CO-Teaching Approaches (cook & Friend, 1995) Presented at MSU Denver “Pairs workshop” One Teach, One Observe One Teach, One Support/Assist Parallel Teaching Station Teaching Alternative Teaching Team Teaching Key Points to Consider: Parity between educators – switch roles often Heterogeneous groups – switch students often Use a variety of approaches! This is ONE framework for co-teaching approaches.

Approach #1: One Teach, one Observe In One Teach, One Observe, Co-teachers can identify in advance what skills, method, behaviors, etc. are to be observed. Pairs use district/school specific observation tool to document notes and to inform de-briefs.

Approach #2: One Teach, One Support/Assist In One Teach, One Support/Assist, Co-teachers can identify in advance what supports are necessary. One person would keep primary responsibility for teaching while the other professional circulates through the room providing unobtrusive assistance to students as needed. 

Approach #2: One Teach, One Support/Assist looks like… Whole Class Teacher Teacher

Approach #2: One Teach, One Support/Assist What it does not looks like… One Teach, One grade papers One Teach, One catch up on IEPs One Teach, One catch up on lesson planning

Approach #3: Parallel Teaching In Parallel Teaching, Teachers are both teaching the same information, but they do so to a divided class group. Parallel also may be used to vary learning experiences, for example, by providing manipulatives to one group but not the other, or by having the groups read about the same topic but at different levels of difficulty.

Approach #3: Parallel Teaching Parallel Teaching looks like… Half of Class Half of Class Teacher Teacher

Approach #3: Parallel Teaching What is Does NOT look like… I will plan and teach on my island You plan and teach on your island

Approach #3: Parallel Teaching Strategies for Parallel Teaching What can these look like? Break groups by learning preferences, strengths, etc. Ensure heterogeneity by using variety of grouping strategies. Include “brain breaks” or times for teachers to connect and debrief. Identify physical space needs/locations so this approach can be effectively utilized.

Approach #4: station Teaching In Station Teaching, In this co-teaching approach, teachers divide content and students.  Each teacher then teaches the content to one group and subsequently repeats the instruction for the other group.  Third and Fourth "stations" will give students an opportunity to work independently. As co-teachers become comfortable with their partnership, they may add more groups or otherwise create variations of this model.

Approach #4: station Teaching Station teaching looks like… Small Group Small Group Small Group Teacher Small Group Teacher

Approach #4: station Teaching What is Does NOT Always look like… Gifted Average SPED

Approach #5: Alternative Teaching In Alternative Teaching, In most class groups, occasions arise in which several students need specialized attention. In alternative teaching, one teacher takes responsibility for the large group while the other works with a smaller group.  These smaller groups could be used for remediation, pre-teaching, to help students who have been absent catch up on key instruction, assessment, etc.

Approach #5: Alternative Teaching Alternative Teaching looks like… Small Group Large Group Teacher Teacher

Approach #6: Team Teaching In “Teaming,” In teaming, both teachers share delivery of the same instruction to a whole student group.  Some teachers refer to this as having “one brain in two bodies.” Others call it “tag-team teaching.”  Most co-teachers consider this approach the most complex, but satisfying way to co-teach. It is the approach most dependent on teachers’ styles.

Approach #6: Team Teaching Strategies for Team Teaching What CAN YOU DO? Develop nonverbal and verbal signals. Use questions of each other as a teaching strategy. Facilitate multi-use learning games or activities . Provide strategic instruction for whole class: mnemonics, graphic organizers, visual notes