Colquitt County Schools

Co-Teaching

Are You Confused?

colla

boratio

n

resource

consultativeSELF CONTAINEDTeam teaching

Co-teaching is when two or more teachers (usually general education and special education) SHARE teaching responsibilities within a classroom.

Both teachers INTERACT with all of the students at different times.

Using VARIOUS ARRANGEMENTS of students, groups, and furniture so that each student’s educational needs are met.

Co-Teaching …IS!

One teacher teaching, the other as a paraprofessional.

Taking care of other duties during class (paperwork, attendance, discipline, etc.)

Showing up “as needed”.Working with one or the same

students every day.Students with disabilities separated

from the rest of the class.

Co-Teaching IS NOT!

“Co-Teachers are jointly committed to “our”

students, not “YOURS” and “MINE”.

Courageous Conversations:

Co-Teaching requires:

Must Have Talks:To build a relationship that will be successful and will benefit the students.

What are our instructional beliefs?

What are our roles and responsibilities?

How will we handle classroom management?

How will we handle planning?How will be approach problem solving?

What are our “pet peeves”?

Co-Teaching Talk:

How will you introduce yourself to parents and students?

How and when will you review IEPs together?Where do I put my things? Do I have a desk?How and when will we share lesson planning?How will we handle discipline?How will we run the classroom? What rituals

and routines will we encorporate?

Planning BEFORE Co-Teaching.

Successful:Both be present and

on time.Both are prepared to

teach.

Both teachers work with all students.

One comes and goes “as needed”

One comes in and finds out the plan at the last minute.

These are “yours” and these are “mine”.

Behavior DURING Co-Teaching:

Not so much:

Cell phone usePersonal businessAbsences due to other duties (required by

administrators or others)Lack of preparation or knowledge of the

subject.

Pet Peeves can TRASH C0-Teaching:

TALK ABOUT IT!

The FIVE Models of Co-TeachingFind the ones that work for you and your partner. Remember, it is all about the students’ needs.

One teacher

leads the

lesson and

one teacher

observes and

assists ALL

students.

Swap roles

often.

One Teach, One Assist.

assist

teach

The Strengths:Limited planning

needed.Provides constant

support to all students.

If roles are not swapped often, one teacher feels like an assistant.

Students may question the authority of the assisting teacher.

Pros and Cons of Teach/Assist

The Weaknesses:

Most Important Point: SWAP ROLES OFTEN.

One Teach, One Assist

Junior High

School math

class with the

special

education

teacher

leading and

the regular

education

teacher

assisting.

Middle

School

Math class

where the

one who

teaches

and the

one who

assists

changes

often.

One Teach, One Assist.

High School

History class

with the

regular

education

teacher

leading and

the special

education

teacher

assisting.

One Teach, One Assist.

One teacher

works with a

large group. One

with a small

group.

Same standard,

possibly differing

methods.

Alternative Teaching

teacher

teacher

The Strengths:All students get the

chance to be in a small group when needed.

Teachers swap roles and work with both groups.

Groups are ever changing based upon instructional needs.

Groups can become static.

Make sure both teachers get a chance to lead in both types of groups.

Pros and Cons of Alternative Teaching.

The Weaknesses:

Junior High School

Math class with

the regular

education teacher

leading the larger

group while the

special education

teacher leads the

smaller group.

Same lesson, same

standard.

Accommodation:

calculators.

Alternative Teaching.

The class is

divided in half.

Both teachers

plan instruction

jointly and are

teaching the

same less at the

same time to

mixed groups.

Parallel Teaching

teacher

teacher

Strengths:Smaller student to

teacher ratio.Increased

interaction with the teacher.

Allows for closer monitoring of students.

Requires careful planning.

Instruction must be the same.

Noise level can be a problem.

Pros and Cons of Parallel Teaching

Weaknesses:

Half the class

with one teacher,

half with the

other. No ability

grouping. Same

reading lesson.

Same materials.

Parallel Teaching

Also called

“centers” the

instructional

activities are

spread around

the room with

the two teachers

leading different

activities.

Station Teaching

Strengths:Engagement of all

students and both teachers.

Cover more material in a short time.

Individualization.

Pacing Students must be

taught how to use the stations.

Movement must be monitored.

Noise level.

Pros and Cons of Station Teaching

Weaknesses:

A computer

station within a

classroom.

Station Teaching

Both teachers

share in the

instruction of

students. One may

lead the discussion

while one models

or one may

demonstrate while

one presents. A

true team

approach. These

teachers can finish

each others’

sentences!

Team Teaching

Team teacher

Team teacher

Strengths:Both teachers

contribute all lessons.

Blended teaching styles.

Students benefit from two experts who support each other.

Both must be present and on task.

Requires planning.Requires knowledge

of the subject material by both teachers.

Requires trust and commitment.

Pros and Cons of Team Teaching

Weaknesses:

No territories

here….free

movement

and teachers

completing

each others’

thoughts.

Team Teaching

Junior High

School

History class

with teachers

teaming to

present an

interactive

lesson on

colonization.

Team Teaching

Planning for Co-TeachingHow, When, and What?

Joint planning timeManagement of IEPsDivision of responsibilitiesClassroom managementCommunication with parents

Planning is Essential!

Students benefit from more than one teacher.Teachers learn from each other.Allows for small group and individualization.Develops teamworkProvides different ways to approach learningDivides the work between teachers.

Co-Teaching Benefits.

Teachers must be present in class every day.Planning time must be provided.Strong co-teaching teams must be kept

together.Teachers who will never be comfortable with

co-teaching should not be put in that situation.

Teachers must be knowledgeable about the subject matter.

Critical Conditions:

Above ALL:

talk

TALKtalk

talk

Co-Teachers must have honest conversations with each other!

Georgia State UniversityGeorgia Department of Education, Special

Education DivisionPrince George County Public SchoolsSummer Hall, IEP Coordinator, Colquitt

County SchoolsColquitt County Classrooms, students, and

teachers.

Sources: