The Collaborative Learning Approach Used in Classrooms - Essay Example

The teachers understood me as a student and that gave me a valuable lesson - that interacting, communicating, and engaging one's students in a dialog helps in sharing of ideas and experiences and enhances our knowledge about the subject (Steffe & Gale, 1995). Such interaction also helped me realize the significance of active learning whereby students can learn merely through communicating with one another and through exchanging of ideas. It also taught me to be responsible and responsive to my students.

The collaborative learning approach used in classrooms enabled holistic learning and development of the students (Cohen, Brody, and Sapon-Shevin, 2012) and helped in reflecting on the concepts learned. The effectiveness with which the course was designed encouraged me to experiment with diverse ideas and approaches, which can be used in class while teaching and also equipped me with adequate knowledge and skills to address the various challenges that I would encounter during my role as a teacher.

During the course of my study, I had an opportunity to observe other teachers as well as be observed by other teachers and in the process, I learned the various teaching approaches and the implication of using them in a classroom setting. I also learned to develop lesson plans and completed five modules which include Introduction to teaching and learning, planning and assessing, applying theory to practice, reflective practice, curriculum, and professional practice. Teacher observation helped me learn about skills such as classroom management and the benefit of a student-focused approach.

It helped in the overall professional development as a teacher. Through this course, I realized the significance of observation and the manner in which it helps in self-reflection and influences the way we teach since it exposes the teachers to new innovative methods of teaching and helps in creating a professional learning environment with the student's best interest in mind.