2009 Inclusion Facilitator Network Together We’re Better: Collaborative Teaming

Outcomes  Identify three approaches to collaborative teaming  Engage in goal setting with your teaching partner  Name 5 grouping structures associated with co- teaching  Self-assess the status of your collaborative relationship  Develop a plan for enhancing your co-teaching relationship

Where to Begin Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. -Henry Ford

Change… Change is: ◦ Risky ◦ Scary ◦ Anxiety provoking But it can also be: ◦ Rewarding ◦ Fun ◦ Well worth the effort

What is Collaboration? Shared responsibility Reciprocity of ideas Interactive communication Problem-solving Conflict resolution

Collaboration Won’t Just Happen  Deliberate  Structured  Systematic  Ongoing Steele, Bell, & George, 2005

Why Won’t it Just Happen? Some possibilities: Little understanding of curriculum, instruction, and assessment between general and special educators Collaboration does not occur without a student-driven reason and a deliberate structure with resources

Why Won’t it Just Happen?  General educators begin with the curriculum first and use assessment to determine what was learned  Special educators begin with assessment first and design instruction to repair gaps in learning  No wonder we are talking different languages Steele, Bell, & George, 2005

How Do We Collaborate?  Consultation  Coaching  Co-teaching

Write-Pair-Share List circumstances where a Consultation and Coaching approach may be more appropriate than a Co-teaching model

Importance of Pre-Planning  Collaboration requires thoughtful planning time  Administrative support is essential  Here is where the alignment of special and general education occurs  Make this time as focused as possible  Take turns taking the lead in planning and facilitating Murawski & Dieker, 2004; Dieker, 2002

What is Co-teaching? Both teachers take part in 1.planning 2.teaching 3.evaluating students ’ performance Co-Teaching is two or more professionals delivering substantive instruction to a diverse or blended group of students in a single space. Friend & Cook, (1995). Co-Teaching: Guidelines for creating effective practices. Focus on Exceptional Children

Establishing a co-teaching relationship

Getting to Know Each Other  Ease into working with one another  Deal with the “little” things first  These can become the deal-breakers down the road, and preventing these road blocks early can make life easier

Sharing Hopes, Attitudes, Responsibilities, and Expectations 1. My hopes for this co-teaching relationship are: 2. My attitude/philosophy regarding teaching students with disabilities in a general education classroom is: 3. I would like to have the following responsibilities in a co-taught classroom: 4. I would like my co-teacher to have the following responsibilities: Time to

Getting to Know Each Other  Consider completing a teaching style inventory ◦ Compare how each of you prefers to structure assignments, lessons, classroom schedule, etc.  Online ◦ ◦ Free ◦ Take and score it immediately ◦ Useful tool for dialogue about instructional philosophy and style

Finding time to plan Planning for Instruction

Co-Planning Time Guidelines  Co-teaching teams should have a minimum of one planning period (45–60 minutes) per week  Experienced teams should spend 10 minutes to plan each lesson Dieker, 2001

Weekly Co-Planning  Make the weekly planning time sacred and non-negotiable  Each teacher should review content in advance of meeting  Maximize the time: stay focused

Weekly Co-Planning  Guide the session with the following fundamental questions: ◦ What are the content goals? ◦ Who are the learners and what are their unique needs? ◦ How can we teach most effectively?

Weekly Co-Planning  Establish timelines and priorities  Assign preparation tasks to both individuals equitably ◦ Lesson materials ◦ Student accommodations/modifications  Determine how plans will be shared with paraeducators or other support staff as needed Adapted from Walther-Thomas, Bryant, & Land, 1996

What does it look like?  Supportive Teaching  Parallel Teaching  Complementary Teaching  Station Teaching  Team Teaching

Supportive Teaching “One Teach, One Support” Whole group instruction or guided practice; one teacher instructs while the other “floats” assisting individuals Benefits  Extra attention for kids  Requires less preparation  Good place to start, esp. if one teacher is learning curriculum Drawbacks  Doesn’t maximize professional skills of both teachers  “Support” person may feel less valued  Research doesn’t support effectiveness

Parallel Teaching “Two groups, same content” Class split in two heterogeneous groups, each teacher teaches one group. Both groups cover the same material Benefits  More opportunities for interaction and practice  Can differentiate presentation  Both teachers actively involved Drawbacks  Can be noisy  Both teachers must be comfortable with content  Kids may have “unequal” experiences  Requires planning for pacing

Complementary Teaching “Two groups, different content” Class split in two groups, each teacher teaches one group. Groups do different activities. Benefits  Smaller groups – more interaction and practice  Both teachers actively teaching  Differentiation of instruction  Allows for re-teaching, enrichment, etc. Drawbacks  Can be noisy  Can lead to “resegregation” by ability  Requires careful planning of groupings, pacing, etc.

Station Teaching “Two (or more groups), rotate” Class is divided into groups which move among different activities. Each student participates in all activities Benefits  Opportunities for more interaction, hands-on activities  Movement, variety, application promote learning and retention  Can create more, smaller groups by adding “independent” station Drawbacks  Can be noisy/busy  Teachers can focus on a smaller piece of content  Groups need to be designed carefully  Activities needed to be planned for pacing, etc.

Team Teaching “Both Teach” Both professionals take an active role in teaching during whole group instruction, guided practice, etc. Benefits  Kids benefit from “content” and “strategy” expertise  Teachers clarify, model, etc.  Both teachers actively involved Drawbacks  Requires extensive planning and trust  Doesn’t provide smaller group interaction

So, Which Way is Best? It depends! For example –  Supportive teaching as a first step  Parallel teaching to practice a new skill  Complementary teaching for enrichment  Stations for end-of-unit review  Team teaching for start of lesson then move to stations

Work Smarter Not Harder: A tip from the classroom General education gives/ s plans in advance Collaborative planning time is focused on differentiation and discussing individual student modifications as needed Special educator prepares modifications as needed

Three Stages of Co-Teaching Relationships  Beginning  Compromising  Collaborative Gately, 2005

Beginning Familiarity w/ Curriculum Curric Goals & Modifications Instructional Presentation -SE unfamiliar with content/methodology -GE limited understanding of modifying curriculum -Unfamiliarity creates a lack of confidence in both teachers -Modifications and accommodations are generally restricted to those identified in the IEP; little interaction regarding modifications to the curriculum -Special educator’s role is seen as “helper” -Teachers often present separate lessons -One teacher is “boss”; one is “helper” Compromising -SE develops a solid understanding of the content of the curriculum -SE gains confidence to make suggestions for modifications and accommodations -General educator may view modifications as “giving up” or “watering down” the curriculum -Both teachers direct some of the activities in the classroom -Special educator offers mini-lessons or clarifies strategies that students may use Collaborative -GE becomes more willing to modify the curriculum, increased sharing in planning & teaching -Both appreciate the specific curriculum competencies that they bring to the content area -Both begin to differentiate concepts that all must know from concepts that most should know -Modifications of content, activities, homework, and tests become the norm for students who require them -Both participate in the presentation of the lesson -The “chalk” passes freely -Students address questions and discuss concerns with both teachers Gately & Gately, 2001

Self-assessment  Where is your co- teaching relationship along each domain?  What steps can you take to get to the collaboration stage?