This 409-page book is a collection of chapters written by a variety of authors about the use of cooperative learning in mathematics education. The book shares specific strategies for use in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms.

The purpose of this book is to present "realistic, practical strategies for using small groups in mathematics teaching and learning [that] can be applied with all age levels of students, all levels of the mathematics curriculum from elementary school through graduate school, and all major topic areas in mathematics" (p. 1). The book is intended for "all those who wish to expand their repertoire of available instructional strategies in mathematics: classroom teachers, mathematics professors, teacher educators, mathematics supervisors, staff developers, curriculum specialists, and researchers" (p. 2).

Cooperative Learning in Mathematics is a collection of different approaches to using cooperative groups that can serve as a good resource for those interested in implementing this strategy. The introductory chapter is especially valuable, providing:

• a rationale for incorporating cooperative learning in the mathematics classroom;
• an overview of cooperative learning classroom procedures;
• a review of research outcomes, critical attributes of small group cooperative learning in mathematics; and
• key questions to guide the reader throughout the book.

The remaining twelve chapters are written by different authors with diverse perspectives. They share concrete examples of teachers' approaches to using cooperative learning in mathematics classrooms, ranging from the elementary level to college level. The book concludes with an appendix of cooperative learning organizations and resources, as well as results from a survey of teachers using cooperative learning techniques.

The individual chapters provide a variety of approaches to the implementation of cooperative learning strategies, with practical suggestions based in classroom situations. In the first chapter, the sets of both basic and expanded key questions raise important issues surrounding the use of cooperative groups, among them management, assessment, and curriculum. These questions provide a frame with which to consider the strategies, problems, and tasks detailed in the rest of the chapters. The chapters and the questionnaire answers in the appendix reveal teacher reflections on their steps in planning, implementing, and assessing cooperative learning in their classrooms.

The strategies and tasks promote equitable classroom practice through students working together in small groups to enable each member of the group to increase mathematical power and knowledge. By making students responsible for discussing their mathematical thinking with one another, the authors report increased student understanding and ability to clarify their thinking. Some authors also report an improvement in learning a second language through peer interaction in groups, and an improvement in the general classroom climate.

This handbook could be used as a resource in a variety of professional development settings. It could serve as a basis for study groups in which teachers meet regularly to study teacher and student roles in cooperative learning groups, using sections from the book and videotapes of their own students in cooperative learning lessons. Participants could examine the problem solving, communication, and learning they observe, contrasting them with other lessons and with the discussions included in the handbook. The book could also be used as a basis for action research in which teachers systematically study their teaching and their students' learning as related to the book's cooperative learning strategies that they have adapted for use in their classrooms.

One reviewer noted that this book provides good strategies and problems that can be used in the classroom, but professional development providers may want to provide supplementary resources to address how those problems fit within the context of an entire mathematics curriculum.