Collaborative Team teaching: Through the lens of a supervisor

1. Collaborative Team teaching:Through the lens of a supervisor Presenter: Maria DeSimone

2. Overview • Introduction to co-teaching • What is co-teaching and what it is not co-teaching • Models of co-teaching • Planning for co-teaching & suggestions for administrators • Observing & evaluating co-teaching teams

3. What is co-teaching? • “ Co-teaching is the collaboration between general education and special education teachers for all of the teaching responsibilities of all students assigned to a classroom… In a co-taught classroom, teachers share the planning, presentation, evaluation, and classroom management in an effort to enhance the learning environment for all students.” ……Gatley and Gatley, 2001

4. Co-teaching Rationale • Meets the individual needs of the students. • Provides individualized instruction in a general education environment. • Reduces stigma attached to pull out programs. • Provides a flexible scheduling. • Creates positive social interactions amongst students. ---Taken from ELI professional development

5. Elements of Co-teaching • Two or more professionals • Joint delivery of instruction • Diverse group of students • Shared classroom space

6. Element of co-teaching-Two or more professionals Co-teaching DOES Co-teaching DOES NOT • Involve at least 2 credentialed professionals—indicatingthat co-teachers are peers having equivalent credentials and thus can truly be partners in the instructional effort. The general education curriculum provides the instructional framework, with the flexibility of it being modifiable for students who require it (Fennick, 2001). • Involve a teacher and a classroom volunteer or paraprofessional, many of whom have not had the professional preparation to co-teach nor is co-teaching an appropriate role expectation for them. This is not to say that paraprofessionals do not have important classroom roles—they just should not be asked to fulfill responsibilities of certificated staff (Friend, 2003).

7. Element of co-teaching-Joint Delivery of instruction Co-teaching DOES Co-teaching DOES NOT • Mean both professionals coordinating and delivering substantive instruction, ensuring that both teachers have active roles. Co-teachers should work to ensure that their instructional strategies engage all students in ways that are not possible when only one teacher is present (Austin, 2001, Gately & Gately, 2001). • Mean two adults merely being present in a classroom at the same time. It also does not mean that the general education teacher plans and delivers all of the lessons while the special education teacher circulates. Co-teaching does not involve taking turns lecturing to the whole group. (Murawski, 2002).

8. Element of co-teaching-Diverse group of Students Co-teaching DOES Co-teaching DOES NOT • Allow teachers to respond effectively to diverse needs of students, lower the teacher-student ratio, and expand the professional expertise that can be applied to student needs. (Hourcade & Bauwens, 2001). • Include separating or grouping students with special needs in one part of the classroom or along the fringes, even if these practices are well-intentioned. (Friend, 2003).

9. Element of co-teaching-Shared Classroom Space Co-teaching DOES Co-teaching DOES NOT • Feature co-teachers instructing in the same physical space. Although small groups of students may occasionally taken to a separate location for a specific purpose and limited time, co-teaching should generally take place in a single environment—separating it from the practice of regrouping for pullout programs. (Friend, 2003). • Include teaching teams that plan together but then group and instruct students in separate classrooms. (Trump, 1966, Geen, 1985).

10. Models of Co-Teaching

11. Team teaching

12. Team teaching

13. Design Team teaching • Both teachers make decisions about the content and organization of the lesson • • Both teachers teach simultaneously to the whole class

14. Instruction Team teaching • Lead teacher and support teacher make decisions about the content and organization of the lesson • • Lead teacher and support teacher teach simultaneously to the whole class • Both teachers conduct formal teaching

15. Team teaching Advantages • Both teachers actively teaching • Unique instructional opportunities • Heterogeneous • Models listening, speaking, and working collaboratively in a partnership

16. Team teaching Challenges • Whole group instruction • Requires detailed co planning • Can be confusing for students

17. One teach, One observe

18. One teach, One observe

19. Design One teach, One observe • One teacher models organization of the content • •One teacher identifies skills and strategies needed for groups and individual students to complete the task(s) of the lesson • • The other teacher observes, and takes notes

20. Instruction One teach, One observe • Lead teacher and support teacher make decisions about the content and organization of the lesson • • Lead teacher and support teacher teach simultaneously to the whole class • One teacher conducts formal teaching • • The other teacher observes students, looking at evidence of learning styles, behavioral issues, ability to work independently, ability to work in small groups • • The teacher who is observing takes subject specific notes

21. One teach, One observe Advantages • Allows for systemic observation and data collection • Improves communication between co- teachers • Maximizes opportunities for student learning

22. One teach, One observe Challenges • Deciding what observational data to collect • Deciding who should observe and during which subject • It might be viewed as evaluative of the teacher leading instruction

