As teachers for Springfield Public Schools we know that we are immersed in numerous opportunities for professional development. One of the most beneficial opportunities for me as a second year teacher was my cooperative learning training. We all know how important cooperative learning is in the classroom and the results it has in engaging our students. One key aspect that often gets overlooked is team formation. I found forming teams according to the Kagan method of high, high-medium, low-medium, and low to be essential in managing differentiated instruction. At first I was overwhelmed when forming my teams because I had so many behavioral issues. I thought that I wouldn’t be able to put certain students with other students because of “behavioral problems.” I was pleasantly surprised to realize that by grouping my students according to this structure, it minimized my behavioral problems due to that fact that I was better able to effectively engage my students. I sorted my students based on writing/reading scores at the beginning of the year (high, high-medium, low-medium and low). I used the student’s math scores as a way to differentiate separate math groups. The students in my class are grouped by mixed-ability for their teams, and then when we break into math stations I group the students by like-ability. I find it interesting that I have more behavioral problems in math stations when the students are working with like-ability partners, rather than when they are grouped in teams according to the Kagan Cooperative Learning team formation structure. I am so thankful to have a better understanding of cooperative learning and love using it as a way to manage my classroom.
