Co-Teaching in the Middle School Regular Ed Math Classroom

1. Co-Teaching in the Middle School Regular Ed Math Classroom Kim Trendel & Michelle Koenig

2. Agenda • Difference between Team-Teaching and Co-Teaching • Benefits of Co-Teaching • How do we make it work • Assessment • Accommodation vs. Modification • What benefits/results have we seen?

3. Kim Trendel • Nationally Board Certified- Exceptional Needs Specialist • In my 11th year of teaching at FPMS • Cross-categorical teacher • Teach self-contained math and resource. • 4th year co-teaching in regular education math classrooms.

4. Michelle Koenig • Nationally Board Certified-EA Math • 10th year of teaching • FHS & FPMS • Currently teaching 8th grade math & algebra • 4th year team teaching

5. Feedback • Evaluations/ Feedback forms • Please provide specific comments: • What did you learn? • How will you implement what you learned today? • Any suggestions for improvement

6. Forest Park in Franklin • Middle class suburban district • 600 students in our school (about 300 per grade level) • Grades 7 & 8 (ran out of room for grade 6) • Organized in House system • Specialist is assigned to each House (CWD or ELL)

7. Population of our Team-Teaching Hour • Students labeled with a disability (SLD or OHI) • Math Lab students • Students that are basic or minimal on WKCE • Students that struggle in math • Students that “hate” math

8. Our Definition Equal partnership in planning and implementing curriculum, and assessing student work to best meet the needs of all students in the same classroom. There are different models to reach this goal based on instructional and student need. K. Trendel & M. Koenig 2010

9. Are all models of team-teaching the same? We think that there is a difference between team teaching and co-teaching. You will probably start team teaching but our goal is to get you to the co teaching level…this is where students will be taken to the next level.

10. What’s the Difference? Co-Teaching: • Share in planning • Share instruction load • Share in creation of assessments • Both actively assess student work • *Embed specialized instruction* Team Teaching: • Sharing in planning • Share instruction load • Share in creation of assessments • Provide accommodations and modifications

11. Models Team-Teaching • Monitoring • Parallel Teaching Co-Teaching • Active Partnership • Differentiated Split Class • Station Teaching

12. Monitoring Teacher • This situation occurs when one teacher assumes the responsibility for instructing the entire class, while the other teacher circulates the room and monitors student understanding and behavior. • Roles shift between teachers during the class period or week.

13. Parallel Instruction • In this setting the class is divided into small 2 larger groups/smaller groups/partners and both teachers circulate and provide individualized support.

14. Parallel Teaching

15. Active Partnership • The teachers actively share the instruction of content and skills to all students • Examples: One teaches while one constructs concept map, dialog between teachers is exchanging and discussing ideas in front of learners

16. Monitor & Active Participation

17. Differentiated Split Class • This type of teaching involves dividing the class into smaller groups according to learning needs. Each educator provides the respective group with the instruction required to meet their learning needs. • This could be remedial or enrichment instruction. • Flexible grouping

18. Station Teaching • Students are divided into groups and rotate through organized stations. Both teachers are teaching at their own station. There are two ways to accomplish this task: Same material is taught but teacher stations address different learning styles or different material related to the same concept is taught in both teacher stations.

19. Teacher Benefits of Co-Teaching • Share work load (copies, lesson plans, assessments, classroom management) • Someone to process ideas with • Play off each other in the classroom • Tag team with difficult students • Share strengths • Know “regular” classroom expectations and curriculum to benefit self-contained students • Not a one way street • Dealing with absent students

20. Student Benefits of Co-Teaching • Getting caught up after an absence • More individualized instruction • SWD do not stand out • Smaller teacher: student ratio • More engaging environment • More likely to ask for help • Teachers are more accessible to students

21. Team-Teaching Tips • Make the development of the team a top priority. • Don’t just assume the team will work well together; work on making the group function at the top of its game. • Students need to see teachers as equals • Set clear goals for the team, and then ensure its activities lead to those goals.

22. More Tips… • Communicate clearly and honestly to survive and grow stronger from conflict. • Honor individual and team success. • Assume responsibility for assigned roles. • Be prepared for team discussions and work.

23. How do we make it work? • Dedicated to this model • Similar Philosophy (Grading, Classroom Management, children & Instruction) • OUR classroom, OUR students • Make time to meet & plan (outside of scheduled time) • Open to new ideas & strategies • Sense of humor • Share the work load

24. Assessment • Common Assessment • PLC teams: all large common assessments (3 reg ed & 1 spec ed) • Meet and agree on smaller scale quizzes • Meet and agree on grading • Special Ed teacher should participate in grading assessments

25. Accommodations vs. Modifications • Difference • Examples • Handout

26. What benefits/results have we seen? • 2007-08 SY • -2-5% points higher on tests compared to non-team teach hours • -19 students increased or maintained their grades from 1st to 4th quarter • 2008-09 SY • -14 students increased or maintained their grades from 1st to 4th quarter

27. Data (2008-09 SY)

28. Data (2008-09 SY)

29. Data (2009-10 SY)

30. Data (2009-10 SY)

31. What benefits/results have we seen? • Parent comments -”Jeff actually likes math this year.” -”These are the best math grades Cody has ever received.”

32. What benefits/results have we seen? • Student comments -”We get help faster.” -”We cover more material.” -”It is more fun.” -”You can learn two different ways to do math and pick the one that works for you.”

33. What benefits/results have we seen? • To the teachers -Inclusion of special ed teachers in the departments -Special ed teachers seen as teachers instead of just “helper” in the room -Sharing of teaching strategies -Benefit for special ed to see the expectations in regular ed classroom

34. What benefits/results have we seen? • What is our district’s response? -Expanded to a second hour for Mrs. T -Making it the focus for other special education teachers (where applicable, possible, and workable), especially at the high school level -Offering a class to expand this practice to other classrooms/levels/schools

35. A strong team includes a variety of different teaching styles. " Students will respond differently to these different teachers. … It is also essential that the teachers value and support each other in those roles."-- Glen Lawson

36. Feedback • Evaluations/ Feedback forms • Please provide specific comments: • What did you learn? • How will you implement what you learned today? • Any suggestions for improvement

37. Enjoy this clip while filling out the feedback form

38. Contact Info Kim Trendel- Spec Ed Trendelk@franklin.k12.wi.us Michelle Koenig- Reg Ed Koenigm@franklin.k12.wi.us