Co-Teaching Middle School
Math: How it can be helpful for
students of all ability levels
Martha Roelofs
Shannon TerMeer
Brandy Goodwin
Otsego Middle School
Agenda

Brief history of co-teaching at Otsego Middle School

What co-teaching is and is not

Why co-teach?

Preparing for co-teaching

Models of co-teaching

How co-teaching helps all students

Responsibilities taken by each staff member

How to make co-teaching most effective

Additional Resources
This was our first year of co-teaching multiple Math
classes at Otsego Middle School. In past years,
co-teaching mostly took place in Science and
Social Studies classrooms,
. since many students
with special needs were in pull-out settings for
Math and English Language Arts (ELA)
This year, however, we began a “push-in” model,
where most students are in the general education
classroom most of the day. Therefore, coteaching in Math and ELA became necessary.
We offered one co-taught Math class at each
grade level. Students were selected for the cotaught classes based on standardized test scores
(such as the MEAP and Iowa Test of Basic Skills),
past Math class grades, and teacher
recommendations. We started the year with
approximately 30 students in each class.
~Shannon & Brandy have input here~
What is co-teaching?
Includes 2 or more educators or other CERTIFIED
staff
Staff share responsibility for the instruction of a
single group of students, mostly in a single
classroom/workspace
Involves mutual ownership, pooled resources, and
joint accountability
NOT the same as collaboration, team teaching, or
inclusion

Co-Teaching vs. Supporting
Co-Teaching
All staff members are certified professionals.
Staff members alternate leading whole-class
instruction.
All staff help to plan and deliver instruction.
All staff may have sole responsibility over students.
All staff assess student work.
Co-Teaching vs. Supporting
Supporting




One staff member is a non-certified
professional who works with a specific group
of students with special needs.
Support staff does not lead whole-group
instruction.
Support staff has a limited overall classroom
role.
Support staff is responsible for small-group
instruction of specific students with special
needs.
Why Co-Teach?

Co-teaching improves instruction for
all students, for the simple reason that
having 2 instructors thinking about
instruction is better than one.


Instructors can collaborate on all
students having difficulties-academically, emotionally,
behaviorally, etc.
Instructors often have different
teaching styles, which helps reach
more students in the classroom.
Why Co-Teach?

Blurs boundaries between general
education and special education



No “Your kids” vs. “My kids”-they're all “Our kids”
Special education stigma is
reduced because students are all
in the same classroom OR in mixed
groups.
Encourages people to think of
special education as a continuum
of services, not a place
Why Co-Teach?


Increases communication, coordination,
and collaboration among professionals
Reduces fragmentation of the curriculum
and duplication of services


If students with special needs are pulled out of
the general ed setting for instruction, they often
miss some of the content being taught, but
also...
If students with special needs are pulled out of
the general ed setting for instruction, but still
receive some instruction in the general ed
setting, they get duplicate instruction in some
areas.
Why Co-Teach?

Allows for innovative teaching
strategies and methods


With 2 or more certified instructors
in the classroom setting, students
can be split up into smaller groups
and more complex activities can
be completed.
Instructors can learn different
strategies and methods from one
another.
Why Co-Teach?


The Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act (IDEIA) Part B (for students
ages 6-21) has been studied by the Michigan
Department of Education
The state set a goal that ≥63% of students
aged 6-21 with IEPs would be in the general
education classroom for 80% or more of the
day by the 2012-2013 school year. Coteaching is one way to make sure that
students can access general education
content while keeping them in the general
education classroom as much as possible.
Why Co-Teach?

Co-teaching allows more students
with IEPs to be in their Least Restrictive
Environment.
Preparing for Co-Teaching

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act
requires that instructors be highly
qualified to teach their content area.



This comes into play very strongly in middle
school and high school.
Secondary teachers MUST have content
endorsement to teach subject matter or
provide services through a collaborative
model.
Therefore, make sure all instructors involved
in co-teaching have the correct
certification/qualification.
Preparing for Co-Teaching

Approach administration to ensure
support for co-teaching.



