Stronger Together: Rethinking Co-Teaching for Success

Dive into essential elements of successful co-teaching: communication, mutual respect, and leveraging each teacher’s strengths.

In conversation with

​Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang
CPET Executive Director & Host of Teaching Today 
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Dr. Cristina Compton
​Director of Program Development, Elementary Ed & Project-Based Learning Specialist

Jacqui Stolzer
Senior Professional Development Coach & Special Education Expert

Dr. Laura Rigolosi
​Curriculum & Literacy Specialist

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Snapshot

​This conversation, Rethinking Co-Teaching for Success, focuses on the Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) model and its impact on educational practices, emphasizing the importance of peer-to-peer role models and the challenges of co-teaching. The team also discusses various co-teaching models, their effectiveness depending on the type of student engagement activity and learning goals, and the challenges of implementing these models in different teaching scenarios. Last and definitely not least, the importance of advocacy, trust, and relationship building in co-teaching is highlighted, along with the need for mental preparation and understanding of each others’ roles to effectively advocate for students.

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Breakdown

In this episode, we bridge theory and practice in the classroom as we discuss the following:

• Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) Model
• Co-teaching dynamics and models
• Essential elements and challenges

Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) Model
ICT is a policy-driven approach supporting students with special needs and language barriers through reduced student-teacher ratios and diverse learning environments. When implemented effectively, it leverages peer-to-peer role models, though success depends heavily on the co-teaching relationship.

Co-Teaching Dynamics and Models
The six established models include one teach one assist, one teach one observe, parallel instruction, stations, and alternative teaching. Model selection should be driven by learning goals and student data rather than mandate. Team teaching proves most effective when leveraging both teachers' expertise, particularly for modeling dialogue or different problem-solving approaches.

Essential Elements and Challenges
Successful co-teaching requires explicit communication, mutual respect, and understanding of each partner's strengths. Common challenges include time constraints, building trust in new partnerships, balancing different teaching styles, and managing high-needs students without adequate planning time or content expertise. However, co-teachers can remain effective by being present as learners, using strategies like scribing during discussions, and adapting models to suit their classroom's specific needs.

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Taking action

• Co-teachers establish clear communication and discuss values, roles, and expectations upfront.
• Co-teachers practice being present and attentive during lessons, even when not directly delivering content.
• Co-teachers strategically use different co-teaching models based on lesson objectives and student needs.
• Special education teachers advocate for students by interjecting or asking for clarification when needed during lessons.
• School leaders provide adequate planning time for co-teachers to collaborate effectively.
• Teachers and school leaders advocate for the kind of coaching and professional development support they need to take action on what they’ve learned. 

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Summary assisted by Zoom AI Companion and Claude (Anthropic, 2024)