Collaboration
Frequent Use Strategy
The Collaboration strategy requires teachers to intentionally design learning experiences using a variety of flexible and fluid grouping structures following direct instruction to provide opportunities for students to collaborate with partners and small groups.
When using Collaboration, the teacher designs collaborative and partner work to ensure student discussion and interdependence is required for consolidation of learning. The teacher embeds high-level questioning with student explanations to guide discussion of cognitively challenging tasks or texts. Students engage with peers to apply and consolidate learning through tasks, problem solving, instructional conversations, and relevant real-world challenges. Students engage with collaborative partners to discuss and apply new skills and knowledge as a part of making sense of and consolidating learning.
Collaboration is not done absent of purpose and intention. It is not groups of students practicing similar skills in proximity of one another. It is most effective when paired with high-level questions that require student reasoning where students are making sense of and consolidating their learning because of the collaborative peer interaction.
References
Look Fors
The Teacher will…
- use a variety of flexible & fluid grouping structures following direct instruction to provide opportunities for students to collaborate with partners & small groups.
- design collaborative & partner work to ensure student discussion & interpendence is required for consolidation of learning.
- embed high-level questioning with student explanations to guide discussion of cognitively challenging tasks or texts.
The Students will…
- engage with peers to apply & consolidate learning through tasks, problem solving, instructional conversations, & relevant real-world challenges.
- engage in cognitively complex tasks & texts.
- engage with collaborative partners to discuss & apply new skills & knowledge as a part of making sense of & consolidating learning.
- respond to questions individually & as a community of learners.
Model Lessons
Students will show their mathematical thinking through drawings, words, and numbers and will discuss strategies to use as they work and critique the thinking of others in the group.
Multiplication: Opposing Views Probes
Students will pick a viewpoint they most agree with an provide reasoning to support their selected viewpoint.
Right Triangle Trigonometry: Every Picture Tells a Story
Students will use angle measures to estimate side lengths, use side lengths to estimate angle measures, draw right triangles that describe real world problems, and label the sides and angles with their given measures and solve application problems involving right triangles.
Videos
In this video, the teacher provides an opportunity for students to work and discuss real-world problems while checking for understanding from students.
In this video, the students work to analyze, assess, and communicate their thinking on the math task.
In this video, students work to analyze, assess, and communicate their thinking on the math task.
In this video, the teacher monitors students as they work collaboratively
In this video, the students work in collaborative groups to solve a task and the teacher poses questions to students to deepen their understanding of the concept.
In this video, the students use visual models to build a conceptual understanding while working with their peers to accomplish the task. The video illustrates students providing input and feedback on the work.
In this video, students work together to discuss and accomplish a collaborative task. The students engage in providing input and feedback on the perspectives of their peers.
QPTS Instructional Tech Toolkit for Teachers
For any questions with this guide or its content, please call Instructional Support at (678) 301-6804.