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>>student 2: I disagree with you because usually Johnny, I will like to go back
to what you said earlier about Johnny will insult him back.
But I don't think Johnny would insult him back because
because he didn't say anything right after when it was just
a dead silence, he said yeah, you're right
that's true so that's why he wouldn't insult him back
>>student 3: Well yeah, but then again Two Bit was there
you know. Johnny was like, he was kinda of in shock but then
I think that something would have happened
>>Student 2: What do you think Jasmine?
>>Student 1: I want to go back what you said that Johnny probably wouldn't say
anything back. So I feel like that would just like add
onto Pony Boy just not saying anything more because
he's just oh, Cause you know how they say he's kinda like the pet...
Collaborative learning, um
I like to use it in my classroom in various
settings. So for this particular lesson uh
students are reading The Outsiders by S E
Hinton and it deals with a lot of um
adolescent issues. It's important when you
are doing collaborative learning to have a highly
engaging topic. The Outsiders
it's one of the most popular books; students
love to read The Outsiders and the way I do it
is I like to add non fiction text to that.
And so they're still engaged, and they're still
interested in The Outsiders and they're
making connections now to outside sources
so they're still getting that rigorous
understanding and level of learning.
Thank you. Three, two, one. Sounds like discussions
over. Raise your hand really quick to
a volunteer if you can tell me how this
connects to The Outsiders just based on
what you've read so far. Michael.
>>Michael: This connects to The Outsiders because the Greasers
are a group that shares similarities and that's what cliques are.
>>teacher: Ok. Good. And thank you for using complete
sentences. Perfect. Go and continue reading
with your partner. Your time starts now.
So in the beginning of the year I set the stage
for collaborative learning by really
reviewing what it is that I expect from them
in a collaborative learning setting. So the
first thing we do is we practice our
transitions.
So transitions are very important
especially in collaborative learning where students are
really taking ownership of their learning.
So we practice transitions then we practice
the use of academic sentence stems.
This is what I want to listen and hear in the
collaborative conversations. So we practice the
use of academic sentences. Um. Then students
are required to implement those in their
literature circles or any collaborative setting.
Alright. Thank you. Three, two, one.
What are some examples
or sentence stems that someone can use to
show
that you are listening? Betty?
>>Betty: So what you're saying is...
So what you're saying is... Repeat after me
So what you're saying is...
>>Class: So what you're saying is...
>>Teacher: So what your saying is...
>>Class: So what you're saying is...
>>Teacher: Ok. And then you can repeat the
information back to the speaker that will
show me, Ok the student is listening but it doesn't
stop there you don't just repeat the
information back. You use that to either
agree, disagree or to add on. Ok?
more specifically I would like you to add on to the
conversation.
Ok? Introduce some new ideas. So I give them a
sheet where they can write down their
group rules. On that sheet they're then
required to sign it. And this really is
just serves as a reminder when they keep it on
their desk it serves as a reminder of what
they have to hold themselves accountable to.
So what do you guys have so far? What's one rule?
>>student 2: um... Everybody must participate.
>>teacher: Everyone must participate in the conversation. Why?
>>student 2: So nobody will like get off task
it's not going to be fair to all the other groups if like
only that person is not talking and all the other ones is.
>>teacher: No interrupting. So how can you prevent each other from
interrupting? Yes. >>student 4: This.
>>teacher: Right, the cues, the signals that we practiced
right. So try to it, practice it. Good. Alright.
Stay on task, on topic. What do you mean?
So students were uh participating in literature circles
where they all have different roles and
they prepare for their roles and eventually
we have our actual literature circle where
they discuss the text.
>>student: Yeah, in the book it said that when he was having his like
uh meltdown kind of when he was just like everything
so unfair for us. And he was listing off for all his friends like
how Soda had to drop out of school to
support them. It said that Dairy was going gray
early so he's probably like stressing and
overworking himself and...
>>student 2: Yeah, I agree with you >>student 1: Just growing up too fast.
>>student 2: Yeah, that's like Dairy 'cause he doesn't smile anymore
because he has a lot of things in his hands like problems...fights,
the gang,
Johnny.
>>student 1: But I think we should really recognize how important the whole
yelling at Soda thing is because he
>>student 1 and 2: he never yells >>student 2: Oh yeah, I agree with you
>>student 1: Well he yells but not at Soda cause they are like really close
>>student 2: Cause it says in the book that he turned on him and I was
surprised when I read that because like he never yelled at Soda
nobody almost yelled at like... I think nobody yells at Soda at all.
