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Get a definition of collaborative team teaching, also called co-teaching, and see a list of different co-teaching models.

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Teacher collaboration has been a common element of middle grades initiatives for years, typically one or more of these three organizational models: common planning time, professional learning communities, and critical friends groups.

Each model is distinct, yet they share common features. They 1) advance teacher learning, 2) address context-specific issues, 3) foster collegiality, 4) reduce teacher isolation, and 5) lead teachers to greater insights about teaching and learning. The overarching, and arguably the most important common element, is the goal of improved student learning.

What makes each organization model unique? First, the teachers are organized differently in each model: interdisciplinary teams, disciplinary teams, or self-selected teams. Second, the starting point for teachers' collaboration differs. In common planning time, teacher teams begin with an analysis of the holistic needs of students; in professional learning communities, the teacher teams begin with the analysis of students' academic progress; and in the critical friends groups, the teacher teams begin with an identified need or interest for improved practice. The recognized features of each organization model are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. Organizatonal Models That Promote Teacher Collaboration

Common Planning Time Professional Learning Communities Critical Friends Groups

Interdisciplinary teams- teachers share same students

Coordinate team policies and procedures

Discuss students

Meet with parents

Plan team activities, thematic or cross-curricular units

Examine student work

Participate in professional development

Disciplinary teams

Ongoing process of collective inquiry and action research

Collective analysis of student assessment data in relation to specific learning targets

Use of data to inform and assess effectiveness of instruction

Group gathers voluntarily to improve practice through collaborative learning

Uses coaches and specific protocols used to guide sessions

Identify school-specific student learning goals, reflect on practices for achieving the goals, collaboratively examine student work

Strategies for Building Teacher Collaboration

Organizational models facilitate, but do not guarantee collaboration. How teachers engage in a model can make a difference. Teachers' personal stance about whether they "have to" or "want to" participate in an organizational model is critical to successful collaboration. Equally important is understanding how to engage effectively in collaborative work with colleagues.

As with other skills, we gain a greater capacity for collaboration with the opportunity to practice. To initiate or revitalize teacher collaboration in your school, try these five strategies.

1. Create a truly shared vision and goals. The level of ownership they feel in the process influences how much teachers actually invest in collaborative work. A shared vision and goals can lead to that sense of ownership. For example, identify your team's shared vision of caring for students and student learning, set goals related to that vision, discuss how the team's work can help attain those goals, and check in often to assess progress. The strong connection between the work and the vision of the team can help individuals see purpose and assume ownership in the process.

2. Develop a sense of community. At its core, collaboration is relational. Getting to know your colleagues, understanding their passions, and taking the time to connect on a personal level can help members gain mutual respect and look past perceived eccentricities in others. Establishing shared values and commitments can unify the group and provide purpose for their collective work. Like all relationships, a collaborative community develops over time and requires work to maintain.

Trust influences the effectiveness of collaborative work. Respecting group commitments such as being fully present at meetings and seeing the best in others helps establish trust and build a cohesive community. Other ways to develop community include establishing traditions, celebrating accomplishments, and recognizing individual contributions.

3. Identify group norms. Let's face it: collaboration can be uncomfortable or stressful at times. When we are transparent about our work and our beliefs, our colleagues can see our limitations as well as our strengths, placing us in a position of vulnerability. Sharing with and trusting colleagues requires courage and humility. A climate of trust can help establish the safe environment that's necessary for open communication.

Identifying and establishing group norms also can help develop that safe environment. Norms might include defining roles and responsibilities, using protocols for interpersonal communication, and outlining parameters for time management.

Taking the time to get to know the learning styles, needs, interests, fears, and hopes of each team member helps shape the norms for how the group engages in the shared work.

4. Use discussion and dialogue. Whether they are integrating curriculum, analyzing data, or studying a new practice, teams should understand the roles of, and differences between, dialogue and discussion. They are equally important to the group process.

Discussion moves the conversation forward. In discussion, individuals state their opinions for the purpose of building consensus or making decisions.