23. Station Teaching

24. Station Teaching

25. Design Station Teaching • Both teachers segment the lesson content • Both teachers divide the number of stations they are responsible for • Both teachers plan and organize their station activities with attention to possible group differences

26. Instruction Station Teaching • Both teachers segment learning to small groups or individual students at the stations they design • Lead teacher and support teacher make decisions about the content and organization of the lesson • • Lead teacher and support teacher teach simultaneously to the whole class

27. Station Teaching Advantages • Smaller group instruction • Both teachers actively teaching • Greater opportunity for differentiation • Provides an active learning format • Increases small group attention • Encourages cooperation and independence • Allows strategic grouping

28. Station Teaching Challenges • Increases noise level • Several areas need monitoring simultaneously • Requires careful planning and preparation • Requires group and independent work • Space • Sequencing

29. Parallel Teaching

30. Parallel Teaching

31. Design Parallel Teaching • Both teachers collaboratively organize the lesson content • Both teachers identify strategies needed for groups and individual students • Both teachers divide the students into two groups

32. Instruction Parallel Teaching • Both teachers independently deliver the lesson plan to each of the groups • • Both teachers facilitate learning in their respective groups • Lead teacher and support teacher make decisions about the content and organization of the lesson • • Lead teacher and support teacher teach simultaneously to the whole class

33. Parallel Teaching Advantages • Smaller group instruction • Both teachers actively teaching • Greater opportunity for differentiation • Honors individual teaching styles • Allows strategic grouping • Reduces student-teacher ratio for group instruction

34. Parallel Teaching Challenges • Increases noise level • Both teachers must have equal competence • May encourage teacher competition • Sometimes difficult to achieve equal depth in content coverage

35. Alternative Teaching

36. Alternative Teaching

37. Design Alternative Teaching • Both teachers make decisions about the content and organization of the lesson • Both teachers determine the appropriate structures for alternative remedial or enrichment lessons that would promote learning

38. Instruction Alternative Teaching • Lead teacher conducts formal teaching • Support teacher implements supplemental activities for the whole group, small groups or individual students before, after or during the formal lesson • Lead teacher and support teacher make decisions about the content and organization of the lesson • • Lead teacher and support teacher teach simultaneously to the whole class

39. Alternative Teaching Advantages • Whole group instruction • Both teachers actively teaching • Greater opportunity for differentiation • Reduces student-teacher ratio for group instruction • Teachers can re-teach or pre-teach concepts as needed • Assessment of skills can be done

40. Alternative Teaching Challenges • Creates segregated learning environments • Is a challenge to coordinate • May single out students

41. One teach, One Assist

42. One teach, One Assist

43. Design One teach, One Assist • Whole Group instruction • Both teachers determine who will lead and who will support • One teacher leads the instruction • Second teacher supports student as needed

44. Instruction One teach, One Assist • Lead teacher conducts formal teaching • Support teacher assists individual students during the formal lesson • Lead teacher and support teacher make decisions about the content and organization of the lesson • • Lead teacher and support teacher teach simultaneously to the whole class

45. One teach, One Assist Advantages • Individual students provided • with teacher support • Both teachers have opportunity to lead whole group instruction

46. One teach, One Assist Challenges • Can be dominated by one teacher making the “assist” teacher feel more like a teachers assistant rather than a pedagogue • Most common co-teaching method • May single out students

47. Planning for co-teaching • “The two co-teaching professionals will grow their relationship gradually overtime. Co-teachers usually begin at a co-existence level and slowly build toward co-working, then constructing, and finally co-teaching with the most responsibility: presence, planning, presentation, problem solving, and processing.” • Huggins, M., Huyghe, J., & Iljkoski, E., 2007

48. Planning for co-teaching • “The relationship is no bigger than the investment of time it reflects…..How can two teachers practice their craft simultaneously in front of a class full of students without having time to plan? Schools should make mutual planning a high priority. It is that important!” • Kohler-Evans, P. A.

49. Planning for co-teaching • “Parity must exist in a co-taught classroom. “Parity occurs when co-teachers perceive that their unique contributions and their presence on the team are valued. [Co-teachers] demonstrate parity by alternatively engaging in the dual roles of teacher and learner, expert and novice, giver and recipient of knowledge or skills. . . . The outcome is that each member of the co-teaching team gives and takes direction for the co-teaching lesson so that the students can achieve the desired benefits.” • Villa, R., Thousand, J. A. & Nevin, A. I., 2008

50. Planning for co-teaching: resources Preliminary Discussion Questions Share Initial Meeting minutes Resources to assist co-teachers (see handouts) Collaborative Lesson Plan Team Meeting Notes Lesson Plan