are still expected to produce some sort of magical solution to the massive social problems that are created by all of this change. They are expected to solve a mounting list of challenges, ranging from youth unemployment to family breakdowns. With such a huge range of issues bearing down, it is easy to become overwhelmed by a sense of futility, and lose a sense of purpose or direction with the profession. There is just too much to do. As educators become so flooded with the many daily tasks that confront them, teaching sometimes becomes a matter of survival. As soon as one task is more or less completed, there is always another to take its place. In the end, they are praying for each day just to come to a close. Looking For The Quick-Fix As teachers continue to lose this sense of direction, they are subjected to people who look for quick-fix solutions to deep-seated problems. This, in fact, is a natural reaction. Everyone would like to find an easy answer for problems that have been nagging for too long, but the reality usually is another matter. Bandaid solutions rarely work. They do no more than cover problems, in the hope that they will go away. To really improve on an untenable situation, it is necessary to go much deeper, to the source of the concern. In the educational world, this is not an easy matter. There are just too many variables and influences that make it difficult to find any easy answers. Even solutions that initially appear as direct and simple can be difficult to implement. Many people in the community, including parents and politicians, feel that they have a stake in education, and valuable contributions to make. In the face of rapid social change and the resulting confusion that this brings, these people quite rightly call for a sense of stability in education to protect against those many changes. The back to basics lobby, based on the socalled 3Rs, suits these purposes very well. Community insistence upon the 3Rs should be accorded a great deal of respect. It is fuelled by a need for a sense of stability at a time of great change. Both parents and teachers are to be commended for wanting that stability. Additionally, the skills of the 3Rs are vital, and cannot be neglected. But the education system will need to look even deeper for this sense of stability. There are now so many areas that need to be covered in any school curriculum that it is becoming impossible to cope with them all. The

notion of information overload is very apparent to anyone involved in the teaching profession. There is a need for a solid core that can adequately prepare students for the 21st Century The GOOD News Seeking Best Quality Practice The good news is that many dedicated people already are searching for ways to create lasting change in education. There are numerous wonderful programs in operation, being implemented by committed educators who are determined to make a difference with their practice. They persistently are seeking the solid core that will create a foundation for long-term best quality practice. Many believe that this core will be discovered within two generic concepts, namely, the OLD and the NEW. The NEW is the phenomenal technology that is sweeping the planet, and changing forever the mode of delivery of educational services. Given the constant advance of A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) systems, the type of schooling operating in just a few decades from now would be extremely difficult to predict. The OLD is the reconnection with the human qualities of heart, mind and spirit. They are the unchanging characteristics of humanity, the ones that should always be nurtured and treasured in our learning environments. In a modern world that is searching desperately for meaning and purpose, these inner qualities are assuming greater importance than ever before. So, in terms of the good news, Id briefly like to focus on both the OLD and the NEW. Firstly, the NEW. The Marvels Of Technology A quick look into the computer crystal ball can reveal some fascinating possibilities for 21st century education. Even five-year-olds already travel with the greatest of ease along the information superhighway. Virtual reality, CD Rom and holographic faxes will play an increasingly important role in daily learning experiences. The worlds first CyberSchool cannot be too far away. Such an institution would place less emphasis upon the learners physical location, and a greater importance upon electronic communication. Technology will change the way we think about the learning process itself. Perhaps there is a chance that even our thinking will be done for us by some biological-electronic entity. Computers have overtaken many of the analytical thinking functions that we

formerly entrusted to our brains less than twenty years ago. This process is hardly going to slow down. We may not even bother to develop particular skills when those skills may be undertaken much more effectively by a robot. By the turn of the century, hand-held computers will be able to transcribe our verbal instructions into written form. For blind people, a special instrument already exists that can be passed across the pages of a book, to vocalize the words - thus virtually reading the book for them. Calculators can perform at a much faster pace than hand computation. The marvels of advanced technology will continue to supplant many functions that we once considered as sacred to humans. Virtual reality, in which we can participate in a full range of tactile experiences generated by computer, has the potential to replace many industries, such as tourism. Allied with this will be the need for a significant restructuring in the way that we think about employment. Those who consider schooling as a preparation for future careers may need to analyze these implications very carefully. The occupations waiting for todays students in the 21st century will be those that computers are not capable of doing. These future occupations are going to involve a strong creative and personal component.

