Group+vs.+Independent+Work

Scenario-You are a 5th grade teacher who uses a lot of cooperative learning strategies in your classroom. In the middle of the year you get a new Syrian boy in your class. The student doesn't follow any of the rules that you have explained through a bilingual classmate. The new student is very disruptive in class.

Response-This student could come from almost any culture. The organization of a cooperative learning classroom may look undisciplined and chaotic to new students. They can't tell what the rules are. This student probably came from a class where the teacher lectures and the student's role is more passive.