Running Head: COTEACHING

REFLECTION ON COTEACHING Christina Martin Introduction to Exceptionalities EDUC 323 June 6, 2013 Mrs. Sheryl Erickson

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I chose to ask both teachers to see both points of view when it comes to co-teaching. Cooperation is so very important when it comes to successfully implementing co-teaching strategies and if both teachers are not on board there will be no benefit to the students. In my interview with both the teachers the strategies that they mentioned they put into use in their classroom were one teach/ one assist, parallel teaching, and alternative (differentiated) teaching. They had a combination reading class of seven ELL and ESS students that were put together to try to focus on individual needs of the student. When using one teach, one assist they both agreed that they took turns being the primary teacher and they felt that this was a benefit because it made the students work harder because they were held accountable by both teachers. They also felt that having the other teacher assisting the students it helped everyone stay on task and the students were able to ask for help before instruction was over. Teacher #1 said they did parallel teaching after the instructional portion of the lesson because they had different areas of the reading instruction to focus on with their perspective groups. I think she may have meant alternative teaching because they are using different strategies for the ELL and ESS students but have the same goal in mind. The focus is the same but the approach is different. ELL and ESS are different needs and need to be approached in different ways. Teacher #2 acknowledges using alternative teaching because of the language barrier. One teacher took the non-English speakers and the other worked with the rest. Being there was only 7 students they could provide a lot of time with each individual child. The teachers both agreed that co-teaching was beneficial for their students; they believe that it is important that both teachers be involved in the planning and execution of each lesson.

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They also agreed that it is important to have similar teaching styles to be successful and to have the same expectations from all the students. My thoughts on co-teaching is that if it is done properly and both teachers take an equal amount of responsibility and have the same goal in mind then the students will benefit. I think because of inclusion becoming so important for the children the teachers are learning to share responsibilities, especially ESS teachers and classroom teachers. I have noticed in the middle school the ESS teachers and the classroom teachers have started co-teaching. The children are seeing them as partners instead of just for a specific set of children. They are teaching children according to their learning styles and just because students learn in different ways doesnt mean they are special education just need to approach topics from a different direction. Having teachers that can help do this will benefit all the students in the class. Students learn in so many different ways and to have another teacher in the room that can see things in a different light can only help the children and individualize the lessons. I think coteaching takes commitment, cooperation and planning from both teachers. In this way the teachers can make sure their strategies focus on the strengths of the teachers and how they can reach the students. If the teachers get along and have similar teaching styles they will succeed but if they are set in their ways and are not flexible it will fail. I dont see co-teaching very often. It is very rare that a school will allow two teachers to co-teach with 7 students when there is another teacher down the hall that has 25 with no help. I can see the benefits of co-teaching and think the strategies can reach many students and all their

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individual needs but with the high ratio of students to teachers in the schools I have been to I think it is unlikely to see it very often.