Becoming Learners For Life At some point, however, we will begin to realize that we are losing the true essence of what it really means to be human. Why sit in front of a computer to do your shopping when you could be browsing through a shopping centre, enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells, as well as the indirect contact with other people? I believe that there eventually will be a return to more personal values, in which a much greater emphasis will be placed upon two special dimensions of human existence. These two dimensions will allow us to re-discover our role as life-long learners. In regard to classroom practice, they are: The Social - developing cooperative behaviours based on teamwork and trust The Mental - promoting the optimum utilization of our brain The Social and Mental dimensions have always formed a part of our psyche. They are unchanging. For us to realign ourselves with our natural learning state, we will need to recreate conditions that best support these

two dimensions. Every human being begins life in this natural learning state. We are born to learn, and should remain as Learners For Life. The Classroom of the 21st Century will become one in which children will develop these life-long learning skills. The purpose of Mindlinks is to offer some of these necessary skills through the Social and Mental framework. The Social And The Mental Dimensions Consider the Social and Mental dimensions in terms of a house under construction. They represent the foundations of learning, while the knowledge base of the 3Rs could depict the finishing touches such as the walls, the roof and interior fittings. The solid foundation is needed to support the massive number of fittings. What you choose for a foundation will determine the quality of the learning environment in your school. The Social is the Heart of learning, and the Mental is the Mind of learning. The actual words sometimes conjure up images of classrooms floating on love, compassion, and lots of ephemeral time-wasting activities. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although love and compassion very well may be present, the heart and the mind focus on learning effectiveness, and are based upon principles that have been tried and tested for many years throughout the world. In this book, the Social dimension has been divided into two sections, namely, the Caring, and the Cooperative. The Caring component relates to the development of self-esteem in both students and teachers. When selfconfidence is high, you feel more capable of undertaking your commitments in life. It also is important that you attempt to not only develop your own confidence, but the confidence of others around you. The concept of actively Cooperating in schools lies at the core of human potential. Many hands make light work. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. When we work with other people, each of our efforts is enhanced. One of us is never as smart as all of us. When we learn together, we benefit from the knowledge and skills of others. Within the Mental component lies the untapped potential of our brains. There is little doubt that we are presently underutilizing our abilities. It sometimes is maintained that we only use 5-10% of our brains, but what really happens is that we are using our entire brain in a very ineffective manner. The activities presented in the section on the Mental dimension have been designed to promote innovative and creative thinking processes. The Quality of the Teacher

If you wish to create an innovative learning climate, then you should lead by example. Teachers must rolemodel their own love of learning, and seek to walk their talk. Every teacher should be a learner. Please never say that you know everything, because at that point, you will no longer be a learner. In teaching, best-quality learning is not just something that you DO. It is something you ARE. It is who you are, that will determine the learning quality in your classroom. Thus, I have presented these many activities throughout Mindlinks in the hope that they will serve as a starting point for personal as well as professional development. While the strategies themselves are intended for classroom use, the philosophy that underpins these approaches should be applied in the lives of the teachers themselves. The quality of a classroom environment will be determined by the personal qualities of the teacher. No amount of money spent on resources will suffice if teachers do not have their hearts and their minds on the task at hand. Professional and personal development of teachers should be the highest priority in any school. To principals everywhere, I say, look after your teachers, and their classrooms will look after themselves. THE SOCIAL: Learning from the Heart The Caring Culture The Misuse of Abuse Back at the turn of the 20th century, the local people in a small rural community used to tell a story about one of the original settlers who lived on a nearby sheep station. Apparently, the old man had developed an unusual technique for felling any trees that were too large to be cut down with his axe. Early each morning, he would walk over to the tree, and start yelling at it. After subjecting the tree to a tirade of abuse for five minutes, he then would just walk away. Apparently, the trick was to do this every morning for a month, and at the end of that time, the tree would crash to the ground. Why? Because all of the yelling would have broken the spirit of the tree, thus causing it to give up and die...... A silly story, you might say. Perhaps. But I have seen parents and teachers do just the same thing to children, and although these children may not die, there is little doubt that their spirit is affected significantly. There can be any number of excuses given for the use of this verbal abuse. The child may have seriously misbehaved, or the teacher/parent may have had a tiring day. However, the consequences need to be considered. Contrary to popular opinion, you will not feel better after you have yelled,

