ABSTRACT

Cooperative learning involves creating effective working relationships by setting goals with each member of the group taking an active role in the process of learning. Content-specific classroom teachers at the secondary levels are immersed in their content as the bell keeps ringing to dismiss and welcome groups of students to gain the knowledge they need to succeed in school. Every Student Responds strategies keep all students actively engaged and motivated—simply by the teachers making time for valuing each voice in the room. Schulman’s theory of Pedagogical Content Knowledge guides us to see that the general knowledge needed to teach a subject is multidimensional. Students’ beliefs about themselves, their environment, and the requirements for intellectual success can influence their motivation and, their performance in school. As teachers embrace variability, the Universal Design for Learning Principles can create a natural cycle of learning where co-teachers consider the multiple ways they can motivate and guide learners to become self-motivated learners.