A high school English teacher used Foxfire principles to teach two classes, one with students who lacked successful school experiences and one with students who had more success in school but needed structured environments. Students became more active participants in learning through positive learning experiences, forging bonds with the teacher.…

A high school history teacher of gifted students examined difficulties in establishing cooperative groups when members changed frequently. Student interviews and surveys indicated that some students were happy to remain nonparticipants in any group. Participation was less a factor of group makeup than a factor of student opinion about grades.…

A junior high teacher converted her science and math classroom into a business-like setting where students report to work daily and cooperatively participate in planning, learning, and classroom management. (SM)

A fourth-grade teacher examined what would happen to black students' math performance when they worked with partners they selected. Using cognitively guided math principles, she observed students and adapted her teaching methods, then surveyed the students. The paper explains why and how this partnering was successful. (SM)

A sixth-grade social studies teacher examined how to give her students more autonomy. By teaching them how to function in cooperative learning environments, the teacher noticed significant improvements in student-teacher interaction, a lessening of disciplinary problems, and a strengthening of individual student leadership. (Author/SM)

A second-grade teacher helped her students improve self-confidence and self-esteem by making them active in their assessment. Using cooperative learning, portfolio assessment, surveys, and interviews, she examined whether students could assess their own abilities and improve classwork. Students gained pride in their work and participated more…