Team Teaching Methods “Teachers learn best from other teachers, in settings where they literally teach each other the art of teaching.” (Little, 1987)

Team Teaching Settings Provide abundant opportunities for individuals to share their collective and complementary skills and abilities toward better results. (Demming, 1986) Allow teachers the opportunity to apply what they know and support each other as they implement and refine practice. (Schmoker, 2005) Say to participants: Team configurations provide a powerful means for teachers to improve student learning and increase their professional skills. READ BULLETS

Why Are Team Teaching Methods Required? Florida Statute requires all teachers who participate in team teaching, co-teaching or inclusion settings receive training in team teaching strategies. Examples includes general education (GE) teachers who create teaching teams, GE and ESE teachers, or ESE teachers and support service personnel. Say to participants: The requirement for team teach training is contained in FL statute. Teachers are identified by TERMS This typically happens when a student’s schedule identifies two teachers for the same period or when two or more teachers are attached to a classroom during the same period of the day.

Team Teaching Pairing teachers for the purpose of staff development. Pairing new teachers with veteran teachers. Reducing turnover among new teachers. Pairing teachers who are teaching out-of-field with teachers who are in-field. Providing for more flexibility and innovation in the classroom. Improving learning opportunities for students, including students who have disabilities. Say to participants: These are some of the reasons that team teaching models are used. READ BULLETS

Who Should Apply Team Teaching Strategies? Strategies are appropriate for: all teachers who plan together to create and provide instruction for students teachers, administrators, and parents who work toward school and district goals teachers who work with support service providers, instructional assistants, and paraprofessionals any member of the educational community Ask Question. Say: Team Teaching strategies are appropriate for: READ BULLETS

Activity What are some benefits of working in teams? Write down your thoughts Materials Reflection paper Say to participants: We are going to do an activity that explores the benefits of team teaching models. Using your reflection handout, please write what you think are some of the benefits of team models. You will have 2 minutes to write your thoughts. We will share your thoughts a little later. Time 2 minutes- keep for later

What Teachers Say About Working in Teams Provides collegial dialogue and support Increases motivation to examine and improve practice Helps improve instructional practice by sharing ideas, information, strategies, and materials Develops leadership skills Encourages self-reflection that challenges own assumptions, attitudes, and beliefs Say to participants: Teachers involved in team teaching, co-teaching, and inclusion settings report benefits from working in these models. The following are comments teachers have shared. READ BULLETS First of 2 slides

What Teachers Say About Working in Teams Encourages reflection on current practice Provides opportunity for help on daily tasks and projects Provides opportunity for encouragement and emotional support Provides opportunity for reassurance and support in and out of the classroom After reading the slide, say to participants: Studies have suggested that teams of teachers that focus on student achievement allow teachers an opportunity to reflect upon and improve their current practices. We have also learned that working in teams helps teachers recognize that some practices have greater impact on student learning that leads to examination of strategies and practice.

Benefits you’ve experienced from working in a team situation What About You? Share with a partner… Benefits you’ve experienced from working in a team situation Ask participants to share with 1 or 2 peers. Give the participants 2 minutes to share experiences. Suggest that participants refer back to the benefits they listed earlier in the session. After the 2 minutes, ask 1-3 participants to share examples.

Common Team Teaching Delivery Models Learning Communities - GE and ESE Team configuration with additional teacher (4 classrooms/ 5 teachers; GE or GE/ ESE) Co-teach (GE/GE or GE/ESE) Support Facilitation (GE/ESE) Tell participants: This is a list of common models where team teaching strategies are beneficial. This list is not exclusive. There are many examples that fit this model GE = general education teacher ESE= exceptional student education -special ed teacher.

Collaborative Team Members The largest proportion of team teach configurations are a result of the ESE continuum of services. Co-Teachers: ESE teachers GE teachers Specials, Elective, Enrichment or Vocational Teachers Support Facilitators: Support Services Personnel Speech/Lang Pathologists OT/PT, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Vision Consultation Teachers: Read the sentence on the slide. Say to the participants: On this slide is a list of individuals who may provide support within the various service delivery models. For example, a physical therapist may provide integrated supports for student within the general education class (e.g., P.E. class, recess, transition times, and typical classroom movement activities). READ THROUGH THE SLIDE- CLARIFY IF NECESSARY

Special Education Delivery Models Consult - monthly meetings with teachers Learning Lab - “as needed” support in a separate room Support Facilitation - weekly/daily in-class support Co-teaching - daily in-class support Parallel Class - daily separate class/regular standards Self-contained - daily separate class or period/ regular or special standards Say to participants: This slide presents common delivery methods for special education services. Support Facilitation and Co-teaching are the common configurations for teachers to be sharing classroom teaching. Typically, team teaching methods are focused on teachers who are together during an instructional period.

Support Facilitation Primary focus is meeting the needs of students with disabilities (students without disabilities can be included if grouped with students with disabilities) Provides direct support for ESE students in the general education program Allows for flexible grouping and scheduling of students and staff ESE teacher can travel between classrooms to meet student needs ESE teacher does not have to stay in the classroom for the entire class period Collaboration should occur between the ESE and basic education teachers Class size must meet requirements typically assigned to one teacher Up to 1/3 of class roster can be ESE students Say to participants: This is a one of the most common models of the team teaching spectrum. Support Facilitation can also be referred to as resource push-in and inclusion. Teachers working in a support facilitation model often face a variety of challenges while attempting to serve ESE students. Working effectively with GE teachers and support providers can improves student success and teacher satisfaction.

