Debra Powell’s second-graders at McLaurin Elementary School know what cooperation means.

Her class devoted a physical education period to help look for a child’s missing hearing aid last month.

&uot;A student from Kathy Guyer’s second class lost a hearing aid on the playground,&uot; Powell said. &uot;Our class volunteered to help them look for it.&uot;

Fortunately, Powell’s class had a frame of reference for their search:&160;Another student in their class wears a hearing aid that looks just like it.

Esteban Roman, 7, was the student who found the hearing aid in the grass on the playground.

&uot;I was looking, going real slow, and I found it,&uot; Roman said. &uot;Mrs. Guyer told me I did a super job!&uot;

Roman also got to meet the little girl who lost the hearing aid and received her thanks for his good work.

Powell said she stresses cooperative skills in her classroom. &uot;We have a rule in our class that if they don’t know what to do, they ask three people before asking the teacher,&uot; she said.

This encourages the children to depend on one another and not just the teacher. Rules like that one and partnering students in learning activities like Math Facts helps the children develop relationships, understanding and tolerance, Powell said. The cooperative spirit spills over into other classroom activities. &uot;We always tell the truth, and we always work with each other,&uot; Roman said.