Collaborative Learning

Being in a classroom where children are activity involved in their learning is refreshing and exhilarating! To me, collaborative learning is the heart of creating the ideal environment for the teacher, students and for developing a strong sense of community within the classroom. Children are naturally social and curious, and when guided in the right direction this is very beneficial to their learning.   

There are many different ways to use collaborative learning in the classroom, during social studies, language arts and even during math. As children work together in small groups they practice being good listeners, speaking kindly to one another, and problem solving. Children learn from one another. They develop self-confidence and learn how to respect different perspectives. Research shows when children work together they have higher academic achievement. 

I think collaborative learning is well worth the effort of planning lessons, setting up classroom materials and creating a support of environment where all children feel safe and cared for.  As a future teacher, I definitely plan on creating a variety of activities for my students to work together. What makes collaborative learning so great is it can done in all grades, even preschool. Everyone benefits from engaging in a meaningful curriculum!