Teaching classroom expectations through cooperative learning activities

Abstract

Teachers play a critical role in student learning, however effective teaching and learning cannot take place without establlished rules, procedures, and routines for the classroom. If your goal as a teacher is to help students understand classroom expectations and how to apply these expectations within different situations then just presenting the rules is not enough. Participating in cooperative learning activities is one way for students to learn to create meaning regarding the expectations and to transfer their meaning into other parts of the classroom environment. Applying cooperative learning activities to learn classroom expectations could enable the classroom to run smoothly, efficiently, and provide a positive clasroom environment for all.