Married...

Oddly, a lot of talk about co-teaching uses the marriage metaphor.  But, since it's out there, I will go with it for this reflection.

The principal scheduled co-teach check in meetings for all the co-teaching partners in our building.  We met with him and our partner to discuss the ups and downs and for him to ask if we needed anything to move forward.  Like a couple's therapy session.

I hope you're humming "Love and marriage..." like I am.

This is the first year any of us have been involved in co-teaching so what we really need is more training, more outside consulting and more time for co-planning.  But, through the first quarter, it has become apparent that those things are not really happening.  Like a hesitant young couple, afraid to admit that anything is wrong, we both said, "No, we don't need anything."  

But, actually, Mr. B and I are doing pretty well with our co-teaching gig. I think the biggest key has been open communication.  We figure out together how to pace lessons, accommodate for struggling learners (not just the kids with Special Ed needs) and which parts of a lesson we'll each teach.  Open communication:  good for co-teaching, good for marriage.

At that meeting with our principal, he looked at a list of co-teaching models (similar to those I posted yesterday) with us and asked which we were doing.  Well, we've been using a mix of approaches.  Our default model is One-Teach / One-Assist (also known as Support Teaching). In this model it's typically Mr. B delivering instruction, with whatever accommodations, scaffolding or supports we pre-planned, and I swoop around the room offering assistance as needed.  We've made our seating chart so the kids with Special Ed needs are easily accessible, so I focus on them, but assist every student.  

We've also used Parallel Teaching where we each deliver the same instruction to smaller groups of students.   Alternative Teaching involves teaching different material to different groups.  We've used this, also, delivering specific content to different sections of the class who then "teach" it to the other part of the class.  Alternative Teaching will also start to come into play more as I "pull out" the Special Ed students for mini lessons focused on writing fundamentals or reading comprehension, per their IEP needs.  

One model we haven't used yet but really want to is the Station Teaching. Small groups rotate between independent work, a Mr. B station and my station.  This could be a way to slip in the Alternative Teaching in a more inclusive way.   As we met with the principal, we talked about all these approaches, based on what we think will best serve our students.  As a married couple, we realize that variety is the spice of life, I guess.  

I don't actually think of my relationship with my co-teacher as a marriage.  It's been a really cool, professional partnership that I think will only improve with time.

Co-Teaching Models

I realize I haven't explained the various models for co-teaching, although I think one of my previous posts linked to some information.  Here's an infographic from an Ohio educational support agency (lots of other co-teach info to explore there, too!):  

The obese ovals are teachers, the little blue dots are obedient children docilely sitting at desks.

Teams can decide on a guiding model that will serve their class most often or might decide on a lesson-by-lesson basis what would work.  Or, some mix of models or alternatives might emerge through planning or serendipity.  There are other models out there, but these represent the most common approaches.

A Look at the New Space

A few weeks ago, my administrators surprised me by giving me my "own" room for 1 class period and 1 planning period during the day.  The rest of the day I was occupying someone else's classroom to teach my own class or co-teaching in the LA/SS room.

There have been 3 rounds of student changes since I last posted!  More students with Special Ed needs have entered our co-teach class (more on that later), there's a huge shift with English Language Learners about to happen and my Special Ed math class had risen to a roster of 23. That's too many students!!  So, we split up the math class. I now have 13 students and we're in MY room!  So, now I'm in one spot all day except for the 2 periods of co-teach which feels just right!  

Here's a look at the room (photos taken before the math switch happened, so it's mostly Language Arts.

I had the idea to feature different authors over the summer, during my "pinning and dreaming" phase.
Glad I got to put it into effect!

My books were stored in boxes, just waiting for a room of their (my) own!

Student-written expectations, a graduation cap & my Arches poster.

Bob watches over us.  (This is what happens when you move into the former science lab / storage room.)