and in any case, it can cause the child to become bitter and disillusioned, and seek to repeat the offence at a later date. In a survey conducted by Harold Wells and Jack Canfield a number of years ago, 100 researchers were placed in 100 different classrooms for a single day, and were asked to simply tally the number of positive and negative comments made by the teachers. At the end of the day, the 100 scores were totalled, and divided by 100. The end result? Positive: 70 and Negative: 460. The Power of the Compliment We all know that we feel better when a compliment is extended to us. The afterglow can follow us around for hours. Negative statements just dont work. Criticism rarely encourages us to respond with an improved effort. When was the last time that you reacted to a negative comment that was directed at you by saying: Yes, youre absolutely right, and I will immediately try to improve the way that I do this? Negativity also can promote the dangers of the selffulfilling prophecy. Children who are reminded constantly of their inadequacies invariably will live down to those expectations. If a principal persistently derides teachers for their inabilities, they generally will perform according to that belief. Negativity is a backward step. Counter the criticism by developing the art of the compliment. How effective are you at both giving and receiving compliments? Would you be able to sit in front of your peers, and accept compliments from them? Consider also your ability to hand out genuine compliments. When is the last time that you praised a colleague for their efforts? Many people can struggle with the giving and receiving of compliments, and this often can be traced to a low level of self-esteem. When you are insecure within yourself, it is exceedingly difficult to expose your feelings by praising others. You even may be suspicious of those who have offered praise to you. What, you think, are they going to ask you to do for them, now that theyve given you a compliment? In the next few lines, I have provided a number of proposals for the development of a Caring culture in a school environment. Naturally, these lists only scratch the surface. I would be delighted if you were able to extend on the ideas. There are a range of specific proposals for three groups, ie students, teachers and administrators.

Students 1. Invite students to give a compliment to someone else before leaving at the end of a lesson. I ask students to raise their hand, and to share the compliment with the rest of the class eg Jamie always gives me a hand if Im in trouble. Once a student has given a compliment, they then can leave the room. Conduct a five-minute session each day in which special efforts are acknowledged. Ask the students to comment on something that they felt was noteworthy in some way. Perhaps one student could be placed at the front, and the others then asked to give compliments to that person. Place a message board on the classroom wall, and ask for positive comments to be written up whenever possible.

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4. Appoint an observer to record the number of positive and negative comments made in a specific period, such as 30 minutes. Keep a score for the group, rather than for specific individuals. Discuss the results, and consider strategies for improving the positive score even further. 5. Place the students in a circle, or in some form of conga line. Play Pass the Compliment, where a compliment is whispered all of the way down the line until it reaches the recipient at the other end. 6. Initiate a Kid of the Week program, in which every child, without exception, becomes the centre of attention for a full week during the year. Place the names of all students in a box, and draw out one name each Monday. That student then becomes the Kid of the Week, and is accorded all types of special privileges eg everyone has to try and compliment them; always first in line; and so on. 7. Design a Reflection Card that requires students to analyse their own behaviour for the lesson in a simplistic format. Ask them to rate themselves on just 2 or 3 questions eg Did I help others?; Was it my best effort? This form of inner reflection can be a very powerful way of indirectly encouraging someone to do their best. 8. Set one-day challenges, in which only positive comments can be made for the whole day. Initially, it may need to be for a shorter amount of time, such as one lesson. 9. Develop a greater degree of self-awareness in the students. Encourage them to close their eyes, relax, and to visualize themselves treating other people in a courteous manner. 10. Promote the concept of community work, and the general caring for others. Openly develop the use of a peer assistance scheme, or a Buddy system in the everyday work of the classroom. Teachers 1. Media releases should accompany any good efforts made by classroom teachers. Such efforts could include any special lunchtime activities, community assistance programs or quality classroom initiatives. The media

