Ministry of EducationAl-Farwaniya Educational Area

Hajar Inter. School For Girls

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances. If there is any reaction, both are transformed .

No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.

It is through cooperation, rather than conflict, that your greatest successes will be derived !

Only strength can cooperate. Weakness can only beg.

What Is Co-Teaching To You?

Have you experienced Co-Teaching in your schools ?

What are your experiences with this term ?

What is Co-Teaching?

Co-teaching is a method of teaching where two or more professionals work together in the same classroom to meet the needs of all students, not just special education students.

Co-teachers use and share each other’s personal strengths and knowledge to ensure success for all students.

Co-teaching is a shared process of instruction , planning and evaluation .

Co teaching is a creative way to connect with and support others to help all the children learn .

Co teaching is a way to make schools more effective .

What is Co-Teaching?

What is Co-Teaching?

Co-teaching is a fun way for students to learn from two or more people who may have different ways of thinking or teaching .

** Likened to a professional marriage: trust, sharing chores ,communication, problem-solving in a constructive manner .

What Co-Teaching Is Not ?

One person teaching a subject followed by another who teaches a different subject .

One person teaching a subject while the other prepares materials .

One person teaching while others watch .

Simply assigning someone to be a tutor .

Common agreed upon goal . Shared belief system . Parity : each teacher uses unique knowledge

and talents . Distributed function theory of leadership . Cooperative Process: Includes

** face-to face interaction ** positive interdependence ** interpersonal skills ** monitoring ** accountability

ELEMENTS OF CO-TEACHING

Before You Begin Co-Teaching Meet with your co-teacher to discuss the

following: Strengths and weaknesses Goals for the classroom Pet peeves . Classroom management and instructional styles Dividing responsibilities should be a joint decision.

**This is a growing process.

**Don’t expect it to work successfully or smoothly immediately.

**Be Patient !

Before You Begin Co-Teaching

Discipline policy and strategies for specific students

Think about each expects and wants to take in each area of the classroom

Modifications you as a team expect to accomplish and provide

Get to know your co-teacher

Co-Teaching Models

Supportive Teaching : One teacher takes lead instructional role and the other rotates among students to provide support .

Co- Teaching Models

Parallel Teaching : Two or more people work with different groups in the classroom .

Co- Teaching Models

Alternative Teaching : One teacher works with a large group while the other teacher is working with a small group of students.

Co- Teaching Models

Team Teaching : Two people share in planning, teaching and assessing all students in the classroom .

Co- Teaching Models

Station Teaching : Teachers divide instructional content into several segments and present the content in separate stations around the classroom.

Positive Aspects of Co-Teaching

Support between teachers to work through problems .

Students benefit from different styles and different ways to think through material .

Someone to back you up if a problem arises .

Positive Aspects of Co-Teaching

Easier to get to know the students .The other teacher can bring up or

speak up with questions that students are having.

There is someone there to run the class if an emergency pulls one out of the room.

You’re not alone!

Negative Aspects Co-Teaching

The co-teacher is not comfortable teaching the core material.

Personality clashes .Non-Willingness to work through

differences of opinion .No common plan time .Undermining each other’s authority .Division of the responsibilities .

Solution to…

The co-teacher is not comfortable teaching the core material.

Tutor the co-teacherRe-evaluate rolesCo-teacher takes notes during class and

reviews with studentsCo-teacher can work with small groups of

studentsCo-teacher can re-teach the material to

students who were absent or have major misunderstandings

Solution to…

Personality clashes

Be upfront with each other .

Discuss ways to work professionally together .

Solution to…Non-Willingness to work through

differences of opinionEach person should explain their

feelings through writing instead of a possible verbal confrontation .

Find a common ground on anything and work from there .

If all else fails, follow the chain of command: talk to mentor, department head, their department head, and as a last resort, an administrator .

Solution to…

No common plan timeFinding time during school day, before or

after school, or email communication between individuals to discuss where you are, where you’ve been and where you would like to go.

Each person should know what instruction is going to happen next class.

Can often be done at the beginning of the year by creating an instruction time-line or outline of material being covered.

Solution to…

Undermining each other’s authorityBe upfront with each other but still provide

a unified front to the students .Try not to disagree in front of the studentsHave a discussion as soon as possible .Try to understand why the other did what

they did .Discuss ahead of time how to deal with a

disagreement before it happens .

Solution to…

Division of the responsibilitiesReview chart of possible Co-

Teaching models .Remember no model is perfect, try

adjusting a model to fit your unique needs .

Don’t be afraid to change . Be flexible .

Points To Remember

** Keep Communication Alive . ** Understand the

developmental nature of co-teaching relationships .

** Dare to have fun . ** Meet all students’ needs .** Learn something new

everyday .

Points To Remember

** Be willing to “ Give and Take ” .

** Co-Teaching is an experience that is as good as you allow it be .

** Do bear in mind the main focus of Co-Teaching is about what is best for the students, not always what is best for you .

References

Lawton, M. (1999). Co-Teaching: Are Two Heads Better Than One in an Inclusion Classroom? Harvard Education Letter.

Literature Review – Saskatchewan Ministry of Education

Professional Development Modules http://www.k8accesscenter.org/index.php

Wagaman, J. (2008). Co-Teaching for Success with Special Needs Child – Teachers Working Together for Student Achievement. www.suite101.com