What are the major concerns of your team? (List them in priority order.) 1. 2. 3 STRENGTHS AND CONCERNS SURVEY What Are the Strengths and Concerns of Our Co-Teaching Team? Check the appropriate column. Take this survey as individuals initially, then work with your co-teacher on the two questions at the bottom of the page Essential Element Description Totally Somewhat Not Yet True True The Partnership Both co-teachers have equal voice in the planning, teaching, and grading Collaborative Relationship The Partnership: Both co-teachers are seen as experts Expertise of Co-Teachers is fully used in the classroom The Partnership: Has Parity Both teachers share the classroom space, all students, and decisions equally The Partnership: When there are differences of Has a Plan to Resolve Conflict. opinion, the issue is directly confronted as soon as possible Time for Collaboration is Provided The district provides definite planning time during the school day. The Classroom Climate Supports Co All students ask questions of both teaching Practices co-teachers equally The classroom has a balance of all The Classroom Is Heterogeneous levels of achievement; it’s not a “low level” class The Classroom Has Appropriate Co-teaching is completely supported Space and Materials with materials for all students Whole class teaching with the coThe Classroom: teacher assisting is NOT the main The Co-teaching Models Are Varied model The Whole School Climate Supports It is clear that the co-teaching model Co-teaching, Inclusion and Teaching is considered an important support All Students. both for students with needs and for general education student. TOTAL EACH COLUMN What are the major strengths of your team? (List them in priority order) 1. 2. 3 Your notes GROUP 1: WHOLE CLASS Model I: Supportive Co-Teaching (Whole Group): One Teaches/One Observes Strengths: This supportive model is good to use as the co-teachers begin a new coteaching relationship to allow a new co-teacher to observe the classroom of her colleague This model can be used occasionally to focus on a specific aspect of the class or a specific student with a planned sharing of observations to consider possible instructional interventions or modifications. Those interested in learning more about effective peer observation may wish to read the peer observation section found in chapter 11 of this book. Co-teachers can alternate the teaching and observing roles to gain better understandings of the class and its individual students as well as of the teaching style, strengths, and expertise of their co-teacher Co-teachers can use this model to observe one another and provide valuable feedback on their teaching. Those who wish to learn more about peer observation should read the peer observation section in chapter 11. Challenges: Unless these two leading and supporting roles are reversed the Specialist Educator (SE) can become more of an instructional aide. If this method is used because of a lack of co-planning time, the SE may not clearly understand the goals of the class This model may become an “ad hoc” partnership that lacks long-term shared goals and, as a result, lacks depth. The skills of the second teacher may not be fully used throughout the class and may be limited to her target students or students who ask for her assistant Model I: Supportive Co-Teaching (Whole Group): One Teaches/One Drifts Strengths: This whole class model is useful as the co-teachers are establishing a coteaching relationship and the new co-teacher observes the classroom This model can be used occasionally when one teacher is directly teaching and the other gathers data and assists students throughout the lesson Co-teachers can alternate the teaching/drifting role to signal shared responsibility for teaching all students Challenges: If this model is the favored model for co-teaching, it can indicate that direct teaching is the primary instructional method Unless these two leading and supporting roles are reversed, the SE can become more of an instructional aide. If this method is used because of a lack of co-planning time, the SE may not clearly understand the goals of the class This model may become an “ad hoc” partnership that lacks long-term shared goals and lacks depth. The skills of the second teacher may not be fully used throughout the class and may be limited to her target students or only students who ask for help Model I: Supportive Co-Teaching (Whole Group): One Teaches/One Assists or Supports Strengths: This model is often the “default” model when the team does not have time to co-plan This model is typical when a content teacher teaches and plans in isolation and a special educator supports students at times without taking part in planning or goal setting This can be a useful model when the co-teachers have limited planning time or specialist does not work in the classroom every day After the direct teaching is concluded, both teachers assist and support students The assisting teacher can provide the teacher who is teaching with misconceptions or questions for students The assisting teacher can take notes or fill in a graphic organizer on the overhead while the other teacher teaches the lesson Challenges: This model may become an “ad hoc” partnership that lacks long-term shared goals and lacks depth. The assisting teacher can have a relatively passive role The skills of the second teacher may not be fully used throughout the class and may be limited to her target students or those