outlets could include the school newsletter, the local newspaper, or any of the teacher publications issued by Education Departments. 2. Establish a bulletin board on an open wall in the staff room, to be used for any messages, newspaper articles or photographs that would compliment any of the teachers on staff. Derogatory photographs are not allowed. 3. Develop a procedure that ensures a warm welcome for all teachers upon arrival at school. Perhaps someone could be paid to stand at the front driveway, and meet the teachers with comments such as Great to see you, I hope you have a top day. (Before you start laughing at this idea, think carefully about its virtues. The first five minutes often can make or break the rest of your day). 4. On the daily or weekly parade, students are usually praised for their efforts. Perhaps the teachers should also be given similar acknowledgement for their achievements. Staff members often display a high level of talent in activities outside the school setting, yet few colleagues end up hearing about it. 5. A conscious effort should be made by all staff members to make positive comments about other teachers in the presence of people such as the principal or parents. This develops a strong climate of trust between all of the members of the school community. Administrators 1. Ensure that the school receives some praise in the local media. Principals tend to bask in the reflected glory, believing that they somehow must be responsible for these noteworthy efforts in their school. 2. Teachers consistently should remember to send students to the administration team for good efforts, rather than just their bad ones. If they only ever deal with the poor behaviour, the principals and deputy-principals may begin to think that their life revolves around all of the negative behaviour in the school. 3. Any positive efforts on the part of the administration team should be acknowledged by staff members. This can become difficult, especially when some elements in our society will brand you as the proverbial crawler. Just remember: you cant expect to receive compliments, unless you are prepared to give them as well. 4. The administration team should be invited to any presentations or special activities, so that they can share in the positive achievements taking place throughout the school. The caught in the office syndrome needs to be broken whenever possible. 5. Complaining achieves little. Complaints to the administration team always should be accompanied by a proposal for solving the problem. The Cooperative Culture Creating Self-Responsible Behaviours

When flocks of birds fly in V-formation, they can cover 71% greater distance than if each bird flies alone. The only problem is that the bird at the front is doing more of the work. This can be compared to some parents, teachers, and other leaders who end up doing everything. However, nature has devised an ingenious solution to this dilemma. The birds simply rotate the leader role every ten minutes or so, and they all share the load during the days flight. Each feels responsible for the team, because without their individual contribution, the flock would suffer. This anecdote has a number of interesting implications for educational communities. An insistence on maintaining the lead role usually ensures that at least two major problems will need to be faced. They are that: 1. The leader, such as a principal with their staff, or a teacher with their class, will eventually break down from the overload of the extra responsibility; and 2. Little self-responsibility will be developed in the followers. These two problems can become a tightrope around the school community. It is possible to end up with a group of educators who are suffering considerable stress, and with classrooms full of students who are not the least bit interested in any self-responsible behaviours. I have found invariably that the most positive schools are those in which a strong degree of trust is evident in the principal-staff and teacher-student relationships. Such trust enables us to place our faith in other people, and to give them tasks that we normally would undertake ourselves. We then ease the burden on ourselves, and develop a greater degree of selfresponsibility in others. But I cant trust them to do it properly, some people say. I would rather do it myself, and know that it has been done correctly. This may actually be the case in the short term, but the long term view exposes a different perspective. If you continue to do something for someone else, how can they ever learn to do it for themselves? We always should look for ways of encouraging others to accomplish various tasks, and to help them feel important while they are doing so. Showing one student how to set up the classroom computer may take some time, but in the long run, your own effectiveness will be greatly enhanced by not having to do it yourself. The Competition of Evaluation

