Please begin with the pink
Sorting Activity in your folder:
Work to sort the following scenarios into
two piles:
Co-Teaching and Not Co-Teaching
Co-teaching
and
Collaboration
Strategies for Success
Jennifer Gondek
Instructional Specialist for Inclusive Education
TST BOCES
jgondek@tstboces.org
257-1551 x 334
Objectives:







Define What Co-Teaching IS and IS NOT.
Provide a rationale, supported by philosophy, research,
and recent legislation for implementing co-teaching.
Assess individual, team, and school readiness to coteach.
Describe at least six different types of co-teaching
arrangements and determine when each type is most
appropriate.
Use the BASE model for unit planning support.
Explore multiple lesson planning formats for the cotaught classroom.
Identify pragmatic issues related to co-teaching and
possible strategies for prevention and intervention.
Where are you?
This is
impossible!
We’re so
confused?!?
We think
we
understand.
We are
ready for
this
challenge!
Whip-Around
1.
2.
3.
4.
Name
Subject/Grade Level/Position
School
How familiar are you with co-teaching?
(Reference previous slide)
What is Co-teaching?

Co-teaching is an instructional delivery
model applicable to teaching students
with disabilities in least restrictive
integrated classroom settings in which
general and special education teachers
share responsibility for planning,
delivering, and evaluating instructional
practices for all students
(Arguelles, Hughes, & Schumm, 2000;Villa, Thousand,& Nevin, 2008).
What Co-teaching is NOT!
One real teacher and one extra set of hands.
 A pull-out special education program that is relocated
to the middle of a general education classroom.
 One teacher teaching one subject, then another teacher
teaching a different subject.
 One teacher teaches a lesson and another stands by
and watches.
 The assignment of someone to a room to act as a tutor.
 The ideas of one person prevail for what should be
taught and how it should be taught.
 A synonym for collaboration, team teaching, or
inclusion.

Villa, Thousand, & Nevin, (2008)
Friend (2004)
Sorting Activity:
What Co-Teaching IS:
The
special education
teacher
AAspeech-language
special
teacher
specialeducation
educationpathologist
teacherand
takes
group
3 students
atakes
and
fourth
a akindergarten
gradeof
classroom
teacher
teacher
plan
a small
group
of students
reading
above
grade
level
for 15
each
and
deliver
work
a at
vocabulary
a small
lesson
of
to the
tablewith
back
of group
the
room
minutes,
then
works
1:1
with
students
in
morning
struggling
based
with
on5’s,
theasa
tothe
work
on counting
by
student
forfractions,
5book
minutes.
The the
equivalent
Read
Aloud
for while
the
the first
grade
teacher
works
classroom
teacher
takes
a group
rest
afternoon.
therest
class
a fraction
withofthe
of plays
the students
on
of
5
students
reading
below
game
partners.
findinginway
to make $1.00.
grade level for 20 minutes.The
rest of the class works
independently at their seats.
What Co-Teaching IS NOT:
th
Two
A
Aparaprofessional
social
7
fourth-grade
grade
studies
science
teacher
classroom
walks
teacher
and
around
gives
a
the
teachers
amath
brief
classroom,
teacher
mini-lesson
plan areminding
share
math
onalesson
labthree
on
students
double-digit
classroom.
procedures
with
The
multiplication
before
special
social
beginning
needs
studies
and
tothe
remain
teach
teacher
science
the
on
lab
teaches
lesson
task
for as
the
to
periods
the
their
day.fifth
The
1,grade
4, 5,
teacher
respective
and 9.The
special
teaches
education
classes
mathateacher
on
language
teacher
the same
makes
arts
lesson.
day
teaches
photocopies
at theperiods
same
for tomorrow’s
time.
2, 3, 7, and 8.
lesson.
Elements of Co-Teaching:
Co-teachers:





Coordinate their work to achieve at least one
common, publicly agreed upon goal.
Share a belief system that supports the idea that
each of the co-teachers has unique and valued
expertise.
Demonstrate parity
Share traditional lone-teacher tasks and
functions (jobs)
Use a cooperative process
(Villa, Thousand & Nevin, 2008)
Why Co-Teach?

Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004
- Students with disabilities as full participants in rigorous
academic and general education curriculum and assessment.

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
-highly qualified teachers
Year
Primary Placement in
General Education
1992
33%
2006
48.9%
2008
58%
U.S. Department of Education (2006, 2010)
Why Co-Teach?