who ask for help This model may become an “ad hoc” partnership that lacks long-term shared goals and lacks depth unless the team has time to collaborate Model I: Supportive Co-Teaching (Whole Group): Adapting Curriculum Approach Strengths: One teacher takes the lead and the other makes modifications as the occasion presents itself perhaps because of a student’s look of confusion or a specific question Co-teachers may develop a tool kit that can be used to support needed adaptations or modifications for specific students which may include sticky notes, index cards, manipulatives, highlighters, a calculator, a spell checker, for example The model requires very little planning time Roles are clearly defined with a lead teacher doing the majority of the teaching and a support teacher providing assistance only The method provides accommodations and the specialist is focused on her area of expertise Challenges This model may become an “ad hoc” partnership that lacks long-term shared goals and lacks depth. The skills of the second teacher may not be fully used throughout the class and may be limited to her target students GROUP 2: MODEL II; PARALLEL TEACHING: STATION TEACHING Model II: Parallel Co-Teaching (Small Group Instruction) In the Parallel Co-Teaching Model, both educators teach students at the same time. The activity within the groups distinguish each model. 1) In Station Teaching student groups move through two or more learning stations two of which are taught or facilitated by one of the co-teachers. If the classroom have more than two stations, students will be able to navigate the independent tasks without teacher direction either because the station is part of a familiar classroom routine of the task is clearly explained by the instructions at the station. For example, the station could be a computer or group of computers and the student group could work through a program on which they have had prior experience or the station could be a video which the student group views and takes note. Model II: Parallel Co-Teaching (Small Group Instruction): Station Teaching Strengths: Learning centers are used to organize the classroom; students are divided into groups of from two to six and they rotate through the centers, working at times with a teacher teaching or facilitating, or working independently and receiving support when needed. For example, a third grade class might be working on writing a summary based on informational text. at one station, a co-teacher could read a short passage that students collaboratively summarize, a second co-teacher might work on a longer passage and teams of 2 students might summarize a different paragraph and share their summary with the rest of the group, a third station might an informational passage already on a bank of 2 computers and students in 2’s summarize the paragraph, and finally a group of students might read an example summary and evaluate it using a rubric. Each center focuses on a skill or on content that may have multiple levels or alternatives for response for differentiation among the groups Each center can provide differentiated and focused learning for support, reinforcement, or acceleration This model can provide access for all students to curriculum through differentiation of the centers The stations must be carefully planned. The stations can be self-directed by individual or groups of two students work together. If all of the stations are self-directed, teachers may circulate to provide support when it is needed. Thus, teachers’ roles vary in station teaching. and each teachers may facilitate a specific center, provide requested support, or circulate among all groups, Challenges: If centers are provided for “at risk” students only, centers may appear to be remedial and not a kind of differentiation for all students This method is time intensive in the preparation of materials and the planning for the needs of all students. If these centers are developed separately, one for GE students and the other for SE students, the co-teachers may be teaching two classes, but in one classroom. As a result, there may not be a real partnership between the teachers if the groups are not co-planned and are always divided into GE and SE students GROUP 3: PARALLEL TEACHING 2 GROUPS In the Parallel Teaching model, each educator teaches a different lesson to a group Model II: Parallel Co-Teaching (Small-Group Instruction): Each Teacher Teaches a Group Strengths: The class is carefully divided into two groups either heterogeneously or homogeneously based on need, for example, in a middle school mathematics class, students who are having difficulty with ratios might be in one group while another group may be focusing on solving word problems about ratios The same collaboratively-planned content is taught by each co-teacher possibly with each lesson taught on different levels of difficulty The small groups provide for more student and teacher interaction The model requires equal expertise if both co-teachers are teaching the same material Challenges: This model may actually function as two separate classrooms held in one class if the groupings are always based on readiness or level of challenge or if GE and SE students are always in separate groups There may not be a real partnership between the teachers if they plan separately for their SE or GE students all of the time. GROUP 4: PARALLEL TEACHING ALTERNATIVE C0-TEACHING, SKILL GROUP TEACHING, AND LEARNING STYLES In