The goal of dialogue is to share and broaden knowledge. Dialogue invites multiple perspectives, values the exploration of biases and assumptions, questions the status quo, and entertains new ways of knowing and being. Dialogue requires active listening, willingness to state beliefs, the ability to bear the tension of ambiguity, and belief in the transformative potential in the process.

5. Work through conflict. Dialogue can cultivate deep professional learning as individuals and teams explore new ideas for practice. However, dialogue may also lead to conflict. It can be helpful for your team to develop a conflict management plan and to monitor conflict as it arises.

Teams can help manage conflict by providing time, space, grace, and support for individuals as they work through their emotions. Individuals also should monitor their own emotions and practice self-care.

Using professional judgment, your team can determine when to explore the roots of conflict and when to provide space for reflection and cooling down. While sometimes uncomfortable, conflict often provides growth opportunities.

Teacher Collaboration

Strong collaboration and collaborative cultures develop over time and require commitment to the process. While the benefits are clear, genuine collaboration is complex.

Patience in the moment and anticipation for the outcome can lead to deep teacher learning that translates into tangible student achievement.

What will it take to maximize organizational models for productive teacher collaboration in your school? School leaders-principals and teachers-need to work together and commit to a collaborative culture. They need to ensure dedicated time for the organizational model within the school day.

Common planning time, professional learning communities, and critical friends groups each require regular, dedicated time for teachers to collaborate. With time, teachers can develop authentic collaborative communities in which they address common issues, shared goals or school-wide initiatives; engage in mutually beneficial endeavors using communal resources; and advance their skills, knowledge, and dispositions related to student learning.

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Building Teacher Collaboration School-wide - AMLE

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Models for teacher collaboration are ineffective without true participation.Read More... from Building Teacher Collaboration School-wide

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Collaborating to improve learner outcomes

Collaboration is the process of working together to achieve a common goal. In teaching, the common goal is always improved learner outcomes.

Teacher collaboration involves:

debating, planning, and problem-solving together

inquiring together, using evidence and research to guide decision-making

capitalising on each other's strengths and working with each other's weaknesses

actively contributing to a respectful and supportive learning environment.

Active collaboration is particularly important for creating a growth-based learning environment and for increasing student learning progress. Research shows that teachers who work together and learn from each other are more successful in improving student outcomes than those who work alone.

Through growth to achievement: Report of the review to achieve educational excellence in Australian schools ,(March 2018)

Shifting from "my learners" to "our learners"

Active collaboration requires a shift from managing the learning of a single group of learners to taking collective responsibility for the success and wellbeing of all learners. Innovative learning environments (ILEs) are changing the ways that teachers teach, plan, and inquire into teaching together, but regardless of the teaching environment, effective collaboration requires a shift of thinking from "me" to "we" and from "my learners" to "our learners".

We must stop allowing teachers to work alone, behind closed doors and in isolation in the staffrooms and instead shift to a professional ethic that emphasises collaboration. We need communities within and across schools that work collaboratively to diagnose what teachers need to do, plan programmes and teaching interventions and evaluate the success of the interventions. We need communities that promote and share professional development aimed at improving teacher effectiveness and expertise, that devise performance 'dashboards' to show success in learning and achievement and that build a coalition of the successful.
What works best in education: The politics of collaborative expertise

Teachers at Stonefields School discuss teacher collaboration in an innovative learning environment, including the shift they have taken from individual to collective effort. The teachers discuss the mentoring, support, dialogue, and questioning that come from teaching in a shared space.

Collaboration and inquiry

Collective inquiry is at the heart of teacher collaboration because it brings teachers together as learners, with a shared goal of improving learner outcomes. In professional learning communities, all teachers contribute as equals, seeking to understand and respond to what is happening for their learners. The focus is on problem-solving together, drawing on both research and student evidence to inform and evaluate changes to practice.

Collective inquiry fosters a trusting and open learning community in which mistakes are an accepted part of learning.

