Markethill Primary: Co-operative Learning Project

Background

Markethill Primary School, in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, is a large open-plan primary with over 450 pupils. The School Improvement Plan outlined priorities for developments in citizenship and Curriculum for Excellence. Teacher Susan Cunningham used these as the basis for a piece of action research. She conducted this with her P4 class, as part of the Chartered Teacher work-based project.

Co-operative learning project

The project promoted co-operative learning strategies through a series of carefully structured techniques, increasing pupil involvement and active engagement in learning. The pupils became partners in the action research. Staff collaboration was also a feature, as Susan’s colleagues observed, discussed and became involved in the project. Two other P4 teachers, Fiona Morrison and Christian Henderson, were instrumental in the related Eco Committee implementations.