Learn Like a Pirate ~ Peer Collaboration

This afternoon I am excited to be linking up with The Primary Gal to be bringing you chapter 3 from Learn Like a Pirate!

This chapter was all about our kids working together!  There were so many great quotes that I pulled out of this chapter, I just couldn't put it down!!  I loved it!

How often do we try and fix the problems in our classroom!?  All of the time, right!?  We see a problem, and we rush to their aide so that way we can solve the problem and help guide them back to their work.  How much better would it be for all of us if the person sitting next to them could help answer their questions, or direct them back to the lesson!?

We want our kids to be able to work well together, and we want them to be able to work well with anyone.  By putting our students together in partners that aren't always their best friends we are allowing them this opportunity.  It is okay to put kids together who typically don't get along.  In real life we are forced to work with, talk to, sit beside, or be near people that we would rather not be near. In our work environments we are not all best friends.  If we do not start teaching our students in a safe environment how to handle these experiences, then how are we preparing our students for real life?

We all have that one student in our classroom who LOVES to be the center of attention.  Now, the attention they are getting isn't always the best attention. They aren't always asking for attention in the right way.  How great would it be for those students, and for others who wish they had more time to share their thoughts, if we had a safe and effective way for them to do this!?  I love Paul's idea of Give Me 5!!  It is going to be a great way for students to take leadership in my classroom, but yet help guide us on to the next activity, ask a question, or help remind us of what we are working on.

I have a superhero theme next year, so I had to go superhero!  If you would like to use either of these in your classroom feel free to grab them!

I LOVED that he talked about google hangouts and what a benefit those are to our students.  I can't wait to work on a permission slip for my kids so we can participate in those next year!  What a great way for us to meet another class, to get to know about different areas around the country or world!!  If you would be interested in hanging out with my class this next year please let me know!!  I can't wait to figure out how I can work this in to my schedule at least once a month, if not more!!  Think of all of the things that your students would be working on as we did this.  Questioning skills, critical thinking, mapping skills, geography, maybe even math!?!

Head over to The Primary Gal to see what everyone else thought of chapter 3!