Communication is the KEY:
Co-Teaching & Co-Planning
Latricia Trites, Ph.D.
February 23 & 25, 2009
What is Co-teaching?
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Take a few minutes to discuss with your
partner how you define co-teaching.
What are effective co-teaching characteristics?
Video Examples of Co-teaching
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These first 5 examples are provided from
Brigham Young University and can be found at
http://education.byu.edu/cpse/co_teaching?mo
dels.html
The last example is from http://beyondschool.org/2008/01/04/video-on-the-benefitsof-co-teaching-a-blast-from-2005/
Co-Teaching
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Partnership
Trust
Hard work
Communication
Shared preparation and shared responsibility.
Both are always working. Each section of each lesson
should specify roles of both.
Considered a very demanding work arrangement.
Co-Teaching Definition
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Two (or more) educators or other certified staff
Contract to share instructional responsibility
For a single group of students
Primarily in a single classroom or workspace
For specific content (objectives)
With mutual ownership, pooled resources, and
joint accountability
Cook & Friend (2004)
What Co-Teaching Isn’t
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One person teaching one subject followed by
another person teaching a different subject
One person teaching one subject while another
person prepares instructional materials, makes
copies, corrects papers, etc.
One person teaching a lesson while other
people simply observe
One person’s ideas about what and how to
teach being the only ideas implemented
One person being assigned as a tutor
Villa, Thousand, & Nevin (2008)
Effective Co-Teaching
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Mixes and matches models.
Changes models and roles for variety and
interest for learners.
May involve delegation of specific tasks to one
teacher (e.g., one is the phonics expert).
Always specifies the role of each teacher in
each activity.
Tips for Effective Co-Teaching
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Get to know your partner
Create a workable schedule
Vary instructional practices
Avoid second guessing your partner
COMMUNICATE
Get to Know Your Partner
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Discuss personal and professional issues
Discuss any “pet peeves”?
Discuss any health concerns
Discuss learning styles and preferences
Create a signal system for communicating in
the classroom
Follow-up Getting to Know You
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Now that you’ve worked with your co-teacher for a
semester (most of you), take this time to get to know
each other better.
What is your personal learning style?
What is your personality type?
What is your teaching style?
When do you plan best?
How do you plan?
Where do you plan?
How do you deal with conflict?
Co-teaching MUST include
Co-planning!
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Find time to plan together
Discuss what will be taught, how it will be
taught, and by whom
Create a “co-teaching” lesson plan template to
be used
Effective Planning
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Examine Curriculum Guidelines
Learn to write effective objectives
Do long-term planning as well as short-term
planning.
Communicate with each other before AND
after each co-teaching session.
Goals vs. Objectives
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Goals are broad and most often contain many
objectives in order to achieve the goal.
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Students will write effective short essays.
Objectives are much more specific and contain
only ONE observable outcome.
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Students will write a topic sentence for a short
essay with 70% accuracy.
What are Effective Objectives?
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Objectives that are outcomes based – state
what the student will accomplish.
Objectives that have only one outcome in each
one.
Objectives that can be assessed.
Objectives that answer why an activity is being
done.
Objective Examples
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Good Objective:
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Students will demonstrate their ability to spell
current vocabulary words by playing a game of
hang man with a level of 75% accuracy in spelling.
Bad Objective:
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Students will play hang man.
Objective Activity
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Take 30 minutes and do the following:
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Select 10 different curriculum goals from the list
and with your textbook, write at least one effective
objective.
Co-planning
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Both teachers contribute to the planning stage.
Both teachers agree as to which teacher will be
responsible for what activity and for what
materials.
Both teachers will talk openly with each other
AFTER the class to evaluate the effectiveness
of the lesson.
Planning Activity
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Take 30 minutes to do the following:
Long range planning with your co-teachers
 General detailed planning for the next month
 Immediate planning for the next week
FINALLY:
 Each ETA should talk with his/her LETs about the
co-teaching demonstration for April 22nd, May 6th,
and May 20th. Which activity will you present?
Which LET will participate with you?
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References
Brigham Young University, David O. McKay School of Education,
Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education, “Co-teaching: A modelfor
classroom management.
http://education.byu.edu/cpse/co_teaching?models.html
Burell, C. (2005). “Video on the Benefits of Co-teaching: A Blast from 2005”
http://beyond-school.org/2008/01/04/video-on-the-benefits-of-co-teachinga-blast-from-2005/
Friend, & Cook, L. (2004). Co-Teaching: Principles, Practices, and
Pragmatics. New Mexico Public Education Department Quarterly Special
Education Meeting Albuquerque, NM April 29, 2004
Murawski, W., & Dicker, L.A. (2004). Tips and strategies for co-teaching at
the secondary level. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 36(5) 52-58.
Villa, R., Thousand, J., & Nevin, A. (2008). What is co-teaching? In. A guide
to co-teaching: Practical tips for facilitating student learning (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.