Alternative Co-Teaching one group is smaller and is generally taught by the specialist whose lesson is focused on specific targeted students; Model II: Parallel Co-Teaching (Small-Group Instruction): Alternative Co-Teaching Strengths: Generally the class is divided into a larger and a smaller group with the smaller group generally needing more intensive support, for example, a small group of students may need re-teaching. The larger group may be going more deeply into a concept. For example, in a middle school English class that just finished writing an argument, the students who had difficulty with their conclusions might be in a small group looking at samples of good conclusions and working collaboratively to improve their own essays while the larger class might use the class rubric to assess sample papers and then to work collaboratively to improve their essays. Both teachers may work with each group alternatively in which case each educator teaches her unique content or each teacher may stay with one group The smaller group participants change for different purposes including preteaching, re-teaching, and enrichment This model is generally used for a short period of time Challenges: This model may actually function as two separate classrooms held in one class if the groupings are always based on readiness or level of challenge or all of the students are divided into GE and SE students There may not be a real partnership between the teachers if this type of lesson is planned separately Model II: Parallel Co-Teaching (Small Group Instruction): Skill Group Teaching Strengths: Students are grouped according to their need in specific skills could be taught by either co-teacher At times this model is based on a 2- or 3-day co-teaching model when the SE teacher reteaches skills not yet mastered. In this case, the roles of the coteachers would be unbalanced because the specialist would work with only part of the class This method saves time especially if specialist is not in the classroom daily Multiple ability levels are addressed by dividing the groups into skills Challenges: This model may actually function as two separate classrooms held in one class if the groupings are always based on readiness or level of challenge There may not be a real partnership between the teachers if the specialist is only planning for the target students Model II: Parallel Co-Teaching (Small Group Instruction): Learning Styles Approach Strengths: Both teachers support effective learning by providing re-teaching using multiple modalities, for example, hands-on or visual re-teaching All learning modalities are included: visual/auditory and tactile/kinesthetic This model is generally used occasionally Challenges: If this model is the usual model, the classroom may actually function as two separate classrooms if the modalities address only the re-teaching of the target students There may not be a real partnership between the teachers if this is the only method used Everyone: COMPLEMENTARY TEACHING AND THE DUET MODEL Model III: Complementary or Side-by-Side Teaching In the following two models, the teachers work together as equals. In the Speak and Add Model, the second teacher may provide support and take notes on a smart board, provide scaffolding for the whole class, or may ask questions that students may have. Also, teachers may switch roles. In addition, the second teacher may be a second content teacher in an interdisciplinary class who adds her content to the content of her co-teacher. In the Duet or Team Co-Teaching model, both teachers are master coteachers and function as a high-performing team. Each teacher is able to provide both content and support to all students. The Duet or Team Co-Teaching form of coteaching requires planning time. The difference between the two forms of Model III is the level of expertise in coteaching of the teachers of the two models. In the former Speak and Add Model, generally teachers are teaching the whole class together as equals. Interdisciplinary teachers may use this model when most of their teaching is direct teaching. On the other hand, the Speak and Add co-teachers may be just beginning to co-teach or they may have been working together as co-teachers for a long period of time. The high-performing Duet or Team Co-Teaching Team does not just use the whole class model, but uses all of the models, whole group, small group, and complementary. The Duet or Team Co-Teaching model is called high performing because it is the most intensive of all of the models. It requires time for co-planning and for communication. It also provides the most support for students. Model III: Complementary: Speak and Add Model (Whole Class) Strengths: One teacher takes the lead and the other teacher adds to the lesson with graphic organizers, examples, questions, ongoing assessment, and support In an interdisciplinary co-teaching class, each teacher may contribute his content area’s knowledge This model can be used as a beginning stage of co-teaching while the specialist gains knowledge of the content and the GE teacher’s style This method takes little time in co-planning and is easy to implement Challenges: This model can underutilize second teacher (specialist) if this teacher is always “adding” This model may become an “ad hoc” partnership that lacks long-term shared goals and lacks depth. The skills of the second teacher may not be fully used throughout the class and may be limited to her target students Model