Cooperation In The Classroom

This institute provides a solid basis for implementing cooperative learning in the classroom, school, and district. Cooperative learning procedures will be defined, demonstrated, and modeled. Participants learn practical procedures for using cooperative learning and a conceptual structure to guide their planning of cooperative lessons and solving of students' teamwork problems. Sessions focus on the teacher's role in implementing cooperative learning, the research support, ways to structure positive interdependence and individual accountability, ways to teach social skills and conduct group processing, and procedures for assessing learning. Teachers will leave with lessons planned and questions answered.

Advanced Coop Learning

This institute moves participants to an advanced level of expertise in using cooperative learning. Advanced procedures will be defined, demonstrated, and modeled in the training sessions. Session One focuses on the integrated use of formal cooperative learning, informal cooperative learning, cooperative base groups, and academic controversy. Following sessions focus on (a) the integrated use of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning, (b) teaching students small group leadership, trust-building, and communication skills, (c) mastering these social skills to use in cooperative efforts with colleagues, (d) using cooperative learning to promote positive relationships among diverse students, and (e) using colleagial teaching teams.

Creative Conflict (Red Books)

In Teaching Students To Be Peacemakers, participants learn how to establish a peer mediation program as a classroom and school discipline program. Students are taught how to negotiate integrative agreements and how to mediate schoolmates' conflicts. All students participate.

In Academic Controversy: Intellectual Conflict in the Classroom, participants learn the procedures for using academic controversies to increase academic learning. The procedure requires students (a) research and conceptualize positions, (b) make persuasive presentations, (c) engage in critical analyses of opposing positions, (d) refute the opposing position and rebut attacks on own position, (e) view the issue from both perspectives, and (f) create a synthesis of the various positions.

Leading Cooperative School

This institute is designed for administrators, supervisors, and school leaders. Participants learn practical ways to use cooperative procedures in faculty meetings and faculty teams. Sessions focus on (a) the five steps of leading the cooperative school, (b) supervising cooperative learning, (c) structuring and supervising teaching teams, (d) using cooperative procedures in faculty meetings, and (e) conducting school-based decision making.

Managing Others' Angry

More and more administrators and teachers are encountering angry parents, community members, students, and colleagues. This practical training will detail a step-by-step sequence involving both cognitive and behavioral procedures. Simulations, role plays, and case studies will be used to ensure participants increase their expertise.

Assessment

The purpose of this training is to provide participants with a practical guide to (a) making assessments meaningful and manageable and (b) using cooperative learning as an inherent part of the assessment process. Issues covered include conferencing (goal setting, progress, and summative), utilizing standardized tests, constructing teacher-made tests, assessing compositions and presentations, assessing individual and group projects, using student portfolios, observing students, assessing social skills, assessing student attitudes, interviewing students, using learning logs and journals, using student management teams, and giving grades. This is a practical, how-to-do-it course.

Teaching Social Skills

One of the most important and most ignored aspects of education is teaching student social skills. From elementary school through college, students need to master a wide variety of interpersonal and small group skills. Teachers typically receive little or no training in how to teach social skills. This training will focus on detailed lessons to teach students leadership, trust-building, communication, emphathy, decision-making, and conflict resolution skills. Both integrating social skills training into academic lessons and teaching social skills as a separate unit will be presented. This is an essential training for all teachers as social skills are the key to the future employability, career success, and quality of life of students.

Managing Other People's Anger

More and more administrators and teachers are interacting with angry parents, angry community members, angry students, and even angry colleagues. This practical training will detail the procedures for interacting with angry people without experiencing undue stress and discomfort. A step-by-step sequence involving both cognitive and behavioral procedures for managing emotionally-charged incidences will be presented and practiced. Simulations, role plays, and case studies will be used to ensure participants increase their expertise in managing other people's anger.

Cooperation In The Classroom

This institute provides a solid basis for implementing cooperative learning in the classroom, school, and district. Cooperative learning procedures will be defined, demonstrated, and modeled. Participants learn practical procedures for using cooperative learning and a conceptual structure to guide their planning of cooperative lessons and solving of students' teamwork problems. Sessions focus on the teacher's role in implementing cooperative learning, the research support, ways to structure positive interdependence and individual accountability, ways to teach social skills and conduct group processing, and procedures for assessing learning. Teachers will leave with lessons planned and questions answered.

Advanced Coop Learning

This institute moves participants to an advanced level of expertise in using cooperative learning. Advanced procedures will be defined, demonstrated, and modeled in the training sessions. Session One focuses on the integrated use of formal cooperative learning, informal cooperative learning, cooperative base groups, and academic controversy. Following sessions focus on (a) the integrated use of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning, (b) teaching students small group leadership, trust-building, and communication skills, (c) mastering these social skills to use in cooperative efforts with colleagues, (d) using cooperative learning to promote positive relationships among diverse students, and (e) using colleagial teaching teams.

Creative Conflict (Red Books)

In Teaching Students To Be Peacemakers, participants learn how to establish a peer mediation program as a classroom and school discipline program. Students are taught how to negotiate integrative agreements and how to mediate schoolmates' conflicts. All students participate.

In Academic Controversy: Intellectual Conflict in the Classroom, participants learn the procedures for using academic controversies to increase academic learning. The procedure requires students (a) research and conceptualize positions, (b) make persuasive presentations, (c) engage in critical analyses of opposing positions, (d) refute the opposing position and rebut attacks on own position, (e) view the issue from both perspectives, and (f) create a synthesis of the various positions.

Leading Cooperative School

This institute is designed for administrators, supervisors, and school leaders. Participants learn practical ways to use cooperative procedures in faculty meetings and faculty teams. Sessions focus on (a) the five steps of leading the cooperative school, (b) supervising cooperative learning, (c) structuring and supervising teaching teams, (d) using cooperative procedures in faculty meetings, and (e) conducting school-based decision making.

Assessment

The purpose of this training is to provide participants with a practical guide to (a) making assessments meaningful and manageable and (b) using cooperative learning as an inherent part of the assessment process. Issues covered include conferencing (goal setting, progress, and summative), utilizing standardized tests, constructing teacher-made tests, assessing compositions and presentations, assessing individual and group projects, using student portfolios, observing students, assessing social skills, assessing student attitudes, interviewing students, using learning logs and journals, using student management teams, and giving grades. This is a practical, how-to-do-it course.