Teachers at St Patrick's Silverstream discuss the benefits of participating in a professional learning community. They comment on the importance of taking ownership over your teaching practice, examining its impact, and being open to making changes.

Key benefits include:

a sense of "all being in it together"

having a critical friend to support you

trying new things and getting feedback from students and colleagues on their impact

being part of an ongoing process on reflection.

Benefits of active teacher collaboration

All members of learning communities benefit from effective collaboration.

Learners benefit from collaborative teaching because teachers take collective responsibility for the progress of all learners. Teachers who know how to collaborate effectively model skills of collaboration to their learners.

Collaborative teaching environments provide opportunities for teachers to learn from and with each other on an ongoing basis. Teachers can observe other teachers in action, engage in professional conversations about the impact of different approaches, and get feedback on their own teaching.

Collaborative teaching teams capitalise on each other's strengths, support each other's professional growth, debate ideas, and problem solve together. This creates synergy, allowing teams to achieve more than they would if teachers work independently.

Educators and students at the Grow Waitaha Eduhui in Christchurch share the impacts of collaborative teaching and learning. Teachers are seeing higher levels of student engagement and improvements in achievement. Students comment on the benefits of working collaboratively and having agency over their learning.

Dr. Julia Aitken discusses the benefits of students being able to observe teachers collaborating, a skill that has many real-world applications. She comments that effective collaboration may involve working constructively and professionally with people you don't naturally get on with.

More information "

Developing collaborative capabilities

To collaborate effectively, teachers need to be deliberate about developing their collaborative capabilities. This includes:

actively contributing to a safe and supportive teaching environment

being skilled at managing conflict

having a growth mindset

taking collective responsibility for the wellbeing and success of all learners.

Key factors that contribute to collaborative teaching

This diagram from Stonefields School illustrates key factors that contribute to collaborative teaching.

More information "

Relational trust

Relational trust is a prerequisite for engaging in challenging conversations and for creating an environment where participants are open to their practice and the outcomes they achieve for students being made transparent. Where there is relational trust, members feel free to open up and acknowledge what they do not know, take risks, and use their knowledge and expertise to support others in the community. Trust relationships facilitate the sharing of data and information about students and the provision of supported educational pathways.

ERO (2017) Collaboration to improve learner outcomes, p 12

Relational trust takes time and effort to establish. Key factors that can contribute to relational trust include:

keeping learner needs at the centre of everything you do

encouraging each other to try new things

being familiar with people's strengths and suspending judgement about their weaknesses

being open about your own mistakes and challenges

accepting other teachers' "non-negotiables"

learning how to engage in difficult conversations

having strategies in place for when things aren't going well.

Teachers at the Grow Waitaha Eduhui explain successful collaboration is supported by:

building relationships with your colleagues - identifying teacher strengths and areas that need work

understanding what collective responsibility means

knowing your learners and keeping the needs of the children at the centre of decision making.

Establishing a shared vision for collaboration

Having a shared vision is an important part of successful collaboration. Teachers who understand the impact collaboration can have on learners, and on their own teaching practice, are more likely to commit time and energy towards collaborative practices.

A key part of the process is deciding together on the systems, approaches, and measures that will help the team collaborate successfully.

Dr Julia Aitken discusses the importance of having a shared vision for the purpose of education. She highlights the importance of understanding the "why" of change rather than just changing for the sake of it.

Professional conversations

Professional conversations are conversations that focus on improving learner outcomes. Examples include:

observations and improvement-focused feedback

identifying issues of practice and problem solving them together, often as part of a professional learning community

critically examining student results and exploring what they mean for professional practice.

Dr Helen Timperley, Professor of Education at the University of Auckland, discusses key findings from her literature review examining the research on professional conversations at schools. She describes enablers for effective professional conversations .

Resources - the tools, materials, protocols, and expertise that help to shape conversations.

Relationships - relationships of trust, challenge, and mutual respect that lead to participants feeling empowered to make a difference.

Processe s - processes that keep the focus of conversations on learner outcomes.

Knowledge - enabling knowledge that leads to changes in practice.

