1. Co-Teaching in the 21st Century
Rob Brown
Greg Costello
Jeff Hurt
July 31, 2012

2. Data from Suburban High School
Test Grade
Subject
Disabled Flag N Y
Metrics
Proficient Pct
10th Grade
Reading
98.0%
67.4%
Writing
96.3%
65.1%
Mathematics
99.0%
58.1%
Social Studies
96.9%
62.8%
Science
93.5%
11th Grade
99.7%
81.6%
86.5%
73.7%
99.1%
67.6%
97.7%
62.2%
12th Grade
99.3%
92.9%
89.3%
85.7%
75.0%
98.6%

3. Co-Teaching Issues for Discussion & Planning

4. Co-Teaching Lesson Gone Wrong

5. Problem of Practice
The implementation of Co-Teaching at Suburban High School was initiated without proper training. The planning time provided to the teachers using this model is poorly structured due to competing ideas on delivering the curriculum to the students. There is little constructive dialogue between the cooperating teachers, which in turn allows for unstructured lessons and misuse of human capital.

6. What Do We Want? Clear Outcome Measures
Narrowing the Achievement Gap between subgroups
Improved dialogue between co-teachers
Improved lessons in the co-teaching classroom (i.e. using both teachers equally, and eliminating the assistant or glorified “pointer” role)
Achieve sustainability in our plan

7. Professional Development on the Front End
Department Chairs sent to Co-Teaching Conference along with Assistant Principal
Report from conference attendees to the Principal on best practices for Co-Teaching
Seek interest in Co-Teaching volunteers among regular ed. staff
“Required Opportunity” for all special ed. staff to co-teach
Co-Teaching Team sent to local high school where co-teaching model is working; observe best practices

8. How Do We Solve This Problem
How Do We Solve This Problem? Co-Teaching Issues for Discussion & Planning
1. Time for Planning
How much time will we need?
Where will we find the time that we need?
How will we use our time together?
What records can we keep to facilitate our planning?

9. How Do We Solve This Problem
How Do We Solve This Problem? Co-Teaching Issues for Discussion & Planning
2. Instruction
What content will we include and who will plan for what content?
How will we share teaching responsibilities?
Who will adapt the curriculum, instructional, and assessment procedures for select students?
What are our strengths in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and assessment?
How will the content be presented – what style(s) will we use?
How will we assess the effectiveness or our instruction?

10. How Do We Solve This Problem
How Do We Solve This Problem? Co-Teaching Issues for Discussion & Planning
3. Student Behavior
Who will decide on the classroom rules and disciplinary procedures?
Who will carry out the disciplinary procedures and deliver the consequences?
How will we be consistent in dealing with behavior?
How will we proactively address behavior?

11. How Do We Solve This Problem
How Do We Solve This Problem? Co-Teaching Issues for Discussion & Planning
4. Communication
What ground rules do we want to establish to govern our communication during planning and while teaching?
What types & frequency of communication do we each like to have with parents?
How will we explain this collaborative teaching arraignment to the parents?
Who will communicate with parents and administrators?
How will we ensure regular communication with one another?

12. How Do We Solve This Problem
How Do We Solve This Problem? Co-Teaching Issues for Discussion & Planning
5. Evaluation
How will we monitor student progress?
How will we assess and grade student performance?
Who will evaluate which group of students – do team members collaborate in evaluating all students’ performances, or is each member primarily responsible for evaluating a subset of students?

13. How Do We Solve This Problem
How Do We Solve This Problem? Co-Teaching Issues for Discussion & Planning
6. Logistics
How will we explain our co-teaching arrangement to the students and convey that we are equals in the classroom?
How will the teaching space be shared and how will the room be arranged?
How will a balance of decision-making power be maintained among co-teachers?

14. Professional Development: Sustaining the Model
Create common planning time for the cooperating teachers
Structure the common planning time with research based practices (see next slide)
Excuse all co-teachers from one regularly occurring staff meeting per month to discuss best practices and issues in their classrooms (Assistant Principal will attend this meeting)