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Principles of cc Effective Collaboration & Co-Teaching

Why collaborate?
Collaboration: Increases instructional options Increases grouping flexibility in order to provide student with individualized instruction and diverse learning experiences Reduces stigma for children Increases professional support Meets the mandates of IDEA: Least Restrictive Environment

Based on your experiences

What are the essential elements for implementing collaboration that effectively supports student learning?

Four Principles that Promote Effective Collaboration


1. Respect of Knowledge and Skill 2. Established Communication System 3. Common Understanding of the Classroom Environment 4. Co-Accountability

1. Respect of Knowledge/Skill
Recognition that each educator brings a set of knowledge and skills Both educators take an active role in supporting student learning Mutual trust in abilities How is this illustrated? What does a collaborative partnership look like when both educators mutually respect each others knowledge and skills?

2. Established Communication System


Designated time to discuss student learning goals, accommodations, and instructional tools and strategies Communication about teacher roles and responsibilities Interpersonal awareness and comfort with discussing the professional relationship Active listening to understand the perspectives of collaboration partner What examples of an effective communication system have you seen in action? What tools can teachers use to facilitate communication?

3. Common Understanding of the Classroom Environment


Shared understanding about classroom management, grading, the physical arrangement, familiarity with the curriculum, and implementing accommodations Mutual ownership and expectations for student learning High acceptance for all students Describe an instance when a common understanding of the classroom environment was not established?

4. Co-Accountability
Shared sense of responsibility to ensure access, involvement, and progress in the general education curriculum Joint implementation of accommodations Co-planning, co-preparation, co-evaluation
Classroom Scenario: Frederick (see Snapshot IEP) receives instruction in a general education setting. Currently, he is not earning a passing grade in his science class. His parents are concerned that he is not receiving the appropriate services.

How would a team demonstrating co-accountability respond to this situation? How would their response differ from a team that does not practice co-accountability?

Typical Role of the Special Educator


Learning strategist for all students Motivational techniques Curriculum accommodations and modifications Knowledge of IEPs and student disabilities

Typical Role of the General Educator


Content knowledge District and state curriculum
Indicators and objectives Pacing

Content development Classroom management for a standard class size

Typical Role of Paraprofessionals


Check the students progress Provide individual or small-group tutorial assistance Facilitate social interactions between students Receive guidance and instruction from the classroom teacher and assist during the lesson Report back to the special education teacher

Venn Diagram Activity


Where do the roles of the general educator and the special educator overlap?

General Educator

Special Educator

Consultation Model
Students are grouped heterogeneously. General Educator presents instruction and makes accommodations. Special Educator adapts instructional materials as needed according to students needs. Other services include assessment, observation, and planning meetings. Special Educators and General Educators make time to discuss students needs, services, and progress.

Consultation Model
Strengths Advance planning of instructional accommodations Flexibility in student scheduling Challenges Requires frequent communication Isolation and sense of separateness if this is the only model used

Collaborative Teaching
Students are grouped Collaborative Teaching Models heterogeneously. One Teaching, One Assisting Station Teaching General Educator Parallel Teaching and Special Educator Alternative Teaching collaborate in the Team Teaching same classroom

setting.

One Teaching, One Assisting


Both educators are present with one taking a clear lead in the classroom while other observes and assists students.

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One Teaching, One Assisting


Strengths Limited teacher planning Provides basic support to students with diverse needs Challenges The assist teacher may feel like a glorified teachers assistant Students may question the assist teachers authority

Consider having the general educator and special educator alternate roles between support teacher and lead teacher.

Station Teaching
Teachers divide instructional content into several segments and present the content in separate stations around the classroom. With two stations, the General Educator and Special Educator each teach their half of the content and then switch groups. Alternatively, both teachers may move between groups in order to provide support. If students are able to work independently with content, a third station may be established.

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Station Teaching
Strengths
General Educator and Special Educator maintain equal status Co planning allows for both the General Educator and the Special Educator to provide input in their area of expertise

Challenges
This approach requires significant pre-planning in order to divide up the content The content in Station Teaching lessons cannot be dependent on the order in which content is being presented due to the student rotation

Parallel Teaching
General Educator and Special Educator plan instruction jointly, but each delivers instruction to a heterogeneous group consisting of approximately half the class.

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Parallel Teaching
Strengths
Lowers student to teacher ratio Allows for increased student interaction and/or student to student interaction Allows the teacher to monitor individual student progress and understanding more closely

Challenges
General Educator and Special Educator need to coordinate teaching so that students receive essentially the same instruction within the same amount of time Noise levels may be high

Alternative Teaching
One teacher works with a small group while the other teacher interacts with the larger group. Small groups can be pulled for pre-teaching, reteaching, enrichment, interest groups, special projects, make-up work or assessment groups.

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Alternative Teaching
Strengths All students, including students with disabilities, benefit from small group instruction. If the General Educator and Special Educator alternate roles, equal status is maintained. Challenges Be careful to pull small learning groups that span various purposes. The small learning groups should not always be your students with special needs.

Consider having the general educator and special educator alternate roles between support teacher and lead teacher.

Team Teaching
Both the General Educator and the Special Educator share the instruction of students. One teacher may lead discussion while the other models or demonstrates. Team teaching affords the ability to model quality team and interpersonal interactions.

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Team Teaching
Strengths Allows both teachers to blend their teachings styles and expertise Challenges Requires more planning Requires high levels of trust and commitment

How do teachers decide which model to implement?


Consider: Lesson objectives Students needs Available resources Educator expertise

How is each Principle of Effective Collaboration demonstrated in the consultation and co-teaching models?
Principles of Effective Collaboration Respect of Knowledge and Skill Established Communication System Common Understanding of the Classroom Environment Co-Accountability Consultation & Co-Teaching Models One Teaching One Assisting Station Teaching Parallel Teaching Alternative Teaching Team Teaching

Much like the effective doubles team in tennis, when one teacher moves to the left of the room, the other moves more to the middle of the room so that the classroom is always effectively covered.
Understanding Co -Teaching Components, CEC, 2001

Additional Resources on CoTeaching

Common Co-Teaching Issues. Retrieved from http://www.ttac.odu.edu/articles/comcotch.html Co-Teaching. Retrieved from http://coe.jmu.edu/esc/Consortium_Co-Teaching.shtml Carroll (2001). Considering Paraeducator Training, Roles, and Responsibilities. Teaching Exceptional Children 34(2), 60-64. Elliot & McKenney (March/April 1998). Four Inclusion Models that Work. Teaching Exceptional Children 30(4), 54-58. Erin (1998). The Teacher-consultant. Education of the Visually Handicapped 20(2), 57-63. Gately & Gately (March/April2001). Understanding Coteaching Components. The Council for Exceptional Children. Retrieved from http://journals.cec.sped.org/EC/Archive_Articles/VOL.33NO.4MARAPR2001_TEC_Arti cle6.pdf Klingner & Vaughn (Winter 2002). The Changing Roles and Responsibilities of an LD Specialist. Learning Disability Quarterly 25(1), 19-31.

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