Culture - an inquiry-focused and problem-solving culture in which participants take collective responsibility for problem solving and creating change. A key factor of developing such a culture is teachers being prepared to examine their own practice.

More information "

Managing conflict

Developing the communication skills required to manage conflict is essential for successful collaboration.

A key challenge for all teachers is knowing how to have difficult conversations with colleagues (conversations that you might prefer to avoid).

The small stuff, often quite low level, can have huge "get up your nose" potential. How tidy, how timely, of how your hub colleagues do a wall display has the potential to cause dissonance, or what we have simply come to term rub amongst team members."

Martin & Bradbeer (2016)

Learning how to address points of difference with a colleague includes understanding the conversation that needs to be had, when it needs to happen, and the right person to have it with.

Kirsten Harris-Tatana from South Hornby School discusses the steps teachers employed to establish trust and build relationships that support collaboration. Using Joan Dalton's Learning Talk series, the team identified keys to building successful relationships, including:

discussing, acknowledging, and agreeing on non-negotiables before working in a collaborative space

taking time to discuss small problems

supporting new team members by seeking their ideas and input into already established systems and processes.

We have watched the most synergetic teams provide time and forums to have conversations about how individuals like to be supported, how they like to be communicated with - "elephant time" on meeting agendas, where potential elephants growing within the hub are addressed and worked through.

Martin & Bradbeer (2016)

A continuum of conflict management

This table shows how teachers at Stonefields School define a continuum of conflict management.

Manages conflict: The capability to proactively address and resolve conflict through collaborative sense-making

Conflict addressed through sense-making conversations.

Source: Creating collaborative effectiveness: One school's approach .

More information "

Team teaching

In innovative learning environments (ILEs), teachers often work directly with another teacher (or teachers) to meet the learning needs of a large group of learners. Benefits of this approach include:

the ability to group learners according to need, for example, by running needs-based workshops

combining expertise, including cross-disciplinary knowledge

opening up the teaching and learning environment so that teachers and learners learn from one another

opportunities to experiment with alternative approaches to teaching and learning.

Dr Julia Aitken discusses the benefits of working in a collaborative learning environment. Teachers are able to provide targeted support to small groups of students. Collaborative learning environments provide opportunities for teachers to learn from each other through observation and feedback. Dr Aitken provides examples of ways secondary school teachers collaborate across disciplines.

Educators from secondary schools around Canterbury share their cross-curricular approach to collaborative teaching and learning.

Participants of the Canterbury Delving Deeper Conference 2016 share how a change to more collaborative practice has worked for teachers and learners.

Models of team teaching

ILEs provide opportunities for teachers to structure the way they work with students in different ways, depending on the learning needs of the students.

Models of team teaching include:

One teach, one observe: teachers take turns teaching and observing. The purpose of the observation is to gather data that can be analysed later.

Station teaching: each teacher takes responsibility for teaching a different skill or area of content. Students move from one station to the next. Some of the stations can involve independent student learning.

Parallel teaching: teachers teach the same content to different groups. This can be used to differentiate the learning experience, covering the same content but at a different pace or with extra scaffolding.

Tag-team teaching: both teachers share the delivery of content to a group of learners.

Read more about models of team teaching:

Collaborative planning and assessment

Planning and assessing collaboratively helps teachers to better meet the needs of diverse learners.

Collaborative planning

Collaborative planning provides opportunities for teachers to work to their strengths. At secondary schools, collaborative planning can help to make cross-disciplinary connections evident, with students exploring key concepts in different contexts.

Anita Head, year 5-6 team leader at Halswell School, discusses the enablers of student success within their innovative learning environment. Shared planning via Google Docs has been important to ensure that each staff member understands what's happening for each of their students. Anita explains, "The key things that have enabled successful learning for our students have been that the staff are all working collaboratively together. So we're learning from each other and developing any of our needs and our strengths in our own practice and we're able to offer a wider range of opportunities for the students.

