Cooperation in the Classroom: How to Achieve It
School is a place where children make friends, learn lessons, and absorb values. Cooperation in the classroom can be a tremendously positive thing for all students involved.
Generally, kids want to have fun with their schoolmates in the classroom, outside at recess, and on the sports field. All of these activities must happen under the supervision of a teacher in order to ensure that values and cooperation prevail.
Teachers are entrusted with making sure that classroom cooperation is effective, promoting the kinds of values that reinforce a child’s character in a positive way. A classroom where peace is the norm will be an ideal learning environment, and the students will benefit greatly from this.
Some relevant questions include: How can teachers achieve a cooperative classroom? What strategies should they use? What do teachers need to be master motivators?
It’s important that a classroom features rules and agreements to help the teacher manage any situation that might occur. This is one of the most widely-used and effective tools for making the classroom a place for peace, harmony and tranquility.
All teachers need to establish their rules for cooperation in the classroom along with their students. With these parameters collectively agreed upon, not only will the teacher’s interests be respected, but also the children’s.
There needs to be a lot of flexibility of thinking and the children need to approach cooperation as something fun, as though it were a game. By instilling the proper values, a child’s desire to have fun can be channeled in a healthy and respectful way.
9 keys for promoting classroom cooperation
Classroom cooperation agreements should always start with the basics. For example, the kind of mutually agreed-upon activities and habits based on good values described below:
1. Asking for permission to speak
Beyond the scope of cooperation, this should be a basic communication rule. It’s always good to foster respect for a peer’s words and ideas.
2. Order and cleanliness in the classroom
It’s important to keep a clean and orderly classroom, leaving it better than you found it every day.
3. Be obedient
This applies to both behavior and academics. The students need to understand that they’re there to learn and need to make an effort. As such, they should support their teachers as much as possible.
In addition, it’s a good idea to involve students in the activities being planned. This will make them feel like important and valuable parts of the educational process.
4. Accept and learn from mistakes
This can be difficult for teachers and students alike, but it’s very important for both to recognize when they’re wrong and try to solve the problem in the best possible way.
5. Respect before all else
Teachers need to foster a sense of respect for every aspect of going to school. This also includes the material aspects, which is to say their classmates’ belongings.
“It’s important that a classroom feature rules and agreements to help the teacher manage any situation that may occur.”
6. Ban bullying
Respect towards others is fundamental to classroom life. Preventing teasing and mockery is absolutely essential.
7. A violence-free zone
A good classroom should be a space for peace and tranquility. For this reason, it’s essential to forbid games that encourage violence.
8. Encourage consideration
Kids should help their classmates equally, lending a hand and offering support when needed. This is the key to true friendship.
9. Encourage participation
Planning activities that encourage participation, both inside and outside the classroom, is always positive. This helps put into practice the rules and agreements established in the classroom.
Teachers need to use different strategies to motivate their students to maintain a healthy classroom environment.
It’s very important to keep external problems and conflicts outside of the classroom. Students should see the classroom as an escape, as a safe space.
Establishing a cooperative spirit can be hard work and requires everyone to do their part. The teacher needs to motivate and the children need to be receptive in order to make the classroom the best it can be.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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- Llanos Sinovas, I. (2017). Los juegos multiculturales como recurso para fomentar la convivencia en las aulas del siglo XXI. https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/27021
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