Evaluation and Reflection
Kagan Strategies Workshop
Basic intro: mention by principal previously, will be implementing this year
Reference email with links to the references discussed in side show
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Agenda
Our time is valuable- let's use it efficiently
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Overview of Kagan Strategies
Group Work
Group Presentation
Wrap-Up
Today's Purpose
To work together to find strategies that can be used across grade levels and subjects that will add more cohesive and engaging learning
Kagan has been suggested by our principal as a system of strategies to use in our classrooms
Student engagement has been mentioned as a concern--teachers are each other's best resources
We all work towards positive and engaging classrooms and lessons; student engagement has been mentioned several times as a point of concern among the staff
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Collaboration
Work together to continue to build and grow our school community
Builds creative and positive learning environments
Can be a safety net (anyone have a seemingly silly idea?)
Not just for teachers but students too
Source: NEA Today
Teachers beg, borrow, and steal (pause for obvious laughter)--but really, collaboration is one of the best ways to learn for both ourselves and our students
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So what are Kagan Strategies?
Requiring additional items for teachers to do can feel like more work—emphasize these are strategies that many of us have already talked about using (a few that will be shared were mentioned in a previous meeting)
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Good news is, you're probably already doing or have tried many of these in your own classroom (Cooperative Learning, anyone?) (Clowes, 2011)
Different activities where students are working together (more good news--they're short activities!)
Engagement & Benefits
As the article says, there is no "one size fits all"
Reference previous head of school's phrase: every strategy works, just not every time"
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Using multiple strategies allows for opportunities to engage multiple students
Helps to build healthy and positive communication in class
"Promote risk taking" (Sanders, 2022).
From: We Are Teachers
What Kagan has to say...
Behavior improves
Students enjoy learning with Kagan strategies
Increase in testing scores
Review basic and major point on graphic
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Kagan says continued...
Some repeat from previous graphic
Big takeaway here is relationships and social skills (race has been an issue in some classes—bring attention to Kagan's claim that it improves relationships across races)
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Relationships improve between students with different backgrounds
Social skills increase (we are seeing the need for this)
Strategies
Rally Robin: done in pairs, students take turns adding to a descriptive list (characterization, types of rocks, etc.)
Timed Pair Share: take turns answering a question within a given amount of time (e.g. 1-2 minutes)
Round Robin: same as Rally Robin but done in groups
Rally Coach: one student solves a problem while the other encourage and helps; students then switch roles
Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up: Students find a partner in a different part of the room (not right next to them) to answer a question, review material, etc.
These are known as the "Essential 5" (the first two being the "Essential 2")
Source: kaganonline.com
Most are strategies we've tried. Quick poll: any that have not been/unfamiliar with?
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Your Turn!
Horizontal planning across grade level, possible vertical
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Grade levels partner up and decide on two strategies to use in the classroom this year (can be strategies already in use)
This can be further divided between content partners
Teams will then present the strategies they decided on and the reasons for picking (success in the past, trying new things)
15 minutes!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj9YkV5Ohvw&pp=ygUZMTUgbWludXRlIGNsYXNzcm9vbSB0aW1lcg%3D%3D
Make joke about technology never working when you need it to (video would not paste so had to put in link)--roll with the punches and use what you have people
Teachers have 15 minutes to meet, discuss, and come to agreements
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6th Grade
What did you come up with?
7th Grade
What did you decide on?
8th Grade
What was your decision?
Wrap-Up
What's the point in presenting this and talking about it if it won't be discussed again. Will come back during next PLC to discuss results--maybe reference editing a paper (as any good English teacher might)
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We will be reviewing these at our next PLC meeting in four weeks
Use both strategies multiple times in the next month
Come prepared to talk: What worked? What didn't? Any thoughts on why?
Discussing next steps
References
Clowes, G. (2011). Kagan's free articles-Research & rationale-Research proves effectiveness of Kagan Structures. Kaganonline.com https://www.kaganonline.com/free_articles/research_and_rationale/330/The-Essential-5-A-Starting-Point-for-Kagan-Cooperative-Learning
Kagan Publishing & Professional Development- KaganOnline.com. (2019). Kagan online.com https://www.kaganonline.com/
Sanders, S. (2022, November 15). What are Kagan strategies? We Are Teachers. https://www.weareteachers.com/what-are-kagan-strategies/