Cooperative Teaching
[Teacher Tools] [Case Studies]
Co-teaching is a model that emphasizes collaboration and communication among all members of a team to meet the needs of all students. However, what constitutes a team often varies from teacher to teacher and even from school to school. Despite the increasing popularity of this service delivery model, the field currently lacks a strong empirical database on the overall effectiveness of this model.
Research has been limited to case studies, observations, survey research, and reports from teachers involved in the process. Nonetheless, from the work currently completed, a number of benefits are presented in the literature including: greater collegial exchanges of strategies between professionals, increased understanding of all students’ needs, stronger instructional programs grounded in general education content for students with disabilities, increased acceptance of students with disabilities by their peers, and decreased burnout for professionals. Within the research literature on co-teaching, several common themes emerge that are critical for this model to be successfully implemented. These themes focus on a need for communication between co-teachers, administrative support, similar philosophies, and planning time.
I never even considered co-teaching when I was in college, as I planned to teach middle school social studies or science. When I was thrust into a kindergarten classroom, I had to learn quickly how to work with an assistant. I consider her a true partner in my classroom, not “just an assistant,” as she is all too often referred to. My partner (which is how I refer to her) is amazing. With her help, all of my students get the one-on-one time that they need during small group instruction. When visitors come into my classroom during instructional time, they often can’t tell which of us is the teacher and which is the assistant.
Being a secondary teacher, I do not have much experience with co-teaching. However, I can see the pros and cons of this method. I know elementary schools typically have a main teacher and an assistant teacher. This method can be helpful in making sure student needs are met and exposing students to different styles of instruction. Some students may learn better from the teaching style of one teacher over the other. The first con I think of with co-teaching is being paired with someone that likes to run a classroom much differently than you. I can see where that could cause problems. I’m not surprised that there isn’t much research on the effectiveness of co-teaching, but when done correctly and in appropriate settings I think co-teaching would have positive effects.