Incorporating Cooperative Learning Groups...

I have really thought "outside the box" this year with my classroom set-up. I incorporated cooperative learning groups into the mix this year. I have students break into 3 different groups...usually each group contains 3-4 students. I have very small classes to work with. I start each group at a different activity. They have 15 minutes at each station to work on the game, activity or computer work. It's great because the students never seem to get bored since they are changing 3 times during the class period. I also like these groups because students are able to help each other and lots of discussion is happening....the good kind!!! My students seem to be able to stay on task a lot better after bringing in the cooperative learning groups. I make sure that students work with different students each day of the week so that they are able to interact with their entire class throughout the span of the week. I've noticed that they don't gripe when they may have to do a little paper/pencil work because they know they get to play the games and work on the activities also. I also love the fact that when my students enter the classroom that they are always asking what they get to do today. It makes me feel like they are enjoying the different atmosphere that I have tried to bring to the class...especially an algebra class. I have my class set up into three different sections.

The first is where we do more guided practice, it is set up by the whiteboard. 

I have six desks in a semi circle close to the whiteboard. This is where we go over new concepts or maybe a concept that they just learned in their Algebra I class. It's great because I have fewer students to attend to and can really help them on the material that they specifically need help with. 

The second section is four groups of two desks. 

I have it where the students are facing each other. I use this section when we are working on partner play or group work since students can just connect their desks together.

The third section is three groups of two desks.

This section is usually set aside for when students are working on their computers in a cooperative learning group. It's closest to the other two outlets I have in my room, that way students can plug in their computers if there batteries are getting low.

I like the spacing of the sections because it is very easy to get through the room and monitor how the students are doing. I also like the sections because I know that each group is working on something different and yet all the students in the group are working on the same activity. Students can help each other before they have to ask me which I love because that means that students are learning in a cooperative environment.

Hope you enjoyed looking at my class set-up!!

Mrs. Math 

Cell Phones in the Classroom...

There are two apps that I had my students download Monday. SyncSpace is used for Android devices and the iPad while Whiteboard is for iPhones. I had them pull out their phones at the beginning of class and put them on their phones. Some students weren't able to connect to the app. store so I told them to write it down and get it when they got home.


Remember, I'm trying to go paperless....DIFFICULT!! Anyway, I found these two apps this past weekend and spent my entire Sunday playing around with them. I have an Android and an iPad 2 so it was great that I could work on both of them. SyncSpace for Android or iPad (not iPhones) has a zoomable space for drawing and can be shared over the net. You can sync the document and send it to others (also through e-mail) for editing. I like this app. because students can write notes on the drawing area and e-mail them to one another or friends that may have been absent and may have missed a lesson. Also, a student could write down a problem and place it in Dropbox for me to correct or help them with. I had students mess around with the app. at the end of class and a couple students said they would like to start taking notes on it. Another thing that I really like is that when you have written on all the drawing space, you can click on the arrows and move the virtual whiteboard up or down to create more drawing space without erasing other material.

Whiteboard is for iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches. This is basically the equivalent app. for SyncSpace just with a different name. It is a collaborative drawing tool that enables two iPod touch devices or iPhones to create pictures together over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth peer-to-peer. I can also do this through my iPad 2. Students in the same class period could work on the same problem using this app. They would just have to connect over Bluetooth and the creativity could begin.

These are two apps. that I will be incorporating into my classroom over the next couple weeks. I still have to figure out about the handful of students that don't have either of these devices. I will keep you updated and post a follow-up blog in a couple weeks with "the good, the bad, and the ugly".

If anyone has already incorporated these two apps. in their classrooms, I would love for you to share. I am always eager to learn better ways to teach "outside the box".


Enjoy!!