The document discusses the importance of cooperation in the classroom. It states that the classroom is a small community where students learn values and form their first groups. Cooperation is defined as the willingness to do one's part as a group member to achieve a common goal and benefit everyone. The story illustrates how one student's lack of cooperation in failing to complete his assigned task for a group project negatively impacted his groupmates' grade. His teacher explained that group projects assess the group's ability to work together.

1. Being Cooperative in
the Classroom

2. Do you actively participate in
the classroom or group
activities?

3. The classroom is a small
community where every pupil
is a member. It is like a
second home where values
are taught and learned.

4. Relationships in the
classroom are not very
different from relationships
among family members.

5. It is in the classroom that
organized groups are first
formed. There are those who
lead and those who follow. It
is in class that you learn
about rules.

6. The values that you learn
at home are reinforced in
school. It is also where you
learn other things like falling
in line and others.

7. Learning to cooperate in
the classroom is important. It
is something that pupils need to
practice at all times. It is the
start of good citizenship. It
prepares you for the life in the
bigger community and the real
world.

8. Cooperation is the
willingness to do one’s part
as a member of a group in
order to achieve a goal that
will benefit everybody.

9. Cooperation requires
conscious effort to help and
support one another. Some
tasks are impossible to
complete without other
people’s help and
cooperation.

10. Let us read a story
about cooperation.

11. Stephen is a Grade Three
pupil. One school day, he woke
up late because he slept late
the night before playing
computer games. He was so
engrossed that he forgot to do
the task assigned to him by their
group leader for their project.

12. It was supposed to be
submitted that morning.
The class had already
started but Stephen was
still not around. His
groupmates grew restless.

13. After thirty minutes, Stephen
arrived but without his assigned
task, which his groupmates
needed for their presentation.
Their group was forced to
submit an incomplete project.
They were disappointed
because they received a low
grade because of it.

14. Stephen felt guilty. He
talked to his teacher. He told
her that it was his fault that
their group received a low
grade. He asked his teacher to
give him the low grade instead
of his groupmates.

15. His teacher explained, “Stephen,
the purpose of the project is to see
how well you work together and
what kind of output you will
produce. I’m sorry but I will have to
turn down your request. I suggest
that you apologize to your
groupmates and promise not to do
it again.”