The processes and benefits of collaborative learning are endless. First, the process of collaborative learning is integral to a child learning how to work with others. Collaborative situations require communication between the students. Second, collaborative learning is beneficial to the classroom because it helps students develop their social emotional skills. While collaborating, they will learn how to listen, motivate, empathize, and build their social skills.

In my classroom, my fifth graders collaborate on a legacy ceiling tile project each year. Each table in my classroom, about 3-4 students, work together on a single ceiling table. Together, they have to pick an image (that they all agree on), create a design, delegate jobs, and work together to complete it. When I first started this project, my fifth graders had never previously done a collaborative art project. They were excited to create something permanent for the school, but had a lot of concerns about how they would work together on a 2 by 3 foot ceiling tile. In order to make them confident in their ability to be collaborative, I asked a couple of teachers to create a ceiling tile together while I recorded their collaborative work. My students were immediately sold...or they thought, “if teachers can do this, then we certainly can!”

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching my students grow in this collaborative tradition. It has helped them communicate better, work strongly with one another, develop a growth mindset, and of course, have fun while learning and creating. I’ve attached some photos of the ceiling tiles in action and on display!