Request that instructors have input on the class
list and class size.
It is very helpful to have schedules for students
with IEPs created first, so that they are sure to
get the necessary special education services as
per their IEPs.
Make sure administration realizes that simply
because there are 2 teachers in the room, that
does not mean that the class size may be larger
than normal or that one of the teachers may be
pulled at any time for miscellaneous
responsibilities (substituting, etc.)
Preparing for Co-Teaching

Select a compatible partner (or partners)
with whom to co-teach.



Voluntary participation is preferable-- find
someone who wants to participate in coteaching and is willing to work hard.
Remember-- co-teaching is all about
student success and professional growth,
not becoming best friends with the coteacher!
Good organizational skills and flexibility
are strengths to look for when finding a
co-teaching partner.
Preparing for Co-Teaching

When figuring out co-teaching teams, it
may be helpful to complete some selfexaminations to discern each person's
teaching, learning, and communication
styles.


Examples: The DiSC Personal Profile System; various
learning style inventories that are available online
(see “Additional Resources” for examples).
Also, a mission statement for co-teaching may be
helpful (see “Additional Resources”).
Preparing for Co-Teaching

Creating class lists


Assuming classes have
approximately 30 students, it's best
for there not to be more than 7-10
students with IEPs.
Co-taught classes should NOT be
filled with at-risk general education
students-- this leads to more
behavioral issues and poor
modeling for the students with
special needs.
Preparing for Co-Teaching

Choose a teaming model to use



Make sure all educators have an active
role in the class-- this can be as simple as
having one person model how to ask
clarifying questions or organize information
more effectively.
The special education teacher is first and
foremost accountable for helping students
with special needs reach their IEP goals
and objectives, but is also there to help
other students.
The model and roles may evolve over time,
and will be different in each co-teaching
setting.
Models of Co-Teaching


Complementary Teaching I (one
teach, one observe)
Complementary Teaching II (one
teach, one support)

Alternative Teaching

Parallel Teaching

Station Teaching

Shared/Team Teaching
Complementary Teaching I
(one teach, one observe)
Complementary Teaching I
(one teach, one observe)



One instructor provides the main instruction; the
other instructor observes a specific student or groups
of students.
Generally used when someone is new to coteaching, for developing Response to Intervention
(RTI) groups, or to observe for problems/progress
Should be used sparingly, as the observer tends not
to be seen as an equal educator
Complementary Teaching II
(one teach, one drift/support)
Complementary Teaching II
(one teach, one support)



One instructor provides the main instruction; the
other instructor circulates among students,
answering specific questions, keeping students
on task, etc.
Often used when one of the instructors has
particular expertise in a certain area or in lessons
where student work needs lots of monitoring.
This can easily turn into “one teach, one
observe”– the instructor in the “support” position
needs to make sure he/she is moving around
the classroom and supporting as necessary.
Complementary Teaching II
(one teach, one support)


The support teacher provides content
support-- additional examples, new
ways of presentation, and so on, to
help students who don't understand
the way the lead teacher presents.
Example: The lead teacher explains
how to multiply fractions; the support
teacher gives additional examples or
writes further explanation on the
board or students' papers.
Complementary Teaching II
(one teach, one support)

