Co-teaching is the type of teaching whereby two instructors work together in planning, organizing, delivering and assessing the instruction. An effective co-teaching team includes a cooperating instructor and a teacher candidate. It is important to note that the success of the co-teaching model solely depends on how teachers use the co-teaching strategies that form the basis of how they will collaborate in organizing and delivering instruction. Presently, teachers in many schools in the United States and elsewhere around the world are now embracing co-teaching as an effective model for enhancing the learning experience of their students. Scholars and policy makers in the education sector have raised concerns about whether or not the co-teaching model is effective in delivering instruction to students. Most, if not all, posit that the co-teaching model is indeed, effective. The following paper discusses how teachers share the classroom and the students through the co-teaching model. It will outline the strategies or models involved in the co-teaching model and discuss how each is useful. The paper will begin with an overview of how the co-teaching model started and then compare it to the traditional teaching model.
Understanding Co-teaching model
How it started
Co-teaching started as a method of team teaching that commenced in the 1950s. In the team teaching method, general educators would combine their classes and give room for one teacher expert to provide a topic to the students. Sometimes, the class would have more than 100 students, and they could divide themselves into groups for follow-up assignments and discussions. The team teaching was first used as a model or method for mainstreaming students with disabilities to provide them an opportunity to share instructional time with other students who are not disabled. Presently, the co-teaching model is mainly involves bringing together different students with different abilities. Its primary goal is to ensure that all students receive all types of individualized instructions they need within a Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The special educator play an important in the teaching model as he or she helps in implementing support measures for all students, including the disabled students who need special accommodations.
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Models
One teaches, one support
The first model of co-teaching is whereby one teacher assumes the responsibility of teaching while the other instructor moves around the class observing the behaviors of students (Friend & Cook, 2010). For example, one instructor could introduce the lesson plan while the other dispenses the reading materials to the students. One significant benefit associated with this type of model is that helps keep the learners on task due to the proximity between them and their teacher. As such, the students receive help timely. The biggest disadvantage with this type of model is that it may be distractive to some learners as the teacher walks around the class. Also, the students always have a perception that one teacher is in control of the other (Friend & Cook, 2010).
Parallel teaching
In this model of teaching, the cooperating teacher and the teacher candidate split the class into two but teach the students similar topics simultaneously (Friend & Cook, 2010). For example, they can teach a topic on disaster prevention in two parts of the class. Parallel teaching would be useful when a class has too many students. This model enhances teaching as the instructor can handle small groups comfortably and conveniently. One challenge in parallel teaching is that both instructors must teach at the same pace. Also, both teachers must have competency in the topic so that the learners can comprehend it equally.
Alternative teaching
This is the type of teaching whereby one teacher is responsible for managing the proceedings in the classroom while the other instructor attends to some students outside or inside the class (Friend & Cook, 2010).The latter may involve a situation whereby the teacher is helping a student to catch up with the lessons he or she might have missed. Teaching small groups for remedy is important as it addresses the need of the learners. One challenge that would undermine alternative teaching is limited space. Therefore, teachers should ensure that there is available space in the class before using this type of teaching model (Friend & Cook, 2010).
Station teaching
In station teaching, both teachers share the responsibility for planning and teaching the instructional content (Friend & Cook, 2010). They then have to divide the class into different teaching centers and then sit at particular stations. In science class, for example, the teachers may create different stations with each having a distinct experiment to perform. The teacher candidate and the cooperating teacher could then join the group that needs close supervision. Station teaching enhances learning as the teachers can cover more learning materials within a short time. Also, it ensures that the learners are involved in hands-on learning (Friend & Cook, 2010).
Team teaching
In team teaching, both teachers participate in planning lessons and providing instructions materials to the learners (Friend & Cook, 2010).They teach each lesson together whereby they engage the students in discussions relating to the topic taught. Team teaching requires both teachers to manage and assess the students together, for example, in making sure they complete their classwork and homework. Team teaching is a better method for instruction than one teacher teaching and the other observing because every teacher in this model has an active role to play in organizing and managing the classroom.