Benefits for Teachers
1.
Professional Benefits
Master of Content
Master of Access
(Scruggs, Mastropieri, & McDuffie, 2007)
Why Co-Teach?
Benefits for Teachers
 Two Heads are Better Than One!
 Opportunities to Use Research-Based
Interventions
 Increased Capacity to Problem Solve and
Individualize Learning
 Empowerment
(Villa, Thousand & Nevin, 2008)
Why Co-Teach?
Benefits to Teachers:
 Reach ALL students and learning styles
 More time to learn, share and use instructional
strategies
 Increased knowledge of content
 “Reality Check” for student goals
 2x the opportunity to assist students
 Background information on students with
disabilities is provided
 Support for ALL students
 Improved student behaviors
 Professional growth and satisfaction
www.vcld.org
Why Co-teach?
Benefits for Students without Disabilities
1. Increased cooperation
2. Extra teacher attention
3. Social benefits
4. Academic benefits
(Scruggs, Mastropieri, & McDuffie, 2007)
(Villa, Thousand & Nevin, 2008)
Why Co-teach?
Benefits for Students With Disabilities
Exposure to peer models for appropriate
behavior
 Additional attention
 Better meet both academic and social
needs.
 “You can’t get away with anything” (Dicker , 2001)

Why Co-Teach?
Advantages for Students:
 More time spent working cooperatively, learning
content, working with students with differing
abilities
 Emphasis on learning skills, organization, and
preparedness
 Diverse learning techniques
 More contact time with teachers
 Improved self-esteem
 Opportunities for leadership/growth within LRE
 Better/More meaningful grades
 Less fear of failure due to successful experiences
www.vcld.org
Where are you?
This is
impossible!
We’re so
confused?!?
We think
we
understand.
We are
ready for
this
challenge!
6 Basic Co-Teaching Structures:
(Friend, 2005)
One teach, one drift
 One teach, one observe
 Team-teaching
 Alternative teaching
 Parallel teaching
 Station teaching

One teach, one get coffee
One teach, one check e-mail
One Teach, One Drift
One teacher is teaching, the other
teacher is drifting throughout the
classroom, checking for understanding
or providing one-to-one instruction.
(Friend, 2005)
http://www.autismtoday.com/articles/Co-Teaching
%20Proves%20Successful%20Concept.asp?cat=1
Advantages:
Re-teaching
opportunities
Immediate Feedback
Disadvantages:
Unequal teaching
roles
Individual students
may feel stigmatized
Formative Assessment Distracting
Classroom
May cause
Accommodations
dependency on
support teacher
Individualized
attention.
One Teach, One Observe
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2008/10/oregon_teachers_fight_me
asure.html
One teach, one observe occurs when
one teacher teaches the whole group,
and the other teacher observes the
students. (Cook & Friend, 1995)
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Opportunity for data- Unequal teaching
collection
roles
Allows for peer
feedback
Formative Assessment
Team Teaching
http://storytrail.com/Impact/Chapter_3/main1.htm
Teachers share equally in planning and
delivering all components of academic
instruction. Both teachers teach a
large group by standing side-by-side.
(Friend and Cook, 2006)
Advantages:
Both teachers seen as
knowledgeable
Models collaboration
and cooperation
Different points of
view
Immediate
clarification
Changing focus
Disadvantages:
Both teachers must
know content
May not fully address
needs
Could be distracting
Requires planning
Requires compatibility
Alternative Teaching
http://www.visionsforlearning.net
http://chasemarch.blogspot.com
One teacher teaches a small group of
three to eight students while the
other teaches the whole class (Cook
& Friend, 1995)
Advantages:
Small group/1:1
instruction
Pre/Re-teaching
Acceleration
More talk time
Teachers can rotate
roles
Disadvantages:
Selecting same
students
Using same
group/same teacher
Feeling of isolation
Parallel Teaching
Teachers plan collaboratively and
simultaneously teach the same
academic content to two equal
student groups (Friend, 2005)
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Lower student:teacher
ratio
Individualization
Both teachers must know
content
Both teachers must cover
same material and
specificity
Timing
Noise/Distraction
Strategic grouping
Separation of students
Talk time
Teachers as equals
Accommodates teacher
style
Station Teaching
Teachers divide responsibility for
instructional content. They divide the class
into groups with each group working on a
different activity that contributes to the
attainment of one or more learning goals
for all students. (Friend, 2005)
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Equal teacher roles
Unequal teaching roles
Lower S:T ratio
Strategic grouping
Separation
Careful planning and prep
Noise level
Timing/Pacing
Individualization
Requires strong routines
and classroom
management
Differentiate instruction
Allows creativity
Active learning format
Cooperation and
Independence
Meet the Team
Co-Teaching Role(s) Curriculum Area (s)
Ms. Gilpatrick
First Grade Classroom All core areas
Teacher
Ms. Hernandez
Paraprofessional
Ms. Nugent
Speech and Language
Therapist
Meet the Team
Co-Teaching Role(s) Curriculum Area(s)
Mr. Silva
Science and Math
Teacher
Ms. Spaulding
Special Educator
Ms. Kurtz
ELA and SS Teacher
Ms. Olvina
Paraprofessional
Science, Math,
Language Arts, and
Social Studies
1. Read the chosen scenario with
your partner.
2. Create a chart that
summarizes the following:
•Grade Level
•Members of Co-Teaching Lesson
•Co-Teaching Model Used
•Brief Overview of the Lesson
•Positives/Advantages to this Co-Taught Lesson
•Possible Modifications or Changes
•Questions ???
Visit the website listed below. Click on the link to
the Google Document that lists videos of various
co-teaching scenarios.
•Observe 4-5 of your choice.
•Fill out the reflection sheet for each “classroom”
you visit.
http://inclusiveed.wikispaces.com
Where are you?
This is
impossible!
We’re so
confused?!?
We think
we
understand.
We are
ready for
this
challenge!
Okay, now what…..
GETTING STARTED
Where to Begin: Building Bridges
Walking across the bridge, leaving the familiar
ground of working alone, is the first act of
collaboration. All parties are in neutral territory,
with the security of knowing they can return to
land better, stronger, and changed. And perhaps
they will return to the same side of the bridge
even though they started from opposite sides.
Steele, Bell, & George, 2005
School Factors
Co-teaching
Implementation
Teacher
Factors
Student
Factors
School Factors
Teacher Factors
Student Factors
Commitment
Commitment
Population
Common Vision
Incentives
Disability
Support (Admin,
Faculty, Staff)
Vision
Diversity
School Structure and
Scheduling
Attitudes
Present Levels of
Performance
Class Size
Teaching Philosophy and Style
I.E.P. Goals
Curriculum Standards
Professional Development
Accommodations
Resources
Teaching Experience
Learning Styles
Incentives
Content Knowledge
Current Placement
Action Plan
Skills to adapt curriculum and
instruction
Transition Goals
Other Initiatives
Professional Relationships
Parental Support
Interpersonal/Communication Skills
Behavioral Needs
Roles and Responsibilities
Social Skills
Time Demands
What are some roadblocks or
concerns you have about
crossing this bridge?
Considerations
Teachers need to volunteer and agree to
co-teach.
 Co-teaching should be implemented gradually.
 Attention needs to be given to individualized
education plan (IEP) setting changes that an
inclusive classroom may invoke.
 Goals and support services need to reflect
the new learning experiences that students will
receive in general education classes.