Tiered note-taking works well with this
model—depending on students'
abilities, some students have more
detailed notes to take; others have
fill-in-the-blank or less detailed notes.
Complementary Teaching II
(one teach, one support)
Benefits
•
•
•
•
Teachers become used
to working together
Instructors take turns
taking the lead and
support roles
Students' questions get
answered without
interrupting the flow of
the lesson
Supporting teacher
can closely monitor
Negative Aspects
Support person can be
viewed as a paraeducator
If one instructor takes the
support position more
often than not, he/she
could be viewed as
having an unequal
work load or not being
an equal colleague
Complementary Teaching II
(one teach, one support)
Lead Teacher is Doing
This:
Support Teacher is Doing
This:
How this Benefits
Students:
Presenting new information
to class
Modeling note-taking or
filling in a graphic organizer
See information visually,
rather than only hearing it
Collecting/reviewing
homework
Taking attendance;
checking in with students
Increased instructional
time and individual
attention to students
Explaining directions,
answering questions,
modeling problems
Handing out papers, writing
down instructions/model
problems on
board/overhead; asking
clarifying questions
Use of visual
representations to help
students understand
Complementary Teaching II
(one teach, one support)
Lead Teacher is Doing
This:
Support Teacher is Doing How this Benefits
This:
Students:
Working with a large,
heterogeneous group of
students during project-based
learning
Working with a small group of
students in need of more
scaffolding or teacher direction
Increased personal attention to
students; more differentiated
instruction; errors and
misunderstandings are quickly
caught
Providing direct instruction or
checking for direct
understanding with a large
group of students
Providing one-on-one support;
checking for understanding
with a small group of students;
helping manage behavior
Increased personal attention to
students; more differentiated
instruction; errors and
misunderstandings are quickly
caught
Administering assessments to
a large group of students
Administering assessments to
small groups of students;
modifying/accommodating
assessments
Testing accommodations are
provided; students take tests in
a smaller-group environment
Planning lessons aligned to
core standards
Develop
Increased differentiation
modifications/accommodations
to lesson plans; preparing
plans for intervention groups;
developing enrichment
opportunities
Alternative Teaching
Alternative Teaching

The lead teacher teaches a large group;
the other teacher works with a small
group that needs specialized attention.



The small-group instruction often takes
place prior to or following large-group
instruction, so that students receive
information in multiple ways.
The support teacher teaches using a
different method than the lead
teacher.
Very useful in lessons where a high level
of mastery is expected, but students'
current levels of mastery are varied.
Alternative Teaching


Also useful when enrichment is
desired
Examples:


Large-group instruction=practice
exercise; small-group
instruction=additional direct,
explicit instruction (re-teaching)
Large-group instruction=going over
HW; small-group instruction: preteaching the next lesson's
vocabulary
Alternative Teaching
Benefits



Small groups for
more individualized
attention to students
Meets individualized
needs
Provides necessary
preview or
review/reteaching
Negative Aspects
Students who are
repeatedly grouped
together become
segregated
Teachers don't have
the opportunity to
circulate among
individual students
Alternative Teaching

Strategies include:

Peer tutoring

Reciprocal teaching

Predicting

Portfolios

Note-taking

Use of manipulatives
Parallel Teaching
Parallel Teaching


Teachers split the class in half
(approximately). Each teacher works
with his/her group for a designated
period of time, teaching the same
content and using the same
activities, but with smaller groups.
Useful when a smaller studentteacher ratio is needed or for
drill/practice, review, reteaching.
Parallel Teaching


For example, one teacher could use
a more visual teaching style; the
other could use more of a kinesthetic
style, depending on the needs of
each group.
Smaller groups tend to get more
involved in discussions, and each
student gets more individualized
attention.
Parallel Teaching
Benefits




Both teachers have the
same credibility
Smaller groups
Students are
strategically grouped
Information is broken
down into chunks,
which helps students
gain a deeper
understanding
Negative Aspects
More explicit planning is
needed before the lesson
is delivered
If parallel teaching takes
place within one
classroom, there is a lot of
noise/distraction~ when
we used this model, the
special ed teacher took
her group to her classroom
Both teachers must
know/teach the same
content
Parallel Teaching

Strategies include:

Think-pair-share

Choral reading

Splitting students into groups by
learning styles

Small-group discussion

Scaffolding

Test review
Station Teaching
Station Teaching



Instructors divide content into various
stations, which are set up around the
room. All students rotate through all
stations. Stations may be teacher-led or
independent.
Useful when content is not hierarchical,
when various topics make up the
instruction, or when technology is limited.
Example: Various ways to multiply
fractions—one station uses manipulatives,
another uses the area model, etc.
Station Teaching
Benefits



Students can be
strategically grouped
(higher-functioning
mixed in with middlefunctioning and lowerfunctioning)
Each instructor has a
clear responsibility
Difficult material can be
split into chunks so it's
more accessible
Negative Aspects
More planning is needed
Noise/distraction levels
can be high
Pacing can be difficult
Station Teaching

Strategies include the following:

Lesson overview

Individual/small-group instruction

Identifying key concepts/terms

Manipulatives

Hypothesizing

Reflection time
Shared/Team Teaching
Shared/Team Teaching




Two teachers share all of the teaching
responsibilities of the classroom.
There is spontaneous exchanging of lead
and support roles throughout the lesson.
This model takes a while to develop,
especially if both instructors are new to
co-teaching.
Example: One teacher presents
information while the other demonstrates
note-taking, then they switch.
Shared/Team Teaching
Benefits






Teachers interjecting ideas
Teachers modeling
effective communication
& teamwork
Conversation, problemsolving, moving around
Repetition
Information presented in
various ways
Both instructors seen as
credible leaders
Negative Aspects
Lack of small-group
instruction
How Co-Teaching Helps All
Students




All students get more individualized or smallgroup opportunities, no matter what model of
co-teaching is being used.
All students are exposed to different models
and strategies of teaching.
All students have the opportunity to work with
other students.
With two or more instructors in the classroom,
students are usually able to work with the
instructor with whom they feel most
comfortable.
How Co-Teaching Helps All
Students


Students have the opportunity to observe two
instructors working together as a team.
More students have the opportunity to take
advantage of the general education teacher's
content knowledge and the special education
teacher's knowledge of
differentiation/accommodations/modifications.

For example, we discovered that many
students without IEPs benefited from
modified assignments and assessments
this year in co-taught math.
Responsibilities Taken by Each
Co-Teacher



All staff members are responsible for
planning and preparing instruction and
activities, no matter which co-teaching
model is being used.
All staff members are responsible for
classroom management, as well as grading.
Staff members may alternate lead teacher
and support teacher roles, depending on
which model is being used and the comfort
level each staff member has with each
content area/lesson.
Responsibilities Taken by Each
Co-Teacher



All staff members involved are
responsible for modeling cooperation
and effective communication.
Students need to perceive both
teachers as equals—make sure
instructional duties are shared by
both teachers.
Be flexible with grouping and
instructional strategies.
Tips for Effective Co-Teaching





Find or make time for co-planning-- as much
as possible. It doesn't have to be face-toface; you can use the phone, email, Skype,
etc.
Analyze yourself before you begin-- use
learning style inventories, etc.
Open lines of communication! Share positive
thoughts and constructive criticism.
Get to know your co-teacher.
Be ready, able, and willing to share—ideas,
workspace, and so on.
Tips for Effective Co-Teaching




Remember-- there are no “my kids” and
“your kids”. All kids in a co-taught classroom
are “our kids”.
Not all co-teaching relationships work the
same way. Find ways to make each one
work as well as possible.
Co-teaching relationships take time to build,
just like any other partnerships.
Find ways to build a trusting, safe
environment in the co-taught classroom—
students can always tell when there is hostility.
Tips for Effective Co-Teaching



Be familiar with all material being
taught every day.
Make sure all instructors are informed
about students' special needs.
Put all instructors' names on
communication and make sure all
instructors have access to
gradebooks, etc.
The same things that make inclusion work also
make co-teaching work!
Additional Resources


The Bureau of Education & Research
offers resources and PD opportunities
on co-teaching and many other
educational topics
http://www.ber.org
Dr. Elizabeth Whitten—professor of
Special Education at Western
Michigan University, specializing in
co-teaching whitten@wmich.edu
Additional Resources

Learning Style Inventories:

http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html

http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory/


http://ttc.coe.uga.edu/surveys/LearningStyleInv.htm
l
Personal Profile by DiSC:
http://www.discprofile.com
Additional Resources

Mission Statement Builders:

http://www.nightingale.com/mission_select.aspx

http://www.franklincovey.com/msb/
Additional Resources

The University of Kansas Center for
Research on Learning has a project
called SIM (Strategic Instructional Model)
that provides many great graphic
organizers that help with tiered notetaking, vocabulary, and other strategies:



Content Enhancement:
http://www.kucrl.org/sim/content.shtml
Learning Strategies:
http://www.kucrl.org/sim/strategies.sht
ml
General information:
Contact Information

Martha Roelofs
mroelofs@otsegops.org
roelofs@weebly.com

Shannon TerMeer
stermeer@otsegops.org

Brandy Goodwin
bgoodwin@otsegops.org