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Teachers’ understandings of collaborative teaching and their willingness to implement this practice are two of the most important predictors of its success (Damore & Murry, 2009).
Collaboration is considered essential to preparing future teachers to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population (Friend & Cook, 2003).
An identification and understanding of roles and responsibilities must occur for both general and special education teachers to be effective instructional agents in the co-teaching process (Dieker, 2001).
To teach effectively, co-teachers need to spend time (a) getting to know each other; (b) sharing teaching skills, philosophies, and perspectives; and (c) co-planning instructional strategies (Walther-Thomas, Bryant, & Land, 1996)
What is Co-Teaching?
According to Friend and Cook (2000), “Co-teaching occurs when two or more professionals possessing distinict sets of skills work in a co-active and coordinated fashion to jointly deliver substantive instruction to a diverse, or blended, group of students in a single physical space” (pg 172).
Principles:
Individuals who collaborate/co-teach…
Do so voluntarily
Have a sense of parity, or a perception that each person’s contributions are equally valued, and each person has equal power in decision making.
Have mutual goals for students and the collaborative relationship
Share responsibility for participation and decision making
Share resources
Share accountability for outcomes
Types of Cooperative Teaching or Co-Teaching:
3.) Parallel Teaching
4.) Station Teaching
5.) Alternative Teaching/ Class within a Class
References:
Dieker, L. A. (2001). What are the characteristics of “effective” middle and high school co-taught teams? Preventing School Failure, 46(3), 14-25
Friend, M., & Cook, L. (2000). Interactions: Collaboration skills for school professionals (3rd ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.
Damore, S., Murry, C. (2009). Urban elementary school teachers' perspectives regarding collaborative teaching practices Remedial and Special Education, 30(4), 234 -244
Walther-Thomas, C. S., Bryant, M., & Land, S. (1996). Planning for effective co-teaching: The Key to successful inclusion. Remedial and Special Education, 17(4), 255-264.
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Collaborative Teaching!!
