Building structures for cooperative learning

Kagan structures group 1

Educators in the Knox County and Barbourville Independent school systems took two days of fall break to return to the classroom and invest in their professional learning.

A workshop was held on October 5 and 6 featuring cooperative learning from Kagan, a worldwide leader in providing teachers with strategies for classroom management and instructional engagement.

“Use it and I guarantee that you will see a world of difference,” shared Rick DuVall, trainer for Kagan while sharing team pairing techniques with the teachers.

Kagan Structures are research-based instructional strategies that have a track record of improving academic achievement and social outcomes.  During the dynamic workshop teachers learned how to implement the structures into their own classroom, regardless of grade level or content area.

Topics discussed and practiced by the participants included:

  • Experiencing why group work simply doesn’t work for everyone
  • Keeping students on task and effectively manage disruptions with engaging structures
  • Mastering the different types of pairs and teams, how to form them, and when to use them
  • Providing students the will to work together and the skills to do so successfully
  • Creating an environment where all students are accountable for complete engagement, every day

“Kagan structures are tools that every teacher can add to their toolbox and use throughout the day,” said Kelly Sprinkles, superintendent for Knox County Public Schools.  Sprinkles said that the district has provided Kagan training in the past with positive reviews from both teachers and students.

For information about future Kagan training opportunities please contact Stacy Imel, Director of Next Generation Professionals, at stacy.imel@knox.kyschools.us.