This sense of trust can be considerably shaken by our evaluation system. While being an entirely necessary component of the educational structure, objective assessment has the capacity to create a climate of distrust and negative competition between students. Developing a situation where some must fail for others to achieve is hardly conducive to a trusting and co-operative environment. There are two general types of competition, and one of these should be avoided whenever possible. I am referring to external competition, in which we become obsessed with the win/lose mentality, to the extent that we even end up hoping that other people do not perform to their potential. With the state of the youth unemployment market, it is understandable why teenagers would feel this way. But any obsession with external competition can lead to our undoing. While it initially appears to be the most effective way of encouraging students to fulfil their potential, a deeper analysis can reveal some disquieting consequences. The significant underachievement exhibited by many students can be partly attributed to this environment, as can the tension and distrust that sometimes breeds in such a climate. Competition From Within Yes, I hear you say, but how else can it be done? In part, the answer lies in the second type of competition, which could be referred to as internal competition. In this case, students would be encouraged to compete not against others, but against themselves. The aim would be to try and do better today than they had done yesterday. Internal competitors focus on themselves, and try to improve from within, instead of becoming obsessed by beating others. The ironic point is that internally focused people often achieve at a higher level than the externals, because they are constantly seeking improvement. The externals can become blinded by the desire for the short term win, at the expense of long term quality improvement. The internal competitors also are happy for others to do well, in part because they are not competing against those people. In fact, the good efforts of others often can boost their own efforts. When surrounded by excellence, most people will achieve to a higher level. The Sporting World The world of sport offers an intriguing perspective on high achievers in a competitive environment. In team

sports in particular, the game is played on a win/win basis by the team members. Although they certainly would like to defeat the opposition, they will only do so if they cooperate as a team. Because of this, there is a much more positive attitude to the high achiever. After all, if one brilliant team member scores a goal, the entire team shares in that glory. I often wonder about the team members who openly congratulate the person who scores the brilliant goal in basketball, yet can be more reticent about applauding the top scorer in a maths test. Is it because the maths test pits individuals against each other, whereas the team sport encourages them to work together? In a further comparison with sport, the social skills needed for a cooperative classroom will be just as important as the throwing and catching skills needed for a sport such as baseball. Effective listening and positive reinforcement can be practised just as diligently as the physical skills used on the sports field. Just playing the game will not be enough. Synergy in the 21st Century There is a vital Big Picture that underlies the development of these cooperative behaviours in classrooms world-wide. The complexity of the 21st century world will require humanity to work together as never before. No longer can we rely upon the rugged independence of doing everything ourselves. There is just too much to do. Future time management structures will be based upon the synergy of accomplishing tasks with others. Rather than completing our work alone, we will try often to find others who can offer assistance. Although this interdependence already is evident in many parts of the world, it must be fostered further at every opportunity. One of the most important places will be within every single classroom on the planet. The future is most assuredly created today, with every interaction during every classroom learning experience. Instilling such values in todays children may ensure that a global community of learners can learn together in the 21st century. It is my contention that humanity has been created as a collaborative species. Look at the community reaction to natural disasters. Whether they be storms, earthquakes, fires or floods, people come from everywhere to offer assistance. Complete strangers open up their hearts and their wallets to help the less fortunate. The only pity is that it takes a tragedy to draw people together. I believe that the best thing for the 21st century world would be the threat of a devastating meteorite, as long as, of course, it didnt actually wipe us out. Our collective response would be