Murawski & Dieker, 2004
www.specialconnections.ku.edu
Preparing to Co-Teach
Preparing to Co-Teach:
Murawski, W.W., & Dieker, L.A. (2004).Tips and Strategies for co-teaching at the secondary
level. Teaching Exceptional Children, 36 (5), 52-58.
Where are you?
This is
impossible!
I’m so
confused?!?
I think I
understand.
We are
ready for
this
challenge!
Obstacles and Helpful Hints:
“Collaboration would be a
lot easier if it weren’t for all
those collaborators.”
50 Ways to Keep
Your Co-Teacher
Read your section of the article.
 Write down the main points of each
section.
 Be ready to share out.

B.A.S.E.
Big Ideas
Analyzing areas of difficulty
Strategies and Supports
Evaluating the Process
-60-90 minutes of co-planning
-45-60 minutes of delegated tasks for each 3-4
week unit
-did not include daily lessons, grading, etc.
(Hawbaker, Balong, Buckwalter, & Runyon, 2001)
What Some Students will
Learn
What Most Students will
Learn
What ALL Students will
Learn
(Schumm,Vaughn, & Harris, 1997)
www.inclusiveed.wikispaces.org
•Observations
•Present Levels of Performance
•Warm-Up Activities/Exit Slips
•Pre-Test
•Homework
•Data Tracking (checklists, anecdotal
records, running records, conference
record forms, standards mastery)
CCLS [RF 1.3a]
Know and apply grade level phonics and
word analysis skills in decoding words.
•Determine which format of Co-Teaching you
will use and why.
• Keep in mind classroom accommodations and
any curriculum modifications.
•Determine ahead of time which co-teacher will
be responsible for accommodations if not predetermined at the unit level.
www.inclusiveed.wikispaces.org
•What is the criteria for mastery?
•How will students show mastery?
•How can this be differentiated for students?
•How will we record and share this information?
•What will our next steps be? (Re-teaching,
extension activities, homework assignments, preteach new material, instructional strategy/skill
groups, 1:1 conferencing)
•How will this learning target continue to be
monitored in the future?
Evaluating Effectiveness
Ensure that the co-teaching service is the best it can be.
Use curriculum-based and other measure to document
educational progress of all students in co-taught classes.
Gather other data (behavioral, discipline)
Track student progress across time and over grade levels
Keep in mind all the factors. Specify what made the
successes and problems. Make adjustments based on data.
Friend & Hurley-Chamberlain
http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=7504&CAT=none
Where are you?
This is
impossible!
We’re so
confused?!?
We think
we
understand.
We are
ready for
this
challenge!
“And when you walk into a classroom and you’re
struggling with that concept of how to reach all
these learners, you have to sometimes take it one
student at time. If you try to reach everybody all
at once, that can lead to frustration.”
Interview with Michelle Shearer, 2011 National Teacher of the Year