TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN

Andrea Koppen:  Blog #6:  Chapter 8

LITERARY LUMINATOR:

•  This chapter was very enlightening and positive concerning collaboration and inclusion of students with disabilities.  It spoke of the benefits of team teaching for general educators, special educators, general education students and special education students.  While reading, it just seemed so wonderful but I kept asking why is it so hard to accompish this task of "collaborative teaching".  This entire chapter reminded me that  "inclusive practices are grounded in considerations of others......the primary concern are children and youth being educated" (p. 166).  Though it seems challenging to collaborate, plan, execute and provide appropriate education for all students, this is what we (teachers) do.  We must take this challenge, think of our students and move forward for them.

• In speaking of collaborative teaching, "It is recommended that you get to know your partner [in collaborative classroom] before sharing the classroom" (p .179).  I found this to be an understatement.  It states all the areas that you should discuss such as familiar adaptations used, classroom climate, roles, perceptions and classroom management.  Though I believe these to be significant, I believe it takes time to learn these things in practice rather than just through discussion.  It may take time to really connect with a teacher but remember not to give up if things don't go well the first, second and mabe even the third time around.  The daily "check in" (p. 180) and "ongoing dialogue" are significant to change, planning and the success of a  collaborative team.  As the relationship grows, so will trust and compromise for the benefit of the students.

• The most significant sections of these chapters was the "Benefits of Collaborative Teaching" (p. 167-173).  In this section, the benefits  of this type of teaching were listed for general education and special education teachers as well as for general and special education students.  It sticks out to me because all of the reasons were for success for all students.  It gives insight to how others may view co-teaching. I am not a general education teacher though I found it very informative as to how a general education teacher may percieve collaboration.  These also may be used to speak with parents of special and general education students to promote this type of collaboration in their child's classroom.  A few of the main benefits were;

1. For the general education teacher:  "Awareness of different successful teaching strategies", "More time to focus on content and less on individual problems" and "Twice as much opportunity to assist students." (p. 167)
2. For the special education teacher:  "The opportunity to increase knowledge of one or more specific content areas (p. 168), " Awareness of daily life and expectations in a general education classroom" (p. 168) and "Mutual learning and appreciation of each other's expertise" (p. 169).
3. For the general education student:  " Availability of diverse learning techniques" (p. 170), "More contact time with teachers for school and personal issues" (p. 170) and "More productive learning experiences"(p. 170).
4. For the special education student:  "Improved self-esteem" (p. 171), "Increased independence and responsibility (p. 171) and " Opportunity to grow in the least restrictive environment (p. 172).

ESSENCE EXTRACTOR:                     

Successful collaborative co-teaching bridges content, process and individual student need.



RIGOROUS RESEARCHER

Gately & Gately developed a "useful framework constisting of 3 broad stages to help understand the process of initiating, developing and maintaining a partnership (p.  173)  I researched their progress in this area and found an article, Understanding Co-Teaching Components (Gately & Gately, 2006), concerning an assessment that teachers can use to assess their productivity with their teaching methods.  Here is part of the article  pertaining to this assessment that I found interesting.  It could be used as a useful tool when reflecting on the implementation of strategies within a co-teaching classroom.  I have highlighted some interesting and significant points;
 

"The Coteaching Rating Scale (CtRS):  The Coteaching Rating Scale is an informal instrument that coteachers and their supervisors can use to examine the effectiveness of coteaching classrooms. The CtRS can help teachers focus on areas that need improvement. The CtRS can also help teachers determine which of the components of their relationship are contributing to their success. The profile that the CtRS yields can be used by coteachers to develop coteaching goals. By focusing on all aspects of the coteaching relationship, teachers may more quickly move to the collaborative level.

The deployment of two professional staff to teach one classroom is an extremely effective way of providing instruction to increasingly diverse groups of students in general education classrooms. It also is a very costly practice. Administrators and supervisors need to be able to examine the effectiveness of this practice. They can modify the use of the CtRS to use it as part of a supervisory tool for examining the effectiveness of coteaching in their buildings. The CtRS allows the supervisor to focus on specific aspects of the coteaching relationship that may need improvement.

..... Coteachers benefit from completing the CtRS independently and then comparing results with their partners. This can form the beginnings of professional discussions for the coteachers as they evaluate their perspectives of their work in the cotaught classroom.

......Teams need to be assured that truly collaborative partnerships take time and effort to develop. By completing the CtRS, these teachers have taken an initial step in examining their partnership; pinpointing areas of strength and weakness in their relationship; and setting goals that will enable them to work toward a satisfying, rewarding, and collaborative partnership."( Gately & Gately, 2006)


The full article can be found at (http://bsnpta.org/geeklog/public_html//article.php?story=Co-Teaching_Components).