Planning tools and templates

Everyone's In - An inclusive planning tool that supports teachers to apply principles of Universal Design for Learning when planning.

Collaborative planning template examples - Crowd-sourced Google slides with screenshots of teachers' shared planning.

Collaborative assessment

The primary purpose of assessment is to improve students' learning by identifying gaps in what students know, understand, or can do. Because most assessment occurs naturally through everyday classroom interactions, collaborative assessment can require some creativity. For example, some schools track information on behaviour and learning using SMS. (The SMS has been set up to produce a monitoring grid once data has been submitted via text, so teachers only have to enter the data once.)

While larger classes may mean it takes more time to get to know students and their learning needs, having more teachers means that while one teacher works with a group, another can gather data from individual students. Conducting one-to-one formative and summative assessments provides a much clearer understanding of individuals' skill levels. This data can then enable teachers to group and regroup learners for activities according to the skill being taught or practised. Share data gathered through online tools that work best within your team, for example your SMS, Google spreadsheets or docs.

Supporting students to use online tools to demonstrate their learning provides teachers with easy access to their learning processes, enabling virtual feedback and feedforward.

Lisa Dovey, year 7-8 team leader at Halswell School, discusses the benefits of collaborative teaching. Her team uses Google Docs and Google Hangouts to support collaborative planning, teaching, and assessment. She explains, "We do a lot of planning together, which is really fantastic. It means that all of our strengths are put together."

Formal assessment tools

Formal assessment tools can be used to provide valid and reliable information on student learning. Here are some examples:

Other examples of assessment tools are available via TKI .

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Resources

Grow Waitaha

The goal of Grow Waitaha is to assist schools to achieve pedagogical change in a meaningful and manageable way, with a network of support, and to put learners at the centre of that change. This page links to Grow Waitaha's list of resources on approaches to collaborative teaching.

Research and readings
What is professional collaboration and how can its practice be enriched and led to support student learning within and across schools?
Gina Benade researched what leading effective and disciplined collaboration within and across schools looks like to better understand how this process can enhance and influence student achievement.

A framework for transforming learning in schools: Innovation and the spiral of inquiry

Using a range of examples from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, this paper makes the case for new approaches to designing learning and teaching and how we might achieve this. It also provides a model for long term PLD within schools.

Hattie, J. (2015) What works best in education: The politics of collaborative expertise, London: Open Ideas at Pearson

Hattie explores developing collaborative expertise across of all parts of the education system - collaboration horizontally (from teacher to teacher, from school to school) and vertically (from teacher to school leader to policy-maker).

High-quality collaboration benefits teachers and students

A summary analysis of the study by Ronfeldt, M., Farmer, S., McQueen, K., & Grissom, J. (2015). Teacher collaboration in instructional teams and student achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 52 (3), 475-514.

Martin, S. & Bradbeer, C. (2016). Creating collaborative effectiveness: One school's approach. SET: Research Information for Teachers, New Zealand Council for Educational Research, (2)

Creating the conditions for effective teacher collaboration has been seen as a critical component of the work that leaders have been engaged in at Stonefields School since it opened in 2011.

ERO (2017). Collaboration to improve learner outcomes. Wellington: Education Review Office, Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga

This publication is designed to support Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako by bringing together research findings about effective collaboration in education communities. It is supported by the publication Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako: working towards collaborative pratice.

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Collaboration is the process of working together to achieve a common goal. In teaching, the common goal is always improved learner outcomes. Teacher collaboration involves: debating, planning, and problem-solving together inquiring together, using evidence and research to guide decision-making capitalising on each other's strengths and working with each other's weaknesses actively contributing to a respectful and supportive learning environment.

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Benefits of Co-teaching for Teachers & Students 

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Benefits of Co-teaching for Teachers & Students 

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What Are the Benefits of Collaboration in Special Education?

Written by: Wilson College * Nov 8, 2023

Statistics from the National Center for Education (NCES) show in 2021-2022, more than 7 million U.S. students-or 15% of those enrolled in public schools-received services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This provision mandates public school education for students whose disabilities affect their academic performance.

