Creating a Cooperative Classroom
A young child, in all of his few years of age, utters words of condescension, while another, for fear of rejection from the class, withholds his voice. Aren’t these scenarios all too familiar in the classroom? Instead of dismissing them as ‘natural’ behaviours of growing children, why not look into the kind of environment that is creating disharmonious interactions like this?
From an evolutionary perspective, there is nothing natural about competing with your own community; it only becomes natural when we perceive that resources are scarce and that our survival is threatened. From the child’s perspective, the scarce resources would be the teacher’s attention and recognition, wherein the failure to obtain so would be a threat to whether they gain acceptance from the group and the authority figure that they look up to. What may appear seemingly inconsequential to us adults actually holds a pivotal significance to the child, just as how we can’t comprehend why a child could bawl his lungs out over a tiny candy.
Taking into consideration this need for acceptance in all of us, how then, can we create a learning environment that is encouraging and encompassing? How can we provide a context that will make it natural for the students to support and cooperate with each other instead of firing arrows across the classroom? The kind of cooperation that we want is not a mindless conformity to the group, but a genuine earnestness to support another individual so as to achieve mutual growth.
The recipe for disharmony is quick and easy: Separate your students into groups, and let the dynamics of their new group identity simmer in its own juices. To bring it to a boil, simply introduce a fresh dose of competition. You will then start to see bubbles of blame, complaints, and justification emerging out of your potent mix. When pricked, these bubbles do not disappear altogether, but instead give way to anger, confusion, and self-doubt in those little minds. Little wonder then, why the strategy of “divide and conquer” has been so successful in the arena of war and politics – a community divided is no longer one. Suddenly, the differences become obvious; suddenly, friends become rivals; suddenly, angels become wolves in sheep’s clothing. What could we do to cushion, if not reverse, the effects of these social forces which have long been in play? Explore the concept of a “jigsaw classroom”.
Have each student take ownership of a task that would contribute to a greater common goal of the class. For example, giving each student only one part of a group of information that is needed for a class test. Under this system, everyone needs to teach and help everyone else; everyone needs everyone else to do well. You will be amazed at how transformational this concept can be when executed effectively. Ever seen how teams bond together when faced with a common obstacle to overcome? Ever wondered how your class could suddenly come together during the sports meet or a school-wide performance? The key here is to have a common goal, and the only way of reaching that goal is to have a conjoint effort from all, nothing less.
Just as not all cooperation is constructive, not all competition is derogatory. Competition becomes derogatory only when it is perceived as a win-lose situation. It is just as dangerous to be on the winning side as it is to be on the losing side. The danger lies in having one group feel superior to the other. Instead, recognise that no one is a loser unless and until we label them to be. In the context of competition, be generous in reinforcing that there are no winners and losers, but only winners and learners. Have acceptance for both groups, and follow up consistently with reflections from the learning group of what they have learnt from the experience.
It may take a little more effort to build this system and context, but the ripple effects of your gardening will be immeasurable. You will see the glow return to your students’ eyes, you will hear kind words from the young child, and you will feel the spirit of your class lifted.
Hui Min
