Co-Teaching in the Inclusive Classroom Working Together to Help All your Students Find Success Deanie Ronk and Karen Hamilton

Clarifying Co-Teaching What is it? Who does it? What would it look like in my classroom?

WORDS MATTER Mainstreaming is not the same as Inclusion. Collaboration is not the same as Co-Teaching.

TERMINOLOGY Mainstreaming-the placement of students with disabilities into general education classes (usually part-time and without any additional services) Inclusion – a philosophy that states that students with disabilities have the right to receive their education in general education classroom, with supports and services provided in that setting

TERMINOLOGY (cont.) CO-TEACHING – when two or more educators co-plan, co-instruct, and co-assess a group of students with diverse needs in the same general education classroom (Murawski 2003)

TYPES OF CO-TEACHING ONE TEACH, ONE SUPPORT PARALLEL TEACHING STATION TEACHING ALTERNATIVE TEACHING TEAM TEACHING

ONE TEACH, ONE SUPPORT One teacher takes responsibility for planning and content instruction One teacher takes responsibility for adaptations, classroom management, paperwork, and other support a b

PARALLEL TEACHING Teachers share responsibility for planning and/or content instruction Teachers break class in half and each instructs half of the class on the same material Heterogeneous groups and students should change groups occasionally a b

STATION TEACHING Teachers divide the responsibility for planning and/or content instruction Students rotate between 2 or more stations which may be manned by an adult or independent a b

ALTERNATIVE TEACHING Teachers divide the responsibility for planning and/or content Majority of students remain in a large group setting Some students work in small group for re-teaching, pre-teaching, enrichment, or other individualized instruction b a

TEAM TEACHING Teachers share responsibility for planning and/or content instruction Students remain in a large group Teachers work as a team to introduce new content, clarifying information, facilitate learning, and classroom management a b

S.H.A.R.E. SHARING HOPES (the hopes I have regarding co-teaching ATTITUDE (philosophy I have regarding students with disabilities in a general classroom RESPONSIBILITIES (that I should have) RESPONSIBILITIES (my co-teacher should have) EXPECTATIONS (in the classroom)

EXPECTATIONS DISCIPLINE CLASSWORK MATERIALS HOMEWORK PLANNING GRADING NOISE LEVEL COOPERATIVE LEARNING MODIFICATIONS GIVING FEEDBACK RECEIVING FEEDBACK

TEACHER ACTIONS Modeling note-taking Lecturing Collecting or reviewing homework Writing instructions on board Reading quietly with a small group Proctoring a test silently with a group Lecturing Taking roll Giving instructions Facilitating silent reading Reading a test aloud to a small group

TEACHER ACTIONS (CONT.) Re-teaching or pre-teaching with a small group Considering modification needs Checking for understanding with large heterogeneous group of students Monitoring large group as they work on practice material Considering enrichment opportunities Checking for understanding with small heterogeneous group of students

COMMUNICATION “It’s my way or the highway.” “Whatever.” “Let’s just wing it.” “You take care of your kids, and I’ll take care of mine.” “Your turn.” “I love working with you. What have you planned for tomorrow?”

CO-PLANNING I get that it’s important…it’s just not going to happen in our school. We’d co-plan, if we just had the time!

BABY STEPS B – break out of your room/routine A – assess the current situation & environment B – begin to establish rapport with others Y – yelling is out; use good communication skills S – start to provide in-class support T – take the initiative E – Exemplify best practices P – provide information on co-teaching approaches S – share the S.H.A.R.E. responses