Initiating a Successful Co

Initiating a Successful
Co-Teaching
Relationship
2014 GATE Conference
Presenter: Donna Cherveny
Online Adjunct Brenau University
Adult and Graduate Studies Program
Today’s points of discussion. . .
Define co-teaching
 Six models of co-teaching
 What to do prior to your first meeting
 What to do during your initial meeting
 How to handle your first class together
 How to reflect over your budding
relationship
 How to maintain an effective relationship

What is co-teaching?
“The partnering of a general education
teacher and a special education teacher or
another specialist for the purpose of jointly
delivering instruction to a diverse group of
students, including those with disabilities or
other special needs, in a general education
setting and in a way that flexibly and
deliberately meets their learning needs”
(Friend, Cook, Hurley-Chamberlain, &
Shamberger, 2010, p. 11)
The simple definition?
Co-planning
 Co-instructing
 Co-assessing
 AND co-just-about-everything-else

Similar to a marriage?

Experts state that co-teaching is similar to
a marriage (Sileo, 2011).
An ARRANGED marriage
Who benefits from co-teaching?
Students with disabilities
 Students without disabilities
 Parents
 Administrators
 Teachers

(Bronson & Dentith, 2014; Mirza & Iqbal, 2014; Friend et al, 2012)
Six Models of Co-Teaching
One teach, one observe
One teacher delivers content
One teacher observes & collects data
One teach, one assist
One teacher leads content
One teacher assists the lead teacher
Station teaching
Each teacher teaches a small group
Groups rotate between stations
Parallel teaching
Each teacher delivers content to heterogeneous
group simultaneously
Alternative teaching
One teacher delivers content to a large group
One teacher instructs small group via enrichment
or remediation
Team teaching
Both teachers instruct the whole group
(Friend, Cook, Hurley-Chamberlain, & Shamberger, 2012)
Should co-teaching
experience be part of
teacher education programs?
ABSOLUTELY!
Almost 80% of special education students
in Georgia spend at least half their day in
general education classrooms (Georgia
DOE, 2014).
So. . .you’ve been tapped for coteaching. . .now what?
Before your initial meeting
During your initial meeting
During your first day of class
After your first day of class
Before your initial meeting. . .
Familiarize yourself with the six models of
co-teaching and consider visiting an
effective co-taught classroom
 Mentally prepare by opening your mind to
a new style of teaching
 Consider your strengths to bring to the
partnership
 Brainstorm topics for discussion during
your initial meeting

(Brown, Howerter, & Morgan, 2013; Kliegel & Weaver, 2014; Randhare Ashton, 2014)
Think-Pair-Share
Take one of the index cards provided
 You have 1 minute to brainstorm for
topics you feel should be discussed in an
initial meeting of co-teachers
 Now. . .pair up with your elbow buddy to
expand on your list of topics for 2
minutes
 Let’s share your ideas

Consider this springboard. . .
Complete a beliefs survey and a
responsibilities checklist (Brown,
Howerter, & Morgan, 2013)
During your initial meeting. . .
Personal beliefs
Classroom Practices
Classroom Goals
Personal beliefs
What are your perceptions of
co-teaching?
 How do you feel about sharing a
classroom?
 How do you plan to collaborate
with your co-teacher?

(Sileo, 2011; Lawter, 2013; Solis,Vaughn,
Swanson, & McCulley, 2012)
Classroom Practices
Classroom
Management
Communication
with parents
Modifications and
Accommodations
Instructional
Strategies
Student
assessment
(Lawter, 2013)
Goals for special
education students
Classroom Goals
Goals for regular
education students
Differentiation
techniques
Responsibilities of each
teacher
Student
success
(Solis,Vaughn, Swanson,
& McCulley, 2012)
Extras for discussion during initial
meeting. . .
Your first day of class together. . .
Talk about
students as
“OUR” kids
Respect
one
another
Present a
unified front
to students
Ensure both
teachers have
equal
opportunities
to interact
with class as a
whole
Demonstrate
loyalty to
one another
and your
students
Reflecting over your first day. . .
Successes
Improvements
Observations
(Sileo, 2011)
GRASS IS
GREENER WHEN
YOU WATER IT
Maintain the effective co-teaching
relationship you’ve worked so hard
to build
Relationship maintenance strategies
Continue to overcommunicate
 Continue to show respect and
appreciation for one another
 Continue to demonstrate a united front
 Listen to your partner
 Keep your commitments
 Never participate in the blame game
 Develop enthusiasm fueled by each other

(Kliegel & Weaver, 2014; Mirza & Iqbal, 2014)
Sticky Note Summarizer
Please take a sticky note from the basket.
 Take one minute to write down the most
important piece of information you have
learned from today
 When you finish, please stick it!

References
Bronson, C. E., & Dentith, A. M. (2014). Partner teaching: A promising model. Education, 134(4), 506520.
Brown, N. B., Howerter, C. S., & Morgan, J. J. (2013).Tools and strategies for making co-teaching
work. Intervention in School and Clinic, 49(2), 84-91. doi: 10.1177/1053451213493174
Friend, M., Cook, L., Hurley-Chamberlain, D., & Shamberger, C. (2010). Co-teaching: An illustration of
the complexity of collaboration in special education. Journal of Educational & Psychological
Consultation, 20(1), 9-27. doi: 10.1080/10474410903535380
Georgia Department of Education (2014). Special education report card. Retrieved from
http://archives.gadoe.org/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=105&PTID=77&CTID=78&Source=Profil
e%20Summary&PID=37&StateId=ALL&T=1&FY=2011
Kliegl, J. A., & Weaver, K. D. (2014). Teaching teamwork through coteaching in the business classroom.
Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 77(2), 204-216.
doi:10.1177/1080569913507596
Lawter, L. (2013). Countdown to co-teaching: Are you ready? New Teacher Advocate, 20(4), 10-.
Mirza, M. S., & Iqbal, M. Z. (2014). Impact of collaborative teaching (CT) on mathematics students'
achievement in Pakistan. Journal of Research & Reflections in Education (JRRE), 8(1), 13-21.
Randhare Ashton, J. (2014). Beneath the veneer: Marginalization and exclusion in an inclusive coteaching context. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 10(1), 43-62.
Sileo, Jane M. (2011). Co-teaching: Getting to know your partner. Teaching Exceptional Children, 43(5),
32-38.
Solis, M., Vaughn, S., Swanson, E., & McCulley, L. (2012). Collaborative models of instruction:The
empirical foundations of inclusion and co-teaching. Psychology in the Schools, 49(5), 498-510. doi:
10.1002/pits.21606