Ideal Colloboration

Blogging Challenge Day 25

The ideal collaboration between students--what would it look like?

Jamie- Too funny that this would be the prompt today.  During advisory today, I experienced collaboration at its best.  Yes, I'd like to think this collaboration is a direct result of all the modeling I've provided on how to work collaboratively thus far in the school year.  However, I think it may have been a pity act.  My students felt sorry for me, so they came to my aid.

I was helping a student with his math test corrections.  He was writing algebraic expressions.  I led him through definitions of the math vocabulary and writing the mathematical symbols that went with each math  vocabulary word.   Then I hit a road block.  I couldn't decide the placement of the unknown number, and the young man I was helping didn't know.  So, I picked up the phone to call the math teacher.  (Again modeling for my students what to do when you don't know the answer.) Only I dialed the wrong number and realized I had an outdated phone directory.  This is when two other young men came to the rescue.

There we were, all four of us,  pouring over this math test together. We read the problem aloud. We discussed the possibilities with one another.  We debated with each other over the right approach.  In the end, we figured it out.  It took all four of us to get the answer.  There were high fives all around. In that moment, I couldn't have been prouder of the collaboration my students demonstrated.

PS... I know we did it right because I asked one of the smartest kids in my class to see his test--ha! ha!

Meg- Collaboration is one of my favorite parts of teaching.  I get many of my best ideas while collaborating with other teachers, and I regularly share this insight with my students.  True collaboration between students occurs when all members are actively participating and contributing to the ideas and products being created.  Jamie will laugh because I like to use this analogy when we present, but true collaboration is like a comforter.  You cannot tell where all the different pieces come together.  We want to avoid a patchwork quilt model for collaboration, where it is apparent where one student's work stops and another student's work starts.  The first time I had my students create math video tutorials using Educreations I had them work in small groups.  The students created their scripts together, shared in the making of the slides, and each had a speaking role on the video.  Every student was accountable for being a part of each stage in the process.  Not only were the students beaming with pride, I was too!