How it differs with traditional teaching model
The traditional teaching model is different from the co-teaching model in terms of the engagement of the teachers with their students. Unlike the traditional model whereby the teacher interacts with the students in the classroom on only a few occasions, the co-teaching model requires teachers to interact with their students throughout their learning experience (Friend & Cook, 2010). In the traditional teaching model, the student teacher (teacher candidate) usually, observes how the cooperating teacher provides instruction to the students. After observing for some time, the teacher candidate can then take the responsibility of “solo” teaching by carrying out such duties as managing the routines of the class and assessing the work of the learners. It is important to note that traditional teaching model does not involve strategies relating to collaborative teaching.
Unlike the traditional model, the modern co-teaching model requires both teachers to co-plan and integrate co-teaching strategies in teaching. Co-planning and integrating co-teaching strategies enhance the collaboration between the two teachers, with the student teacher sometimes taking the responsibility of making decisions. This is an excellent opportunity to empower the teacher candidate and eventually, he or she will assume all leadership roles in the class. This includes directing activities of the students and the mentor teacher. However, the decision of when the student teacher should assume the leadership roles of a lead teacher is made by the cooperating teacher and the college supervisor. They also determine the duration in which the student teacher will act as the lead teacher.
Role of general and special educators
The effectiveness of the co-teaching model solely depends on how the general educator and the special educator execute their duties in a collaborative manner. They combine resources to strengthen their teaching and provide more learning opportunities to their students. More specifically, they ensure that learners receive classroom assignments and that every student is actively participating in the class proceedings. It is important to note that, although both teachers combine their knowledge and skills to benefit the students (those with and without disabilities), each educator has a role to play in the collaborative teaching model. The role of the general educator is to use his or her skills and knowledge to instruct the students in the education curriculum set by the school administration. The special educator, on the other hand, is responsible for identifying the students’ learning needs and provides instruction that matches the needs, strengths and learning styles of the students. In the middle class, for instance, the role of the special educator is to support the learners in studying the content and understanding big ideas. It is worth noting that the education curriculum partly depends on the individual needs of the learners. From the analysis of their roles, it is clear that the general educator focuses on promoting content specialization while the special educator brings adaptation specializations.
Advice on collaboration
In planning for collaboration, the general and special educators should be aware that effective collaboration involves monitoring, support, time, resources and most importantly, persistence. Educators should participate in seminars, professional conferences, and workshops meant for training teachers on how to incorporate cooperative teaching in their practice. Participating in such training programs help teachers to accomplish their goals and objectives as well as those of their classes. The general and special educators should plan for class sessions regularly, evaluate the behaviors of the students, make adjustments on instruction materials and formulate strategies for addressing issues relating to student learning.
Effectiveness of co-teaching
According to Walther-Thomas, Bryant and Land (1996), the co-teaching model is effective in enhancing the learning experience of all students, including those with special needs. Students are in a better position to benefit from collaborative teaching through weekly evaluation, detailed planning, enhanced teaching practices and individualized instruction. Co-teaching has proven, for example, to enhance motivation, social strengths, self-image and academic performance among the students with special needs. It enables them to interact freely with other students without fear of mockery or ridicule. Co-teaching is also effective in improving the academic performance of the low-achieving learners as they can obtain individual assistance from their teachers. Co-teaching is also effective in enhancing the motivation, personality and professional growth of the educators (Walther-Thomas, Bryant & Land, 1996). Presently, many high schools and higher learning institutions have modified their education systems to encompass collaborative teaching as a way of demonstrating accountability to all students including those with disabilities.
References
Friend, M. P., & Cook, L. (2010). Interactions: Collaboration skills for school professionals. Boston: Pearson.
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. EJ 527 660
