Reflective journal about cooperative learning (week 9 day 2)

On Tuesday, November, 14, 2017, I applied cooperative learning strategy to improve the writing
skill of grade 2 students. Firstly, I taught them new vocabulary. Secondly, I divided students
into five groups and five member in each group. Thirdly, I asked them do you remember the
owls story, they said yes so I asked them to work together like owls. I also asked them if they
remember their number owl 1, owl 2, owl 3, owl 4 and owl 5. Then I explained the activity
instructions and showed the model of the activity. After that I gave each group a card, different
food and papers include question what is she\he wearing? Then I asked students to work
together as a team to order the pieces of the picture, build up a sentence and stick it on the card.
After that, I asked each member of group to write down the sentence on the paper. I observed
the students while they are working. Then I asked the students to present their work.

At the end I evaluated group performance according to cooperative learning rubric, it includes. I
modified my evaluation strategy and I used another rubric. Firstly, I draw a chart on the board, I
divided to 5 groups and 4 rubrics which includes work together, speed, answer correctly, and
behavior. I monitored and assessed students work while they are doing the activity as a team for
example, if they answer correctly I gave them two points, if the work together I gave them 2
points and if they finish first I gave them 1 point. This strategy helped me to assess group
performance in an easy and fun way. It also motivate students to work together and finish the
writing activity.

Regarding to what was good, I modified my teaching strategy and focused more on overcoming
the time issue, I put a timer and trained my students to work together in cooperative way and
finish the writing activity in less than ten minutes. From my observations, I noticed an
improvement on the time students spent on working together and writing a sentence. This
strategy helped students to work in cooperative way to complete the assignment and improve
their writing skill.

I also modified my evaluation strategy and I used another rubric. Firstly, I draw a chart on the
board, I divided to 5 groups and 4 rubrics which includes work together, speed, answer correctly,
and behavior. I monitored and assessed students work while they are doing the activity as a team
for example, if they answer correctly I gave them two points, if the work together I gave them 2
points and if they finish first I gave them 1 point. This strategy helped me to assess group
performance in an easy and fun way. It also motivate students to work together and finish the
writing activity.

Furthermore, I used positive reinforcement such as a happy face, stars, medals, cups, flowers,
lollipops and pencils for the group who got more points and worked together at the end of each
lesson. I also rewarded students for social skills such as working together, actively listening to
each other, accepting responsibilities for one's behaviors, taking turns and making discussions
helping other in different activities. This strategy helped me to encourage students to do the
activity in cooperative way and to improve the writing skill of students. Moreover, rewarding
enhanced the outcome of cooperative learning.
Additionally, I observed that students begin to put the full stop at the end of the sentence and
also they begin the sentence with capital letter. They start to organize their hand writing and
their grammar and vocabulary improved. Moreover, I noticed that the Low-level students
benefit from their high-level peers feedback about their grammatical, vocabulary, and spelling
mistakes, and at the same time, high-level students felt proud that they help their low-level
classmates.

Students Comment
Student 1 Owl 1 (High). She put the full stop at the end of the sentence.
She used the suitable vocabulary and grammar and her
hand writing is nice and clear.
Student 2 Owl 2 (Low). She used the suitable vocabulary and grammar and her
hand writing is nice and clear.
She put the full stop at the end of the sentence.
Student 3 Owl 3 (High). She put full stop at the end of the sentence and her
hand writing is organize and clear.
She used the suitable vocabulary and grammar.
Student 4 Owl 4 She put the full stop at the end of the sentence and her
(Middle). hand writing is nice and clear.
She used the suitable vocabulary and grammar.
Student 4 Owl 5 She put the full stop at the end of the sentence and her
(Middle). hand writing is nice and clear.
She used the suitable vocabulary and grammar.
Moreover, I noticed that the students got high marks and they did better than previous weeks,
when I gave the writing activity. Student 1, got 5\5, student 2, got 4\5, student 3, got 5\5, student
4 got 5\5 and student 5, got 5\5.