to temporarily forego our differences, and work together in defeating the common threat. So much more can be accomplished when we work together. When Sir Edmund Hilary reached the peak of Mt Everest in 1953, he was accompanied by a local sherpa, Tensing Norgay. Upon returning to the base camp after the successful climb, Norgay was approached by an insistent reporter who kept asking: But you have to tell me. Who really got to the top first? And the little guide merely turned and replied: No one gets to the top by themselves. Structures for Cooperation In the day-to-day interactions of the classroom, it is difficult to remind ourselves of this Big Picture. Yet this concept of collaboration will be the foundation stone for learning in the third millennium. The activities at the end of this section give some indication of the way in which a cooperative culture can practically be enhanced in the classroom environment. However, they will only work in a climate of mutual understanding and supportive trust, on the part of the teacher as well as the students. Although they are listed as ten separate entities, it is possible to blend them together in many different ways. Keep in mind that cooperative learning of this nature requires some form of structure, so that children have clear expectations of the roles assigned to them. Each of the following activities provide such a structure. COOPERATION ONE: Pairing In pairing, students interact with a partner to complete their work requirements. This strategy sometimes appears so obvious that its full potential often is neglected. It is an excellent introductory structure for a teacher who has displayed some initial interest in cooperative learning arrangements. The skills gained during this activity can be used in many other activities associated with learning in a team situation. To introduce the basic pairing arrangement: 1. Ask students to form into pairs. 2. Outline a particular task to be completed by each pair of students. If there is an extra student left over after the pairs have been organized, try the following options: a. The teacher can become the partner (but be careful; the last child may have difficulty socializing with other children, and may simply prefer to work with the teacher);

b. Form one 3-way group, and ask them to share the activities.

Variations 1.Pair-Check (Spencer Kagan): a. Students divide into pairs. b. Each student is given a problem to complete. c. When they finish, they take turns to check their partners answer, and then praise their partner for their efforts. Roles are then reversed. 2. Think-Pair-Share (Spencer Kagan): a. Divide the students into pairs. b. The class is asked a question by the teacher. c. Each person silently thinks about the possible answer for at least five seconds (this amount of time can vary widely). d. Partners turn to each other, and discuss possible answers. e. The teacher then asks for one pair to share their answer with the class. 3. Moving Circles: a. Form two concentric circles, with half of the students in the outside circle, and half on the inside. b. Create pairs by linking an inside person with an outside person. (N.B. It becomes an easy matter to constantly reform the pairs; the outside circle merely needs to be moved one place to the left. In fact, this strategy has been used in activities such as bush- dancing for many years.) COOPERATION 2: Role Teams A structure needs to be established when students are asked to work in teams. Many groupwork lessons in the past have failed because the individuals were given no guidelines on ways in which they could contribute. The purpose of working together should be clear for the team as a whole, but it also needs to be clear for each team member. They need to understand what role they are going to play in the functioning of the team. If these roles are expressly clarified, there is then less possibility of a team member not working with the team. It is also less likely that someone will dominate and try to assume all roles. A considerable number of roles can be undertaken in this strategy. Some of the more workable ones include: a.Reader: Who reads out any material that is handed to the group b.Recorder: Who writes down any notes that are needed by the group

c.Encourager: Who constantly encourages team members to produce productive and positive work d.Obser ver: Who monitors the processes undertaken by the group, and records these observations on a monitor checklist e.Materials handler: Who collects and returns any material used by the group f.Summariser: Who clarifies and draws together the ideas expressed by the team. Being given responsibility for one role leads to: 1. the student gaining a much better understanding of the roles purpose and potential; 2. the development of the skills required for the role; and 3. the necessity to concentrate on that role. It can be difficult to effectively function in more than one role at a time. To establish Role Teams: 1. Train the students in the different roles. Adventures in Thinking , by Joan Dalton, has some excellent training strategies. Do not expect students to relate naturally to the roles. Allow for extensive practice before this strategy can be effectively implemented. 2. Divide the students into teams of four (which often seems to be the most effective number). 3. Explain the roles that are going to be undertaken and appoint members in each team to their particular role. Initially, this appointing could be undertaken by the teacher. At a later stage, the roles could be negotiated by the team. 4. Present the task to each team, and encourage each member to actively undertake their role. Variations

Each member must then concentrate on their role while the activity is being conducted.

