Collaborative Learning vs. Cooperative Learning

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Collaborative Learning vs. Cooperative Learning

Collaborative, Cooperative, po-tay-to, po-tah-to. Do these words mean basically the same thing, just said in a different way? These terms are pretty much identical, right? I used to think that was the case, but through my research on this subject, I’ve learned that the philosophies are different at their core and it is important to know the differences. Once I fully grasped the distinctions between these two seemingly interchangeable words, it completely revolutionized how I ran my classroom. Let me show you why these terms are more like a potato, tomato situation.

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How to Create Rubrics for ANY Collaborative Learning Project

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How to Create Rubrics for ANY Collaborative Learning Project

If you don’t already know this about me, I am passionate about collaboration. Not only do I love collaboration, I want all teachers to feel confident implementing collaborative activities into their classrooms. It can feel overwhelming when you are getting started, but I am here to support you and give you tips and resources to get your students collaborating.

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How to Frontload Students for ANY Collaborative Activity

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How to Frontload Students for ANY Collaborative Activity

If you have been following me for a while, you know one of my great passions is COLLABORATION. If you’re just joining me, check out some of my past articles on collaborative learning. They will set the foundation for your understanding in this article.

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3 Crucial Elements for all Collaborative Learning Tasks

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3 Crucial Elements for all Collaborative Learning Tasks

Through my research on and 15 years of practice with collaboration in the classroom, I’ve been working towards taking this HUGE concept of collaborative learning and simplifying it for easy application in EVERY classroom. Here’s what I’ve discovered

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Train Your Students to STOP INTERRUPTING Each Other

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Train Your Students to STOP INTERRUPTING Each Other

We all know it is natural for the majority of students to interrupt while they’re having conversations.  They want to be heard, and they want to ensure their friends and peers affirm their own point of view. SO THEY SAY THEIR OPINION AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE OVER ALL THE OTHER STUDENTS AT THEIR TABLE.  The struggle is real, am I right teacher friend? So I created a Talking Stick to help scaffold my students’ development in learning how to LISTEN and allow one person to talk in a team at a time.  

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Training Active Listeners to Become Leaders and Facilitators of Collaborative Discussions

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Training Active Listeners to Become Leaders and Facilitators of Collaborative Discussions

Collaboration.  That infamous buzz word we hear echoing through the hallways, in the teacher seminars, professional development, blogosphere, Pinterest, it’s everywhere.  And the one primary response most teachers give when presented with implementing collaboration in their classrooms, “That all sounds great, but it sounds like too much work.” 

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