Cooperation

The Priaha are a tiny tribe of Amazon natives that live on the banks of the Marci River in Brazil.   This tribe of 360 is in danger of extinction.  By our standards they are undeveloped and primitive.  They have no real language, members of the tribe whistle to communicate.  Although they have one of the strangest languages in the world the Priaha have mastered the essence of cooperation.  To survive this small group must cooperate with each other.  

In this tiny society there is no competition.  Anthropologists who lived with this group attempted to organize a field day, but the Piraha upset the games.  In a footrace when one fellow would get ahead of everyone else he would stop and wait until the other runners could catch up.  The idea of winning was not only novel but also unappealing.  For the Piraha it’s we cross the line together or we don’t cross it at all.  To have a great time everyone had to win.

Unselfish cooperation might be the key to our future. Schools can be the best place to promote this type of cooperation.  Cooperation that not only feels good but also is good because it fosters the best environment for learning.  Cooperative learning results show that students who are given a chance to work collaboratively learn faster and feel more positive about school.   In a cooperative group every student has a specific task, everyone must be involved in the learning project.  The success of the group depends on the successful work of everyone.

There are five elements of cooperative learning.

1. Positive Interdependence (sink or swim together)

·      Each member’s efforts are required for success

·      Each member has a unique contribution to make

2. Fact to Face Interaction (promote each other’s success)

·      Teach each other

·      Discuss concepts being learned

·      Checking for Understanding

3. Individual and Group Accountability (no loafing)

·      Keep the group small

·      Give individual test to each student

·      Observe the group

·      Students must teach what they learned

4. Interpersonal and Small Group Skills- Students learn

·      Leadership

·      Decision-making

·      Communication

·      Conflict-management skills

5. Group Processing

·      Students learn to evaluate and access themselves

Every classroom is its own tiny society with its own culture.   Creating a culture of trust and respect can be achieved with cooperative learning. The greatest purpose of school is to unlock, release, and foster this wonderful capability.