COOPERATION 3: 1 2 4 This structure (Diagram 1) is an excellent example of the synergy unleashed through co-operative activity. It encourages the individuals in a team to each fully contribute towards the final product. To implement this strategy: 1. Each class member is asked to work separately on a particular activity eg to write down as many adjectives as possible that could be used to describe people (allow between 1-2 mins for this stage). 2. Students are then required to find a partner, and to form a combined list of their adjectives (Another 1-2 mins). 3. The pairings then are asked to join together to form a team of four, and to collate both of their lists into a single final list. The four students have then formed a collective total of their knowledge on the adjectives that could be used to describe people. They have moved from 1, to 2, to 4. The basic format described above can be undertaken in less than five minutes. However, it can also serve as the structure for an entire lesson lasting more than one hour. If there is an extra student, ask them to link with a pair, and create a team of 3 in the second stage. These three can then compile their three different lists, and move on later to form a final team of five. Variations

1. Sporting teams already make use of roles during competition. Players are assigned various positions, and are expected to assume the role of that position for the entire game. However, other roles could also be added, such as a Team Encourager. This person would not actually encourage players, but would continually remind others to do so. This is a subtle but very definite difference. 2. In activities such as brainstorming, there is often a set of rules for effectively implementing the activity. Assign each of the rules to a team member, who is then responsible for the implementation of that rule within the team. For example, in brainstorming, the roles would be: a. to encourage as many ideas as possible; b. to ensure that no judgment is allowed; c. to encourage silly ideas; and d. to encourage team members to piggyback on each others ideas.

1. Complete a 124 by combining concepts rather than a mere list of ideas. This particular version encourages some innovative thinking and often leads to some hilarious results. As an example of this variation: a. Ask each individual to outline a business venture that they would like to undertake. Allow a few minutes for clarification and recording of ideas. b. When the pairings have been formed, the two business ideas must then be combined into a single business idea. This new business must contain elements of both previous ideas. c. Then form into teams of four, and again combine the ideas from both pairs into a single new business. Other possibilities for this variation could include: ideas for fund-raising ideas for beautifying an ugly old building ideas for developing self-esteem in students

2. Instead of using the 124 format, extend it slightly by introducing a 136. Thus, in Stage 2, the members would form into two groups each containing three members, while the final stage would involve the entire six team members collating their ideas. COOPERATION 4: Hot Potato This strategy (Diagram 2) involves the use of a round robin format in developing and sharing information within a group. Hot Potato encourages team members to pass their work onto other people in their group. To introduce this structure: 1. Divide into teams containing an equal number of members, if possible. 2. Ask each of the teams to sit in a circle, so that sheets of paper can be easily passed from one person to the next. 3. Provide each team member with a sheet of paper for recording their ideas. 4. Assign a particular task to all teams eg develop a list of proposals for beautifying the school grounds. 5. Each team member then records as many ideas as possible in a set time eg two minutes. 6. On the appointed signal eg a ringing bell, they pass their sheet to the next person. 7. That person then reads the ideas in front of them, and proceeds to add some more ideas to that sheet, again within two minutes. This process of passing the Hot Potato continues until each team member ends up with their original sheet. All students should be reminded that once an idea has been recorded, or an idea has been read on another sheet, it cannot be written down a second time. No repeats are allowed. Although groups of four or five students tend to work best, this structure is capable of working with virtually any group size. Variations 1. Instead of allowing one piece of paper for each team member, give a single sheet to the entire team. The first person then writes an idea onto the sheet, and passes it onto the next person, who does the same. This then continues all of the way around the group. 2. Ideas can also be rotated between different teams rather than the individuals in each team. To establish this rotation: a. Appoint a recorder for each team, who is responsible for writing down all of the ideas given by their team. b. Each team can then brainstorm ideas on a particular topic eg how to get frisbees down from the roof. This can be undertaken in a set period of time, perhaps three minutes.

c. At the end of this time, each team rotates their ideas onto the next team. After reading out the ideas on that sheet, the team then attempts to add some further ideas.

