Efficient co-teaching

How co-teaching effects the classroom from the teachers and students views, and how to
improve co-teaching
LeeAnna Pekel
Professor Anne Lovejoy
EDU 600 Unit 8
2/22/2013



Recently co-teaching has been increasing seen as a needed method in our schools (Cook, L.,
etc; Embury, D., etc. p. 102). However, even with higher emphasis being put on co-teaching,
there is little research on how to make an efficient co-teaching team. There is a lot research
on what co-teachers can do, but there is a very large knowledge-doing gap just like there is of
professional learning communities (DuFour, R., etc. p, 79). As an ESL (English as a Second
Language) teacher who co-teaches all of her classes, the writer wanted to find and bridge this
gap. In order to fill this gap, we have to look at a few things. Firstly, how do students who co-
teach think and feel about co-teaching? On the other hand, we must also see how the teachers
feel about co-teaching. Most importantly though, we must look at the problems exposed by these
questions and see how we can improve co-teaching through simple actions. When properly done,
co-teaching is a great resource; this paper will find how students and teachers identify properly
done or poorly done co-teaching and how to improve upon them.
As expected, very few teachers have no opinion when it comes to co-teaching. Many
thought it was a good tool for the classroom while others thought it was a waste of time and
major source of stress. When properly done, teachers felt that they were supported, and had a
renewed sense of energy (Cook, L., etc). Additionally, some teachers felt like they had learned
some new things from their time co-teaching. In contrast when co-teaching went badly, it went
very badly. Lack of communication and time for planning are the largest complaints from the
teachers (Davison, C., p. 471; Gurgur, H., etc., p. 317, 320; Mastropieri, M. A., etc, p. 263-265,
267). Additionally, the teachers mindset and personality seemed to affect the success or failure
of co-teaching. If the teacher was more flexible, took ownership of the students, respected their
co-teachers, and willing to put forth some effort, co-teaching worked much better; while if the
teacher had the us vs. them mentality, was being forced into co-teaching or thought that the co-
teacher wasnt needed co-teaching failed (Cook, L., etc; Davison, C., p. 469-472; Gurgur, H.,
etc., p. 316; Mastropieri, M. A., etc, p. 261). Often times the content teacher would feel that the
co-teachers job was solely to help the special need students and didnt want any input in their
class, since they didnt need it (Gurgur, H., etc., p.315-317). Teachers who volunteered to co-
teach tended to view co-teaching more positively than their co-parts (Mastropieri, M. A., etc, p.
261), although there are always exceptions to the rule (Gurgur, H., etc., p.323). However, when
forced into co-teaching, teachers often have large fall outs. Sometimes both teachers knew there
was a problem and end up separating the class (Mastropieri, M. A., etc, p. 265) while other times
only one teacher believed there was any problem (Gurgur, H., etc., p. 322; Mastropieri, M. A.,
etc, p. 264-265). Additionally, teachers often though that they were doing co-teaching to help the
other teach and saw no possible professional development for themselves (Gurgur, H., etc., p.
324).
When looking at what has and what hasnt worked, improvements are easy to see.
However simple these improvements may appear, they are difficult to put in place. As stated
above, the biggest problem is time and communication. Some teachers had easy setting up times
to meet (Mastropieri, M. A., etc, 263), while others had difficulty doing so (Davison, C., p. 469).
It would be easier for teachers to co-teach if the administration set aside time for planning
(Davison, C., p. 469; Mastropieri, M. A., etc, p. 263). However, when administration creates this
time for teachers to plan, they must be aware of all other activities the teacher is expected to
complete during that same time. Often, when the administration does give teachers time during
the day to plan for co-teaching, the time is allocated to many other tasks as well, like meetings,
parent-teacher conferences, and PLCs (Mastropieri, M. A., etc, p. 264). Along with giving
teachers time to complete co-teaching, schools must also give teachers training on co-teaching.
This training must be set up in an official professional development style meeting. Even when a
teacher volunteers to co-teach, they have no desire to go out of their way and read or study any
materials given to them (Gurgur, H., etc., p. 316-317). Additionally, the training should help the
non-content teacher understand the direction of the general curriculum (Davison, C., p.
471;Gurgur, H., etc., p. 312), as well as help the content teachers understand the non-content
teachers training (Davison, C., p. 471). Once the teachers understand each others goals,
communication and planning can go much smoother. The training should also over what makes a
good co-teacher and what is expected of a co-teacher; often, even when teachers volunteer, they
have problems changing how they think and act in class (Cook, L., etc; Davison, C., p.
471; Mastropieri, M. A., etc, p. 265). Teachers who are new to co-teaching tend to have
problems releasing their grip on their class and giving another teacher power in their classroom
(Gurgur, H., etc., p. 320-321). It is very important that teachers and administrators understand
that not everyone can co-teach; one of the most important parts of co-teaching is the teachers
personality and ability to be flexible (Cook, L., etc). If this is understood, then the proper
teachers could be paired together and increase the amount of successful co-teaching.
Due to the slow changes in teaching culture to focus on group work rather than isolation,
co-teaching has become increasing popular. This new found emphasis is both good and bad.
When co-teaching is done properly it helps the students, the teachers and the school; on the other
hand, when it is done poorly it can do more damage than good (Mastropieri, M. A., etc, p. 262).
Thus, when thinking of using co-teaching schools and teachers must be careful in selecting who
will do it. If the teachers, preferably with administration support, are willing and able to forth
time, effort, flexibility and communicate, then co-teaching is a great way to help all of the
students, not just the special need students, improve.
References
Cook, L.; Friend, M. (1995). Co-Teaching: Guidelines for Creating Effective Practices. Focus
On Exceptional Children, 28(3), 1-16.
Davison, C. (2006). Collaboration between ESL and Content Teachers: How Do We Know when
We Are Doing It Right?. International Journal Of Bilingual Education And Bilingualism, 9(4),
454-475.

DuFour, R.; DeFour, R.; Eaker, R.. Revisiting professional learning communities at work: new
insights for improving schools. Bloomington: Solution Tree, 2008. Print.
Embury, D., Kroeger, S. D. (2012). Let's Ask the Kids: Consumer Constructions of Co-
Teaching.International Journal Of Special Education, 27(2), 102-112.
Gurgur, H., & Uzuner, Y. (2010). A Phenomenological Analysis of the Views on Co-Teaching
Applications in the Inclusion Classroom. Educational Sciences: Theory And Practice, 10(1),
311-331.
Mastropieri, M. A., Scruggs, T. E., Graetz, J., Norland, J., Gardizi, W., McDuffie, K. (2005).
Case Studies in Co-Teaching in the Content Areas: Successes, Failures, and
Challenges. Intervention In School And Clinic, 40(5), 260-270.