Collaborative Classroom Ideas
Station Teaching
Communication in Co-teaching
Before
During
After
- Common planning time, even if it means having to meet after school hours, and having a mutual understanding of respective roles and specific areas of expertise are essential in developing a collaborative classroom.
During
- Maintaining a strong relationship as co-teachers that models good, appropriate social interactions
- Being able to communicate during instruction about whether one station teacher needs more or less time (red-green flip cards)
After
- Comfortable with debriefing lessons and constructively criticizing each other
Classroom Management and Environment: Station Teaching
All
- Be aware of Classroom management plans
- Know the Schedule
- Know how to transition between stations
- Understand the content
- Be aware of the individual needs of the students
- Flexible grouping
Station 1: General Education Teacher
- Behavior Cues and corrections
Station 2: Special Education Teacher
- Monitor time, initiate transitions between stations
Station 3: Speech Pathologist
- Another set of eyes
- Random needs- Bathroom Ect.
Station 4: Independent Work OR Group Work
- Fill out self evaluations sheets at the end of the session
Familiarity with the curriculum
All three professionals need to collaborate on the goals of instruction for each topic. Goals can be set for each station, and this will be done together so all professionals have an understanding as to how the stations relate to each other.
All can help each other with understanding the material, and what modifications might need to be made for certain students.
All can help each other with understanding the material, and what modifications might need to be made for certain students.
Instruction
Station 1
- The general education teacher will introduce the day's topic on grade-level, presenting new information and the skills necessary to move forward.
Station 2
- The special education teacher will go more in-depth with the already-introduced topic to meet the individual needs of each student. This station will be more discussion based so the special ed teacher can formatively assess.
Station 3
- The speech-language pathologist will focus on vocabulary associated with the topic, working closely with students who need extra support while letting others work on harder, more challenging vocabulary.
Station 4
- Students work independently on reading, projects, and extension activities.
Assessment
Both formative and summative assessment should be used in a collaborative classroom. Also, at station 4 where students work independently, they will be asked to fill out a self-evaluation form that allow them to assess themselves and also provide teachers with feedback about adjustments that should be made to that station's work. After the school day is over, all the professionals working in the classroom should assess how the lessons went and what changes should be made to each station and their roles.