>>Student 1: It seemed like 'cause it said that Soda was the only one
actually made him laugh and teased him.
and Dairy didn't get mad. Yeah, and Dairy didn't get mad.
>>Student 2: I think he had enough.
>>Student 3: No, but um what I think is It is really surprising to hear that
Dairy just like went off on Soda like that
But it was even more shocking when Dairy hit Pony Boy. Remember?
I was like, Oh my gosh. He put his hands on his youngest brother.
>>student 1: I was close to tears. I'm not going to lie.
>>student 2: I know. That's just like very surprising that you just read
that all of the sudden um Dairy turned on him. And I think
that Dairy turned on him because I think he had
enough of all this stress. I think he had enough of all
the things in his hands. 'Cause you know how
like referring back to what you said earlier
when you were the Discussion Director...
>>teacher: So I have a rubric and I like to use it and
it helps me when I have to go back and grade their
literature circles or their collaborative
learning. So I use the rubric
and just take notes down and I have proficient,
emerging, or satisfactory.
and depending on where the students are placed I
make some notes and adjustments and that
feedback then I give back to them um for
them to make adjustments for their next setting.
Good job. Excellent discussions. Excellent conversations.
What you are going to do in just a second is
complete your reflections I want you to
really reflect on yourself and each other
Ok? Please answer the questions
in between the reflections.
Make sure you complete the sentences.
Can everybody...you should have this on your desk.
So turn to it. Everybody go to the section that
says reflect on your group members
participation.
See where it says the group members name?
Look at the box next to the group member's
name: it has N I S and O Now if you go at the very top...
So what I do is prepare my
students to reflect on themselves and each other
so they really have to be honest
with one another. In fact this is a
discussion they have with their group members
before they actually grade one another. And so
what they do is grade themselves first and
how they performed in the literature
circle. Then they look at their group members
and evaluate their performance So I
make it a requirement to give some positive
feedback and some constructive criticism.
Then when they reconvene as a
group they go ahead and just share out how
they felt about their performance and their
group members' performance.
>>student 2: From my perspective I think that we should probably
kind of approach it like...
>>student 1: Be honest. >>student 2: Yeah, basically be honest.
Be out there. >>student 1: I don't really know how I am
going to like grade myself because I am really bad on judging myself.
>>student 2: Yeah, I am too.
In my opinion, I think you like you are like outstanding.
You add to the conversation, you build on it; you like extend
'til like the end. >>student 3: The brink.
>>Student 3:Daisy did really well too. She actually talks a lot.
Not in a bad way. Like you kept the conversation going.
>>student 2: I think you did good, but I think the only thing that you need
to work on is kinda like an appropriate voice. Not "appropriate voice" but
speak a little higher...you know louder know I know nothing
I couldn't really hear you because you were speaking a little low.
>>student 1: Your voice is so like smooth I was almost falling asleep
>>student 3: Whenever I talk it just smooths out.
>>student 2: I know it is like smoothed out.
so basically you need to work on like a little louder. Yeah
But you everybody else was just like. You too
both you guys, everything else about you guys was just outstanding. and
>>student 1: Yeah, you guys were really good good at backing up your evidence
from the book and using the sentence stems.
>>teacher: It's important for students to collaborate
because it offers them an opportunity to
really be engaged in what it is that
they're working on. Collaborative learning is
really important for CommonCore.
Common Core asks that students are prepared for
colleges and jobs. And so collaborative
learning really gives kids that experience
to work with one another, learn from each
other, and bounce ideas off of each other
and so in a collaborative learning setting uh
students are getting those skills that
they need for college and high school um
and just in life.
Discussion Directors, choose your last question
and if you are still on the same question that's
fine you can continue having those
conversations
Your time starts now.
>>student 2: You still want to do it because you can't really...
>>student 1: I can come up with something on the spot. >>student 2: You can come up with
something? >>student 1: Ok. Which character do you
guys most relate to? why?
>>student 2: I think...um
I don't know to be honest. I'm being honest with you.
I really do not know who I relate to.
Or, I think she relates to Soda Pop
You're always in a happy mood. >>student 1: Me?
>>student 2: Yeah. You're always in a happy mood just like Soda Pop
You always make everbody laugh you always
>>student 1: I like making other people laugh, it's fun.
student 2: I know it is. so yeah, I think thats is why you relate to Soda Pop
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