COOPERATION 5: Telephone This strategy (Diagram 3) takes advantage of a learning process that would be very familiar to teachers within their own teaching role. Namely, you will tend to remember information more carefully if you have to teach it to someone else at a later stage. In Telephone, students are required to transmit information to other team members to ensure their teams success. To implement the Telephone: 1. Divide into teams of four or five members. 2. Ask each team to appoint one of their members to the role of teacher. 3. Provide the other students in each group in the room with a specific activity eg to complete some earlier work, and withdraw the teachers to one corner of the room, where the proceedings cannot be heard by the others. 4. Teach a specific lesson to the teachers, perhaps the rules for playing a new game. 5. The teachers then return to their teams, where they are required to teach the rules of the game to the rest of their team. 6. The game can then be played, to determine the effectiveness of the teaching that has taken place. This structure can be employed in a wide variety of ways, such as the teaching of basic information or rules, or perhaps the introduction of a new measuring technique in mathematics or science. It is often said that the person who is talking is the one who is learning the most. The Telephone strategy merely takes advantage of this truism. We tend to listen more carefully when we know that we have to pass something on. Variations 1. Reverse the situation, and change the teacher role to a learner role. To implement this variation: a. Each team chooses one of their members to take the learner role. b. The students playing this role then leave the room, where they complete a set activity while their teammates are being taught something, such as the rules for a new game. c. When the learners return, the rest of their team is required to teach them the rules. 2. Divide the class into pairs, with each pair having an A and a B. Teach something to the As, and then ask them to pass it on to the Bs.

3. As a further variation on this, give half of the information on a set topic to the As, and the other half to the Bs. Ask them to learn their information, and to then teach it to their partner. COOPERATION 6: Numbered Heads I first saw this strategy (Diagram 4) on a T.V. game show, in which it was used as a light-hearted way of ensuring that all contestants received a turn. Spencer Kagan has formalized it for the classroom, referring to it as Numbered Heads. It provides the teacher with an opportunity to directly engage a large number of students at the one time. To implement this activity: 1. Divide the class into teams of four members. 2. Assign the numbers 1,2,3 and 4 to the members of each team. If there are extra students, then create teams of five, and ask two students to share the 4 role. 3. The teacher then directs a question to all of the teams, eg What is the chemical formula for water? 4. Each team discusses the question, and attempts to reach consensus on the answer. 5. The teacher then calls out a number between 1 and 4, such as 3, and all 3s then raise their hand to provide their teams answer. 6. After receiving the correct answer, the teacher moves on to other questions. The four numbers are chosen at random during usage of this strategy. The self-esteem of students who sometimes struggle with their work is boosted immeasurably by Numbered Heads. Instead of being constantly embarrassed by their lack of knowledge, these students will frequently be able to place their hand in the air and give the correct answer. The dilemma of under-achieving high ability students can be partly resolved with this strategy. Just as the brilliant try scorer in a sports team is lauded by the team members, so too the student who manages to provide many of the answers for their academic team. Variations Establish the Numbered Heads structure within each team by following this procedure: 1. Each team appoints a teacher who is responsible for directing the questions to other members of the team. 2. The teacher then facilitates the process within their team by: asking the question allowing time for the team to discuss the question calling upon one of the team members to provide the answer.

COOPERATION 7: Triads Many students and adults can initially find it difficult to work within a team of three members. A number of disadvantages can quickly arise, including: 1. Two of the team members may align themselves against the third; 2. Individual students may see this activity as an opportunity for a rest, and let the other two do all of the work. However, mastery of the Triad strategy generally eliminates these difficulties, and can contribute to an excellent grasp of co-operative learning in a classroom. To introduce the Triads: 1. Divide into teams of three members. 2. Appoint one team member as the observer. This person will take no active part in the designated activity. 3. Outline a specific task for the remaining two members, such as, to develop a plan for organizing the school dance. 4. While the two members work on the plan, the observer monitors their interactions. 5. When the task is finished, the observer provides feedback to the two team members. Only positive feedback should be offered. Triads can serve as an excellent introduction to the observer role. Team positions later can be rotated, so that all three students eventually can take part as the observer. Variation The two interacting team members could also be encouraged to reflect on their own efforts. A brief checklist (Diagram 5) can be provided by the teacher for this purpose. It is worthwhile negotiating the checklist points with the children before the activity. The illustration offers a possible set of reflective points.