How Do I Implement Co-Teaching

Jennifer Lake
EHS 471
Special Ed Accommodations Lab
Dr. Worthington
Co-teaching Reflections

“How do I implement co-teaching?”

There are many steps to be taken to set up a co-teaching arena in your classroom. The first step is reaching an understanding with each of the teachers. This understanding must include what model is going to be used, who is going to be in charge of what area, how involved each of the teachers is going to be, how different situations are going to be handled and many more. These are all areas where understanding needs to be achieved or else the co-teaching situation will not be as successful. It will be a great deal of help if one of the teachers has knowledge of the general education curriculum, and the other teacher has knowledge of the special education side of things. This will allow each of the teachers to come together on what special adaptations need to be made in order for all of the students to be reached effectively. The general ed. teacher can provide what requirements must be filled in the classroom. Then the special ed. Teacher can state ways that the material can be modified. This will assure that all of the standards are being met, and at the same time, all of the students in the classroom are being reached. There will be two different personalities brought to the co-teaching atmosphere, so there are several issues that need to be addressed. Are there any problems that need to be addressed that one or the other of the teacher has? What levels of education does each of the teachers have in different area such as special and general education? Are their any areas that one or the other thinks they would be a better fit for? How do you ensure that neither of the teachers are left out or underutilized? What sort of feedback should be built in to the relationship so that all opinions are being heard and taken care of?
A good idea for any teacher who is in a co-teaching situation will probably benefit by setting aside a day at the beginning of the semester to work out all of the details of what is going to happen in the classroom throughout the teaching term. Each of the teachers needs to set forth their recommendation for how certain aspects of the classroom should be handled, and what they expect out of the relationship. Just like any relationship, the key to making a co-teaching relationship work involves good communication and consideration. If each of the two teachers involved adhere to these two aspects of the relationship things will work out much more smoothly.
The breakdown of responsibilities is another area that needs to be addressed. This should involve each of the teacher splitting classroom responsibilities with the other in order to make the load more bearable on everyone involved. Different suggestions may include one writing study guides for the students and the other doing the test. One teacher could be in charge of all of the bathroom breaks while the other teacher is in charge of the lunch break. Each of the teachers needs to be involved in any activities that are to be used in the classroom. Both need to know what is going on so that they are able to answer questions from both students and parents. Parent conferences need to be attended by both of the teachers whenever possible. This will show that there are two working toward a same common goal with the child’s best interest in mind.