Effective Co Teaching Strategies Edutopia

Joint leadership in the classroom is more than a model of instruction. It requires mutual respect and a shared vision for students’ success. Co-teaching has become a widely embraced model for delivering inclusive education, particularly in schools that are deeply committed to equity and access for students with disabilities. However, the simple presence of two teachers in the same classroom is not sufficient on its own for providing a truly inclusive learning environment. Successful co-teaching requires a shared purpose, strategic planning, and genuine collaboration. As a former special education teacher and current director of special services, I’ve observed that co-teaching succeeds when it is thoughtfully implemented.

I have, unfortunately, also seen it fall short when treated as a mere scheduling convenience or when the necessary support for the staff is not provided. The distinction often lies in whether the partnership is truly collaborative or merely parallel. Here are six key strategies that support effective co-teaching and ensure that all students benefit from an inclusive environment. It all starts with the partnership. The most impactful co-teaching partnerships are built on a shared philosophy and a deep sense of mutual respect. When general and special education teachers see themselves as equal partners (i.e., co-planners, co-instructors, and co-assessors), students benefit from a more cohesive and responsive learning environment.

Expert reviewed by Kristen L. Hodnett, MS As more schools move toward inclusion, integrated co-teaching (also known as collaborative team teaching) is becoming more common. However, not all teachers are familiar with co-teaching models, the planning and collaboration it takes, or the different ways it can look in a classroom. Co-teachers are often general education teachers and special education teachers working together in the general education classroom. You plan lessons together and teach together to support the diverse academic and social-emotional needs of all students — those who have been identified as having a disability and those who haven’t.

Studies show that this co-teaching can successfully meet the needs of all learners when the co-teachers: Have ample time to build a trusting relationship with one another The T-TESS pre-conference is more than just a box to check. It’s a powerful opportunity to set the tone for your evaluation and improve your And yet, time isn’t even the worst part. The traditional model leaves educators feeling observed, not supported, and that’s where the real breakdown begins.

The When general and special education teachers collaborate as equals, their students benefit. Throughout my career as a special education teacher, I’ve had many opportunities to co-teach in collaborative classrooms. Some of these experiences were positive, others more challenging. With the ever-increasing demands of today’s classrooms, many school districts are relying on co-teaching to meet the needs of all learners. Yet teachers aren’t often trained in co-facilitation.

It’s important to fill this gap. Below, I offer insights on how to begin. In my view, the most important element of a successful, inclusive classroom is parity. For collaborative teaching to be effective, both teachers should be viewed as equals. Often, a special education teacher co-teaches in a general education classroom. When entering the room, both teachers should be viewed just as that—the teachers.

Too many times, as a special education teacher, I’ve walked into a classroom and encountered the assumption that I was only there to work with students with special needs. Three years ago, to more effectively serve our English Learners, the three of us—Allyson (ESL), John (2nd grade), and Ashley (1st grade)—began co-teaching. And, if we’re being completely honest, we really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We quickly learned that co-teaching takes time, dedication, and adaptability as well as constant effort, communication, and flexibility. Marrying teaching styles, perspectives, and different sets of expertise is complicated and often challenging. Yet, we’re here to tell you from experience—it’s worth it.

We are better teachers because of co-teaching and our students have shown unprecedented growth. Co-teaching is a practice in which two teachers lead a classroom, creating an inclusive setting where expertise is shared for the benefit of a diverse group of students. Whether a general educator and special education teacher, general educator and ESL teacher, or one of many other possible combinations, successful co-teaching requires extensive collaboration. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, here are 8 co-teaching tips that have worked for us: First things first: When you begin co-teaching you may or may not know your partner on a personal level. Building that relationship, both personally and professionally, is key to successful co-teaching.

Trust can make or break you and establishing that trust takes time and effort. Put in the work. Invite your co-teacher to grab a coffee outside of school. Get to know each other as people. Share your favorites. It may seem arbitrary but don’t skip this step!

The best co-teachers know and trust each other completely. For ideas, try this fun 15-Day Co-Teaching Challenge! It might seem basic, but this is one of our most important co-teaching tips. Use the language OUR classroom, OUR students. Change your language, change your mindset. In order for both teachers to be viewed as equals, you have to speak it into existence.

The language you use helps shift your mindset towards the belief that the class and classroom space belong to both teachers. Your students and your co-teaching partnership succeed because of both of you. What are your expectations for your partnership? How will you manage your co-taught classroom? These conversations are not only vital to establishing parity, but also to building a classroom environment that is consistent for your students. Successful co-teachers set themselves up for success at the beginning of the year by putting a plan into place and having the tough conversations.

It may not always be comfortable, but it’s necessary. When I was a classroom teacher (and later a school principal), there wasn’t a day that went by when I didn’t wonder if the instructional practices I chose to implement (or encouraged others to... I sure loved teaching Hatchet, using the latest digital apps to capture students’ focus, and leaning into my favorite co-teaching strategies. But the concern was ever-present: What if it was all a waste of time? Today, as I support educators in one of the largest school districts in the nation as they face the consequences of staggering interruptions to student learning following COVID-19 school closures, I see the same... They are working as hard as ever, tying themselves in metaphorical knots to meet the needs of each and every learner in their classroom, all while teaching grade-level standards.

To support teachers during this challenging time, our High Growth for All research project studied what instructional strategies are most effective. The Transformative Ten, as we’re calling these proven strategies, offer a fast track for addressing the perpetual question, “What works?” In this post, I’d like to zero in on strategy #4: Share students and... I’ll take a guess that you have heard the term “co-teaching” plenty. My first experience with this concept was as a push-in special education teacher, but neither the math teacher I was working alongside nor I had ever been trained to co-teach. This led to me spending an awful lot of time watching great math instruction instead of teaching alongside my colleague, and I also found myself struggling to find one-on-one time with my students, both... Was that time impactful?

It for sure helped me sharpen my skills for reducing fractions in the kitchen, but my students would have benefitted from a more collaborative approach. They needed—and deserved—more meaningful instruction from me, and they didn’t get it. With increasing awareness of the importance of inclusive classrooms, schools are making concerted efforts to implement strategies that support the greatest number of students with the resources on hand. One effective strategy is co-teaching, or pairing teachers together to complement each other’s strengths and better support students (and one another) in the classroom. In this article, we explore six co-teaching models and offer up tips for successfully managing a co-teaching partnership. Co-teaching is the practice of pairing teachers in the classroom to share the responsibilities of instructing, planning lessons, observing and helping students.

The most common type of co-teaching arrangement is that between a general education teacher and a special education teacher who assists students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or other special needs. Co-teachers may also serve as a bilingual education team, with one teacher assisting students who speak a language other than the primary language of instruction. This model serves multiple purposes. First, it creates and supports a more inclusive classroom environment, where students of different abilities can participate in lessons and achieve success together. Second, a co-teaching arrangement helps teachers make better use of their resources: With two adults in the classroom, they can assist more students, keep materials more organized, share lesson planning duties and achieve better... In most cases, both are licensed teachers, though each may have their own area of specialization (such as teaching an academic subject or using special education methods).

Both teachers share equal responsibility for ensuring students are engaged and receive the best classroom experience possible.

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