In a recent CASDA EdCast episode, Tracy Sangaré and Michele Sano, co-teachers at Latham Ridge Elementary School in North Colonie, explore the foundations of strong co-teaching partnerships. They highlight the importance of modeling respectful, caring relationships for students, the importance of authentic reflection in the planning process and how co-teaching has helped them grow as educators.

Sangaré and Sano are also facilitating a workshop on February 10 on building strong co-teaching partnerships. Effectively co-taught classrooms are places of dynamic learning in which students’ needs and engagement are prioritized in a uniquely inclusive environment. However, there is no clear roadmap to developing a co-teaching practice in which both teachers and students thrive in robust partnerships. This workshop will explore the essentials of organizing and collaborating to build a co-teaching partnership that centers the strengths of each teaching partner to best meet the unique needs of the students in their classrooms.

Practitioners in both Special Education and ENL co-taught classrooms are encouraged to attend together to develop their collective capacity and explore strategies to improve collaborative planning and instruction to best serve students.

Participants will:

• Start building the essential groundwork for collaboration.

• Explore their own and their co-teachers needs and expectations for a strong partnership.

• Brainstorm innovative ways to collaborate.

• Explore different co-teaching models and when they can be applied.

• Discuss different scenarios that co-teachers may face.

• Have a chance to plan a co-taught lesson to implement in their classroom.