Space and Structure

Empathy and Fairness

• In a co-taught classroom it is imperative to focus on empathy. We are constantly defining and highlighting empathy when we see it in our class.
• We always have a lesson in the first week of school that defines fairness in our classroom.
  • Fair is getting what you need, not everyone getting the same.

Workshop Model

• We follow the workshop model for both language arts and math.
• This instructional model naturally allows for differentiation and personalized learning.
• Most instruction is given through a mini-lesson and guided groups with independent work time.
• Student choice is encouraged in this instructional model, particularly during independent work time.

Language Arts:

• Students are reading and writing at their instructional level. Instructional flipped videos allow us to meet with students and groups as needed.
• For more information, visit http://www.unitsofstudy.com/introduction.

Math:

• We focus on "challenge by choice," using untimed stations, partner games and activities, task cards, and choice boards.

Mindset

• We do a lot of work in growth mindset, the productive struggle, and flexible thinking.
• Most of our work is based on the research done by Carol Dweck.
• We celebrate the productive struggle when we see our learners work through it, often with throwing confetti or glitter!
• Resource:
  • https://ideas.classdojo.com/b/growth-mindset

Responsive Classroom

• We teach at a Responsive Classroom School. Responsive Classroom "focuses on the strong relationship between academic success and social-emotional learning." (www.responsiveclassroom.org)
• Responsive Classroom's focus on empathy and social-emotional learning also particularly benefit a co-taught classroom and the need to be kind to all learners.