Collaborative Team Teaching
A Workshop Presented by Learning Team A
Models for Collaborative Team Teaching
Collaborative Team Teaching (CTT) takes place when two teachers, often a general educator and a special educator, work together to deliver educational lessons to a group of students. CTT is an effective way to provide special education services in the general education classroom. There six commonly recognized forms of collaborative team teaching.
One teach, One Observe
In this model, one teacher conducts all instruction, and the other teacher observes the class. Generally, the instructor who is stronger in the content area is the one who both plans and handles the instruction.
One Teach, One Assist
This model is similar to one teach, one observe, with the exception taking place with the teacher who is not actively instructing. While the initial educator is teaching, the second teacher walks around and helps students individually. The second instructor may also observe and manage behavior issues.
Station (or Rotational) Teaching
In station teaching, both teachers take an active role in planning and carrying out instruction for the lesson. Students will move from one station to another to receive instruction. There may just be two stations, with each teacher providing instruction at their respective station; or there could be additional stations where the students learn independently, or under the supervision of a teacher assistant or aide.
Parallel Teaching
In parallel teaching, both educators plan and teach the same lesson. The students are split into two groups, and each instructor teaches the same material to their group at the same time.
Alternative Teaching
Alternative teaching is similar to parallel teaching, except the material presented is not the same. While one teacher is instructing the majority of the students on the main lesson, the other teacher works with a smaller group on an entirely different lesson.
Team (or Tag Team) Teaching
Team teaching is the traditional form of co-teaching. Both educators are responsible for planning and presenting the lesson, and for managing classroom behavior. The teachers may take turns teaching individual lessons, or may tag team off one another to teach the same lesson.
Examples of collaborative teaching
One teach, One Observe
Example:
While one teacher covers a lesson in Biology, the other teacher, perhaps a special education teacher, sits in the back of the room and observes a student, or several students, and takes notes on classroom behavior and classroom management modification to address student(s) who experience AD/HD in the classroom. Through minimal coordination, the observer is able to provide the teacher with strategies and insight on how to support the students who are experiencing academic issues with AD/HD.
One Teach, One Assist
Example:
A math teacher is focusing on a topic on the order of algebraic operations, the other teacher walks around and monitor the progress of individual students, rewarding progress, refocusing back on task, and providing step-by-step assistance to the student.
Station Teaching (Rotational Teaching)
Example:
One teacher teaches a close-reading lesson on analyzing the characteristics of a nonfiction text while another teacher teaches a lesson on how to utilize the glossary in an informational textbook in order to find information. A third station will have students working on a collaborative discussion on the comparison of similarities and differences between literary texts, from a previous unit, and informational texts being introduced in the current unit.
Parallel Teaching
Example:
The class is divided and the topic of simile, metaphor, and personification is taught simultaneously by two teachers to two different groups of students using the same text materials, graphic organizers, and discussion questions.
Alternative Teaching
Example:
One teacher will lead the larger group in a discussion of the characteristics of writing a persuasive essay while the teacher leading the smaller group will model the process of brainstorming a topic and constructing an outline for a persuasive essay.
Tag Team (Traditional Co-Teaching)
Example:
Teachers may alternate on teaching a lesson in physics. One teacher will explain the principles of momentum while the other may observe the class for behavior or offer assistance to a student. After a time, either predetermined or impromptu, the other teacher may take over on teaching about the application of force in an equation.
Benefits to students
Collaborative teaching provides several benefits to students. The list below includes, but is not limited to the following:
Provides students with extensive one-on-one tutoring. (Felder 1997)
Promotes learning goals rather than performance goals. (Gentile 1997)
Promotes student-faculty interaction and familiarity
Develops oral communication skills
Develops social interaction skills
Creates an environment of active, involved, exploratory learning
Creates a less intimidating environment for students
Uses a team approach to problem solving
Establishs an atmosphere of cooperation
Encourages alternate student assessment techniques
Students stay on task more and are less disruptive
Addresses learning style differences among students
Benefits to Educators
-teachers can support one another, where one teacher may be weak, the other teacher may be strong. Teachers who complement one another will produce a more successful environment.
-reduces individual planning time
-solve problems together
-teachers work together to plan the strongest and most effective lessons for the classroom
-a support system of having another adult in the room
-shared responsibility
-can enhance self-esteem in teaching capability
-improves communication skills
-allows the opportunity for more experienced teachers to help newer teachers take more risks and better their instructional practices
References
Collaboration, Team Work, and Mentoring. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/stw/sw5ment.htm
Friend, M., & Cook, L. (2010-2011). Some approaches to co-teaching. Retrieved from Liberty University Student Teaching Handbook. www.asdk12.org/depts/hr/student_teaching/PDF/The_Power_of_2.pdf
Inger, M. (1993, December 1). Teaching Collaboration in Secondary Schools. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://ncrve.berkeley.edu/centerfocus/cf2.html
Kaplan, M. (2014, April 13). Collaborative Team Teaching: Challenges and Rewards. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/collaborative-team-teaching-challenges-rewards-marisa-kaplan
Zelkowitz, A. (2008, December 18). Strategies for Special Education & Inclusion Classrooms: Six Models for Collaborative Team Teaching. Retrieved from http://blogs.scholastic.com/special_ed/2008/12/six-models-for.html
Benefits of Collaborative Learning
http://tep.uoregon.edu/resources/librarylinks/articles/benefits.html
Posted on Co-Learning list by Ted Panitz TPANITZ@mecn.mass.edu