Co-Teaching

Ashley DeVinney

Learning Targets:

Students will be able to understand the meaning of co-teaching.

Students will be able to identify key elements of co-teaching.

Students will be able to understand why co-teaching is so important.

What is Co-Teaching?

It is when two or more people are sharing the responsibility of teaching the class, making a team effort to distribute the work among the amount of teachers. It is effective especially in Special Education classrooms, making sure to meet a diverse set of needs among the students. It increases the student teacher ratio immensely letting the teachers cover all their bases in an easier fashion.

Co-Teaching Models:

These models are different examples of co-teaching, depending on what the teachers need depending on the needs of the students, the curriculum, and factors such as planning time and space.

One teaches, one observes: one person instructs and the other gathers data.
One teach, one supports (assists): One is the primary teacher and the other is walking around, helping out students.
Team teaching: Both teachers are in front of their students, teaching them.
Parallel teaching: Dividing the class in half and teaching them the same material.
Complimentary (alternative) teaching: Pulling a small number of students to the side of the room for special instructions.
Station teaching (not shown in image): Instruction divided into two or more non-sequential components, and is in separate areas of the room.

Image taken from Great Neck Middle School website

Conclusion:

Co-teaching is very beneficial not only for inclusive classrooms, but especially for special education classroom, where almost every student needs a different rate in which they teach. Co-teaching allows teachers to share knowledge, teachers have different strengths and weaknesses allowing them to perform the tasks they excel in and let the other teacher(s) take over for their weaknesses. With the right partnership they will excel as co-teachers, however, the teachers can get in the way of each other, blaming each other, and some even refuse co-teaching because of the sharing of control.

(www.schoolwebmasters.org, 2007)

Quiz:

What makes co-teaching so important in a classroom environment:

a. Creates classroom culture, allowing students to express themselves

b. It allows the co-teachers to argue about what they each do wrong

c. It allows teachers to share ideas with one another, bringing out strengths and weaknesses

d. The teachers are able to do whatever they want

What is a draw back to co-teaching?

a. It makes sure to meet all the students needs easier

b. The co-teacher could start to blame each other for wrong-doings

c. Co-teaching is key for a well-functioning special education class

d. Kids can more easily take advantage of two or more teachers instead of one

References:

Friend, M., Reising, M., & Cook, L. (1993). Co-teaching: An overview of the past, a glimpse at the present, and considerations for the future. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 37(4), 6-10.
Friend, M., & Cook, L. (2007). Co-teaching interactions: Collaboration skills for professionals (5th ed.). Boston MA: Pearson.
Special Education / Programs. www.greatneck.k12.ny.us. https://www.greatneck.k12.ny.us/Page/6409.

Answers to Questions:

1) c: It allows teachers to share ideas with one another, bringing out strengths and weaknesses

2) b: The co-teacher could start to blame each other for wrong-doings

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