Co-Teaching Provides direct support for ESE students in the general education program ESE teacher and GE teacher plan together and are responsible for delivering curriculum to all students ESE teacher remains in the class for the duration of the period or every time that class meets General education class size must meet requirements typically assigned to one teacher 1/3 of total, made up of ESE students, can be added to class size requirement Say to participants: Co-teaching is another common model of the team teaching spectrum. Teachers in the co-teach model also face many challenges. Planning and meeting the needs of ESE students

Team Teaching Strategies Collaborative Structures One Teach/One Assist -Both teachers are present, but one takes the lead and the other observes or drifts around the room assisting students. One Speak/One Add -One teacher takes the lead and the other adds or questions important points as they arise. One Teach/One Chart - One leads discussion or lecture and the other one writes notes on board Parallel Teaching -Teachers jointly plan instruction, but each delivers it to half of the class. Say to participants: When teachers share a group of students, they may incorporate a variety of collaborative structures. These structures are flexible. Teachers may change approaches depending on the needs of the students and the requirements of the content. Read through the list of structures on slide #15 and 16 Field questions if necessary.

Team Teaching Strategies Collaborative Structures Station Teaching – content is divided and both teachers instruct separate groups, teaching different content. Alternative Teaching – one teacher teaches a small group while the other teaches the large group. Interactive/Team Teaching – teachers share instruction of whole group; activities are coordinated in one lesson. Read through the list of structures on slide #16 Field questions if necessary.

What Can I Do to Make My Team Teaching Experience Successful? Collaboration requires commitment on the part of each individual to a shared goal, demands careful attention to communication skills, and obliges participants to maintain equality throughout their interaction. (Friend,2000) Read question to participants. Say to participants: We are going to review key areas that teachers find critical to making models of team teaching successful. Give the participants time to read the slide.

Make Your Team a Success Get to know your team or co-teacher Clarify roles and responsibilities Maintain effective communication Focus on student learning Make time for planning Confront problems and disagreements Say to participants: Working effectively with people takes time and effort. This is a list of the common areas that teacher in team models need to address. On the next slides we will look more closely at each area. READ THE BULLETS

Get to Know Your Team or Co-Teacher Identify values and beliefs relating to your teaching style and classroom environment you consider indisputable Share your philosophy of teaching Discuss your goals for students’ level of achievement Share your goals for professional development Investigate interpersonal styles Say to the participants: Getting to personally know the teacher(s) on your team can improve communication. Teachers must work together to address personal issues and program requirements READ THROUGH THE BULLETS For the last bullet: Examining interpersonal styles allows individuals an opportunity to reflect on their own styles of communication, organization methods, and thinking strategies.

Clarify Roles and Responsibilities Develop methods for holding one another accountable for agreed-on responsibilities and commitments. Set up regular assessments and discussion of the team’s functioning in setting goals for improving relationships and effectively accomplishing tasks Arrange for both or all teachers to be actively involved in instruction. Allow teachers to change their collaborative structure (e.g., One Teach/One Assist) Allow both teachers opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills Say to the participants: Together, teachers agree on roles and responsibilities of each member and how they will manage the needs of the students. READ THROUGH BULLETS Refer to handout “Defining Roles” Explain how this type of organizer can help teachers identify activities that must be done and also which teacher will have primary responsibility.

Maintain Effective Communication Develop interpersonal skills Clearly communicate your ideas and feelings Be an active listener Conduct face-to-face interaction on a frequent basis "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." Stephen Covey (1990). Say to participants: Maintaining effective communication between members is essential to the success of team models. The following are suggestions to keep the communication channel open. READ BULLETS Refer to handout Communication Tool

Focus on Student Learning Identify students’ curricular, social and behavioral needs Discuss student outcomes and expectations Discuss instructional practices Create progress monitoring systems Establish ongoing communication plan Say to participants: Teams that focus on student learning are better able to identify and design strategies that meet the needs of all students. Listed are suggestions that can help teams keep instruction and learning as the central focus. READ THE BULLETS

Make Time For Planning Lack of time is identified most often as a key factor in teacher surveys Work with administration to create time for planning and consultation Create flexible schedules for ESE teachers (e.g.,altering planning periods on certain days of the week) Say to participants: Finding time to plan is always a challenge, but without planning, teams will find it difficult to meet their goals. Teams should work with their administration to secure planning time and make it a priority. REVIEW BULLETS

Confront Problems and Disagreements Incorporate conflict management skills Agree on how you and your team or co-teacher will resolve problems Be proactive in creating solutions to anticipated problems Address problems as they arise, waiting may interfere with future relationship and negatively impact student learning Ask for assistance to solve complicated problems Say to participants: It is inevitable that there will be problems. As in all relationships, it is best to confront problems and disagreements quickly. Listed are suggestions that teams can incorporate to prevent or address problems as they arise.

Ticket Out the Door One new thing I learned Two things you will put into practice from this overview A question I have Materials: Ticket Out the Door Tell participants: Today we have reviewed some of the models of team teaching as well as the strategies that teachers use to make their team teaching experience successful. Please take a few minutes to complete the ticket out the door. (Optional) Any questions will replied through email.