Description and Application of Pairs: A Cooperative Learning Procedure for the Judaic Classroom

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices. Accordingly our mentees should know about the Cooperative Learning Model of Teaching.

One example of a cooperative learning procedure for the Judaic classroom is Pairs. A description of this cooperative procedure and a sample application for the Judaic classroom follows:

Pairs: Students are placed in dyads (i.e learning pairs). Here are the two steps in Pairs: (1) the teacher assigns a task for each learning pair. (2) each learning pair works on the task; the teacher monitors progress of each dyad.

Sample Application: Create a list of the blessings that you find in the siddur.

On the next post we will describe and give a sample application of another cooperative learning procedure, Paired or Two-Step Interview.