Socially and emotionally, students develop a sense of caring and nurturing or feeling of family, as they help each other learn. In a classroom where all children are learning at different rates and are not all the same age, there should be little competition. New students joining the class in September find that they have peers to help them learn where everything is located, how to use materials, and with whom they can share their first experiences at school. The children are expected to make many choices throughout the day as they becomes independent learners. This allows the teacher to have more time to work productively with individuals, also.
Students are often more effective at teaching each other than are teachers teaching students.
By helping each other, students reinforce their own understanding of knowledge, skills and attitudes. The informal nature of the classroom encourages much interaction between children and between children and adults. Conversations are encouraged as the children talk through their work in progress. These conversations help them understand just what they have learned. While the students are supporting and assisting each other, real leadership qualities have a chance to emerge.