Nick Perillo, JJ Allen

Co-Teaching Report
DIFF 504, Dr. Fisher
1. Introduction
This lesson took place in the Olean middle school sixth grade math
classroom. The class was composed of both students with learning
disabilities and IEPs and students of the general education class. This
classroom is usually co-taught by the math teacher and the special
education teacher but for this lesson, Jessica and I took those roles. The
school district is considered a city school district and has four buildings
total. Students go to elementary school from kindergarten through third
grade and then fourth grade through seventh grade is in the middle school.
The rest of the grades are up at the high school. The area has a high
poverty rate and that brings some extra issues into the classroom. For
sixth grade in particular there are two teams. Each team has different
teachers for different subject and they all switch classes. There are 22
students in the classroom. Out of that 22 8 are boys and 12 are girls. Both
the teachers who usually co-teach this class have been teaching for very
long and have worked together for many years and work so well together.
The math teacher and special education teacher have co-taught for two
years now and really know how each other works which works great for
meeting the needs of their students. That is why Jessica and I chose to
work together in this classroom. We get along very well and work well
together to meet the needs of all students. This math class meets once a
day for 41 minutes. For this lesson the students have been working with
algebra and using letters in math. In order to ease them into it Jessica and
I are going to be teaching them a lesson on substitution of numbers for the
letters given in each problem. Students will learn that each letter has a
number that goes along with it that can help us find the answer we are
looking for.
2. Planning Reflection
Planning time to meet was one of the easier parts of this project because
although we are both very busy all the time we have similar schedules and
we both had off on Sundays. When planning this lesson I had to fill
Jessica in with the current curriculum we were studying and what we
would be teaching as instructed by the math teacher. The math teacher
then gave me many good worksheets to possibly take problems from and
to use to get examples from. With this being said the planning only took
one Sunday to get the plans done. In order to fairly split the roles between
the two of us, we first wrote out the lesson. We started planning the lesson
based on the objectives and standards and then we went on to choose
roles. We wanted to make sure both of us had an equal role in the teaching

so we went and took turns. I opened the lesson up in order to introduce

Jessica to the students and so that they know who she is and then I got
right into the lesson. The students all had a PEMDAS problem of the day
on the board that needed to be solved. Then Jessica went around and went
over the homework with students, allowing them a chance to speak up and
tell the rest of the class how to do the problem they choose. After that we
just wrote out the steps to the procedure and alternated who did what. I
handled more of the scaffolding and making sure to meet the needs of all
students whereas Jessica focused on the base of the lesson. Together the
lesson went very smoothly and the students were substitution pros at the
end. There werent any issues with roles. We both had an even portion of
the lesson and worked well together to meet the lessons goals and
objectives. Being that this lesson was at my teaching placement I
prepared the lesson materials such as the smart board and the problem of
the day and what not. The problem out the door however was made by
Jessica and she brought those in with her when she came in to teach.
3. Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan FORMAT:
TOPIC: Algebra: Substitution
Grade: 6
Date: 10/26/2015
OBJECTIVES:
The students will correctly substitute constants for variables and solve the equations or
expressions given.
Students will identify the difference between and equation and an expression.
STANDARDS
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.A.2

Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.A.2.A

Write expressions that record operations with numbers and with letters standing
for numbers. For example, express the calculation "Subtract y from 5" as 5 - y.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.A.2.B

Identify parts of an expression using mathematical terms (sum, term, product,

factor, quotient, coefficient); view one or more parts of an expression as a single
entity. For example, describe the expression 2 (8 + 7) as a product of two factors; view
(8 + 7) as both a single entity and a sum of two terms.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.A.2.C

Evaluate expressions at specific values of their variables. Include expressions that

arise from formulas used in real-world problems. Perform arithmetic operations,
including those involving whole-number exponents, in the conventional order
when there are no parentheses to specify a particular order (Order of
Operations). For example, use the formulas V = s3 and A = 6 s2 to find the volume and
surface area of a cube with sides of length s = 1/2.

Responsibility teacher 1
JJ
ANTICIPATORY
SET:

Good afternoon boys and

girls come in and take
your problem in the door
and then put it face down
on the corner of your
desk. Once you are done
with the problem in the
door take out your
homework from last
night.
EX. 6 x 2 +(4-3) 10

Co-teaching model
used:

INSTRUCTION,
PROCEDURES:
Co-teaching model
used:

Responsibility teacher 2
Nick

1.

Okay boys and

girls I will be
randomly calling
on you to give me
an answer from
the homework so I
want everyone
following along
and checking.
2. Then I will tell
students we are
going to be
working with
ALGEBRA
TODAY!
5. Okay boys and
girls we are going
to need to get with
our 5 oclock clock
buddies. Clock
buddies are just a
way for students
to work with a
different person
on their work and
not just work with
friends every time.
Students will be
given a worksheet
with 15
expressions that
the students need
to solve.
6. Then students will
go over the work
with me .
8. Okay students now
I am going to pass out

Use PEMDAS to solve

3, I will then show
students and example
problem .
4+ g
6- x
3n
10/a
a=5 x=3 n=4 g=7
4.

7.

The use of
letters will stump
most of the
students so then I
will describe to
them that they
have to just plug
in the numbers
for each given
variable in order
to get the
answers
correctly. I will
also have to
stress that 3n
means multiply
and not just 34.
Okay Ms. Allen
your up.
Then I will pass
out the problem
out the door
ticket. ON this
paper there will
be a algebraic

Responsibility teacher 3
(if needed) or teacher
aide

your homework so you

can start in class. Get
as much done now
with adult help so you
have less for
homework.
If

expression with
which the
students will
have to
substitute for the
chosen variable.
X= 8

5+ x=
The homework is 20
questions long. The
students in my class if
given on IEP will only
have to do the even
numbers due to their
accommodation for
shortened assignments.

*Differentiated
instruction:
*Acceleration:

Students from the Gen Ed

classroom will have to do
all 20 problems

CLOSURE:

Students will hand in their

problem out the door and
receive a piece of candy if
they get it correct.
Students will be given the clock buddies work sheet with
15 expressions to be solved and then will be assessed
verbally as well as with the homework assignment.
Students from the SPED classroom will be given half
assingments if their IEP permits it.

Co-teaching model
used:
ASSESSMENT of
STUDENT
LEARNING:
*Differentiated
assessment:
MATERIALS:
TECHNOLOGY:

-SMART Board
-Pencil
-Clock Buddies
- Worksheets and homework Sheets
- White board

4. Reflection After Teaching

All three of us (Nick, the classroom teacher, and myself) worked very well
together. The classroom teacher was excited to have the two of us taking
over the lesson so that he could really evaluate his students understanding
as well as provide meaningful feedback for us.
We have work and taught together before so both were comfortable
teaching with one another. After the lesson, the classroom teacher sat
down with us and reflected on the lesson. We went over which parts of the
lesson went well and which parts could be improved for next time.
Overall, the lesson went very well. The classroom teacher could not
describe any major flaws in the lesson. Most suggestions reflected us
providing more elaborate feedback to student questioning which the
classroom teacher said will come in time with experience.
Both of us followed the outline for our lesson as should be. When JJ
almost forgot to mention something to that students that was in the lesson
plan, Nick jumped in and helped JJs memory.
We learned that co-teaching is a great deal of work. Finding time to plan,
organizing the plan so that both people involved have equal responsibility,
and teaching together in general are all factors that could be potential

barriers when it comes to co-teaching. It is important to communicate and

collaborate well with colleagues especially in a situation like this.
Everyone involved has the students best interest at mind, so it is
important to remember this when working with us that you might find
challenging. Do it for the student!