III: Complementary: Duet or Team Co-Teaching, A High-Performing Team Strengths: Duet teachers co-plan and make instructional decisions to work with small groups, individuals, or the whole class based upon ongoing assessments throughout the class Both educators employ general and SE techniques to support the progress of all students This model is the most completely integrated for students and fully utilizes all expertise of each co-teacher This method is the most time intensive because extensive planning and communication is essential This method provides the most support for students The roles of the GE teacher and specialist are indistinguishable (Beninghof 2012, 55-58) Chapman and Hyatt call this method “Walking the Talk” because all of the models are used as appropriate for the class. Teachers facilitate whole and small groups, have stations that are independent and facilitated, and they differentiate for all learners This model’s organization is based on student goals and needs. Challenges: The model takes time for planning, time for balancing the two teachers’ relationship, responsibility, and trust; it requires interdependence The model needs administrative and whole-school support and a school-wide commitment to both inclusion and to high expectations for all students This method puts the greatest stress on the relationship Planning—Sharing Responsibilities Teacher A Planning for the year Planning for the week Preparing materials Grading tests, quizzes, classwork, homework Collecting, organizing and analyzing data Classwork, homework, observations, formative and summative data Teacher B Shared Concerns, Notes Classroom routines (attendance, make-up work, passes, behavior problems, meetings, schedules, IEPs, team meetings) Our 2 PD goals for the year Our scheduled meeting days/times for the year Planning--Agenda Meeting Date Minutes Recorded by: Time 5 min 5 min 5-10 min 30 min 10 min 5 min People Present Follow-Ups necessary: AGENDA Review Agenda and Positive Results since the last meeting Review the Co-Teaching Progress Rubric/Tracker to make sure you keep all of your priorities in focus Review student needs, student work, student data Plan for the next week using agreed-upon weekly lesson planning document or daily lesson planning document Review tasks for participants for the next week Plan for next meeting: time, place, participants, topics Planning: Lessons Day of week/ Content Monday Content: Tuesday Content: Wednesday Content: Thursday Content: Friday Content: Whole Class: One teach/One observes One teaches/One drifts One teaches/One assists or supports One teaches/One adapts the curriculum Small Groups Small Group Parallel Teaching Alternative Skill Group Learning Styles Stations Materials, Tasks Teacher A Materials Tasks Teacher B Techniques Skills Survey . Major Strength Some Strength I could learn something about This is a challenging area that I could learn about Content areas of classroom Flexible grouping, cooperative learning Making groups accountable Teaching reading, writing, or specific skills Developing a positive classroom environment Routines for classroom (attendance, bathroom passes, transitions, passing out paper, make-up work) High expectations for all Grading with another teacher Modification of lessons for specific needs Designing scaffolds to support specific learner needs Differentiating for different learners Developing challenging and engaging units Positive behavior supports IEP Goals and progress monitoring Creating a challenging yet safe environment for learning Using data to make decisions about curriculum, instruction, assessment, and specific students Specific district or school Initiatives such as project-based teaching, Response to Intervention, data analysis, curriculum based assessment, etc. Technology: Data bases, assessment, website design, behavior software In addition to the time spent planning for the classroom, the partners need to spend time on their partnership and its development. According to Chapman and Hyatt, co-teachers need to have 4 ongoing critical conversations about their relationship and their classroom. The topics should include the following four topics that are sustained throughout the co-teaching partnership. Co-teachers need to consistently revisit and reflect on how they: 1. Define the Partnership: Partners develop a shared vision, establish roles and responsibilities, and lay the collaborative foundation that may need adjusting throughout the year 2. Examine Data: Together they focus on results, use data about students to make instructional improvements and become more adept at adjusting materials and instruction to support each student 3. Enhance Instruction: They focus on ways to provide more value as a twosome than one teacher could do alone and continue to learn together about research-based methods that work for their students 4. Expand Impact: They recognize that they are part of a school system and that they need to have administrative support for their work together and for professional development that will support the school and the team’s capacity for improving instruction (Chapman and Hyatt 2011, 10-11). According to Chapman and Hyatt, models need to be addressed, but the true value added component of coteaching comes from the partnership’s growth which will take place over time as the four areas listed above are consistently considered, critically and reflectively, during the co-teaching meetings and in the classroom.