Co-Teaching in the
Middle School Regular
Ed Math Classroom
Kim Trendel
&
Michelle Koenig
Agenda
• Difference between TeamTeaching and Co-Teaching
• Benefits of Co-Teaching
• How do we make it work
• Assessment
• Accommodation vs. Modification
• What benefits/results have we
seen?
Kim Trendel
• Nationally Board CertifiedExceptional Needs Specialist
• In my 12th year of teaching at
FPMS
• Cross-categorical teacher
• Teach self-contained math and
resource.
• 5th year co-teaching in regular
education math classrooms.
Michelle Koenig
• Nationally Board Certified-EA
Math
• 11th year of teaching
• FHS & FPMS
• Currently teaching 8th grade math
& algebra
• 5th year team teaching
Feedback
• Evaluations/ Feedback forms
• Please provide specific comments:
– What did you learn?
– How will you implement what you
learned today?
• Any suggestions for improvement
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)
Population of our TeamTeaching 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
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.
Are all models of teamteaching the same?
We think that there is a difference
between team teaching and coteaching.
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.
What’s the Difference?
Team Teaching:
• Sharing in
planning
• Share instruction
load
• Share in creation
of assessments
• Provide
accommodations
and modifications
Co-Teaching:
• Share in planning
• Share instruction
load
• Share in creation
of assessments
• Both actively
assess student
work
• *Embed
specialized
Models
Team-Teaching
• Monitoring
• Parallel Teaching
Co-Teaching
• Active Partnership
• Differentiated Split
Class
• Station Teaching
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.
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.
Parallel Teaching
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
Monitor & Active Participation
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
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.
Station Teaching
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
Student Benefits of CoTeaching
• 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
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
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.
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
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
Accommodations vs. Modifications
• Difference
• Examples
• Handout
What benefits/results
have we seen?
• 2007-08 SY
-2-5% points higher on tests compared to nonteam 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
Data (2008-09 SY)
Assessment
Team-Taught
Class Ave (%)
Independently
Taught
Class Ave (%)
Independently
Taught
Class Ave (%)
Mod 1 Quiz
91
89.2
89.3
Mod 1 Test A
91.4
87.6
88.3
Mod 1 Test B
92.3
89.8
83.8
Mod 2 Quiz
85.7
88.6
85.4
Mod 2 Test A
80
85.6
82.1
Mod 2 Test B
84.8
86.7
87.9
Mod 3 Quiz
83.2
82.8
83.8
Mod 3 Test A
88
84.4
85
Mod 3 Test B
90.1
89.3
89.2
Semester
Exam
87.1
91.4
91.4
Mod 4 Test A
89.1
93.3
94.1
Data (2008-09 SY)
Assessment
Team-Taught
Class Ave (%)
Independently
Taught
Class Ave (%)
Independently Taught
Class Ave (%)
Mod 5 Quiz
86.4
92.8
90.1
Mod 5 Quiz #2
84.4
89.2
88.8
Mod 5 Test A
87.8
91.7
91.1
Mod 5 Test B
91.1
90
93.2
90
88
91.8
Mod 6 Test A
78.5
86.6
84.2
Mod 6 Test B
88
90.2
91.6
Semester Exam
87
89.1
90
Mod 6 Quiz
Data (2009-10 SY)
Assessment
Team-Taught
Class Ave (%)
Independently
Taught
Class Ave (%)
Independently
Taught
Class Ave (%)
Mod 1 Quiz
84.5
85
86.4
Mod 1 Test A
92
88.5
92.4
Mod 1 Test B
91.9
91.3
92.7
Mod 2 Quiz
89.4
88.1
88.8
Mod 2 Test A
89.7
86.1
86.7
Mod 2 Test B
87.1
87.3
89.7
Mod 3 Quiz
87.6
86
91.5
Mod 3 Test A
92.6
89
91.6
Mod 3 Test B
91.8
91.7
92.2
Mod 4 Quiz
92.2
87
93.6
Data (2009-10 SY)
Assessment
Team-Taught
Class Ave (%)
Independently
Taught
Class Ave (%)
Independently Taught
Class Ave (%)
Mod 5 Quiz
90.2
90.5
91
Mod 5 Test A
92.3
91.1
91.7
Mod 5 Test B
93
93.7
92.9
Mod 6 Quiz
90.3
85.8
90.5
Mod 6 Test A
90.6
85.5
88.6
Mod 6 Test B
90.8
86.3
91.3
Data (2010-11 SY)
Assessment
Team-Taught
Class Ave (%)
Independently
Taught
Class Ave (%)
Independently
Taught
Class Ave (%)
Mod 1 Quiz
93.4
84.2
83.2
Mod 1 Test A
92.2
88.5
89.1
Mod 1 Test B
90.6
91.2
92
Mod 2 Quiz
84.9
86.1
88.5
Mod 2 Test A
87
87.5
86
Mod 2 Test B
89.8
89.2
89.3
Mod 3 Quiz
89.1
90.4
86.9
Mod 3 Test A
93.7
93.6
92.3
Mod 3 Test B
95.2
94.4
92.3
Mod 4 Quiz
93.8
93.1
92.3
Mod 5 Quiz
92.8
92.5
91.2
What 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.”
More student comments . . .
Q: What worked well for you this
year?
A: Having 2 teachers.
“When I started working with Mrs.
Trendel & Mrs. Koenig it (math) got
easier.” (This student was moved into our coteaching class mid-year.
“We have a lot of fun and learn a lot,
too.”
Even more student comments . . .
“I actually liked math class this year.”
“I will never forget the niceness of my
teachers, how much I’ve learned,
and the wonderful experience of
math with you two.”
What results have we seen?
Parent comments
“Jeff actually likes math this year.”
“These are the best math grades
Cody has ever received.”
“My daughter tells me she LOVES
your class! [Student] is dyslexic. All
odds were against her. Keep up the
great work.”
More Parent Comments!
 Because of you and your teaching methods my
daughter who did NOT like math and could not
read until the 4th grade now not only LOVES
math, but embraces it. The biggest part of the
success is you are a TEAM! You’re both funny
and make learning fun . . . The Math Divas!! You
both take extra time if you see someone does not
get it. You have a song and dance for everything
. . . You make the kids not only laugh but also
REMEMBER.
 I can only hope the Franklin Public School
system knows how LUCKY they are to have a
team of great teachers like you and Mrs. Trendel.
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
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
• 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
Feedback
• Evaluations/ Feedback forms
• Please provide specific comments:
– What did you learn?
– How will you implement what you
learned today?
• Any suggestions for improvement
Enjoy this clip while filling out
the feedback form
Contact Info
Kim Trendel- Spec Ed
Kimberly.Trendel@franklin.k12.w
i.us
Michelle Koenig- Reg Ed
Michelle.Koenig@franklin.k12.wi.
us