Cooperative Learning by Teacher Trainers as a Tool for Improving Teacher Training in Heterogeneous Elementary School Track Classes

Smadar Galili^1,

¹Elementary school Teachers Training department, The David Yellin Academic College of Education, Jerusalem, Israel

Cite this paper:
Smadar Galili. Cooperative Learning by Teacher Trainers as a Tool for Improving Teacher Training in Heterogeneous Elementary School Track Classes. American Journal of Educational Research. 2014; 2(8):568-576. doi: 10.12691/education-2-8-2

Abstract

This article presents research conducted in the Elementary School Department at the David Yellin Academic College of Education. The purpose of the present study is to use the action research approach to examine and illuminate the processes of professional development that occurred among a group of teacher trainers (teaching practice supervisor) over a series of cooperative learning sessions. The purpose of the learning sessions was to reinforce and expand the trainers’ training and teaching styles by introducing clear standards and ensuring the careful and spiral learning of tools, skills, and practical strategies suited for teaching work in the heterogeneous class. The goal of this process was to enhance the students’ ability to cope with the task of teaching in a heterogeneous class during their first few years in the field, and indeed throughout the course of their career. The findings of the research are presented according to the three periods during which the teacher trainers' learning sessions were conducted with the three participating groups: veteran teacher trainers, new teacher trainers and students. The findings reflect the influence of the cooperative learning processes on the training style of the teacher trainers, on the content taught by new and veteran teacher trainers and on the students' teaching practice.

Keywords:
teacher trainers (teaching practice supervisor) students adapted strategies heterogeneous class training style.

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