Reflect and Discuss

Reflect in Writing

1. Think about challenging situations you have had with a co-worker in the past. What made those experiences difficult? What conditions could have been set up in the beginning to create more productive collaboration?
2. What collaboration skills do you want to model for your students? How can you build the modeling of those skills into your team teaching situations?
3. What ideas from this module do you plan to incorporate into your classroom work?

Discuss With Colleagues

1. What strategies discussed by our network teachers in the explore the topic sections #1 and #3 do you think will help you in your partnership? Why do you think these strategies are effective?
2. What are your fears about working in a team taught environment? How will you communicate these fears now and as they arise throughout the year?

Explore a Scenario

During class the science teacher is leading a discussion on skin color. On the agenda, the next item is to discuss a reading assignment. When the science teacher wraps up the discussion, she says, “Okay, English teacher, this is your part” and then turns the reins over to the English teacher, who proceeds to lead the discussion. The science teacher sits at a table with kids and grades homework assignments.

How could this situation have been avoided? What message is being sent to the students about adult collaboration and the partnership in this classroom?