Increasingly in today's classrooms, students who receive these services are learning in an environment that features collaborative education.

Collaborative education includes special education and general education teachers, as well as those who assist them (from parents to therapists), working in tandem. The objective is to ensure all learners-including those with behavioral, cognitive, physical, or emotional challenges-receive the support they need.

To encourage its use, many programs that prepare special education teachers-including bachelor's degree programs in special education -are emphasizing making sure collaborative methods play a role in helping students succeed.

What Is Collaboration in Special Education? ¶

Various professionals and loved ones typically work to ensure students with social, mental, or physical disabilities have the best opportunity to succeed in school. Collaboration in special education involves all of these parties, who combine their efforts to plan and implement services in support of student success.

The goal of collaboration in special education is to ensure all students receive lessons and assignments that meet their individualized needs.

Who Does Collaboration in Special Education Involve? ¶

Those who support a student who has disabilities may provide services ranging from academic assistance to emotional support. A team that promotes educational success for students with functional needs may include the following.

General education teachers-Provide education to students of various abilities and needs according to school district curricula

Special education teachers-Adapt students' lessons to accommodate students' behavioral, cognitive, physical, or emotional disabilities

Paraprofessionals-Assist teachers with instruction and with tasks that address behavioral issues

Family members and other loved ones-Ensure students' day-to-day needs are met and support school-based lessons at home

School administrators-Lead all aspects of school activities and services, ensuring compliance with educational regulations and guidelines

Speech therapists-Help students with communicating and eating as needed

Occupational therapists-Assist students in performing a variety of common tasks as needed

How Do Professionals and Families Collaborate in Special Education? ¶

When the various parties who support students' academic success collaborate, they interact face-to-face or online to determine how their collective efforts can best help students with disabilities. They share their diverse knowledge and experience, keeping each other abreast of students' progress and working to find solutions that provide opportunities for all students to excel in school.

For teachers, this collaboration often means educating students of all needs and abilities in integrated settings. In these cases, general education teachers provide instruction to the class, while special education teachers adapt that education to meet the needs of students with disabilities and assess their academic progress.

Why Is Collaboration in Special Education Beneficial? ¶

In special education, collaboration offers a host of benefits for all students-not just those with disabilities-and for the many people who support them. Following are six key benefits of working together to meet the needs of those with social, mental, or physical disabilities.

When teams of professionals are available to support learners' academic, physical, and emotional needs, students are more likely to have access to appropriate types of assistance. Additionally, integrating students with disabilities into general education classrooms promotes a sense of belonging for everyone involved.

Supports Differentiated Instruction ¶

In helping to meet a broad range of student needs, collaboration in special education also provides greater opportunity for catering to individual skills and abilities. This differentiated instruction enables educators to reach students by tailoring lessons to their unique interests, learning styles, and aptitudes.

Encourages Student Engagement ¶

When students are surrounded not only by their peers but also by multiple supportive staff members, they are more likely to receive the individualized attention that fosters engagement. An engaging special education classroom or general education setting can help students with disabilities strengthen not only their learning, but their social skills.

Enhances Educational Transparency ¶

Collaboration in special education requires regular contact among all those who are working as a team. This open communication among professionals and with parents:

Keeps everyone on the same page

Places value on all knowledge and opinions

Builds trust and respect

Incorporates Wide-Ranging Expertise ¶

From special education teachers who tailor lessons to the needs of students with disabilities, to professionals who provide social and emotional support, everyone at the table brings a different set of skills and experiences. By collaborating to support the student, these professionals and family members can combine their knowledge to identify concerns and find innovative solutions.

Broadens Professional Knowledge ¶

Educators who collaborate with other professionals in planning and problem solving can strengthen their own skills and knowledge and draw from the expertise of others. These opportunities for professional development are critical as educators gain experience. This skill development can also help build on their salary as a special education teacher and, if they choose, help them pursue other roles in the field.

How Can Educators Encourage Collaboration in Special Education? ¶

By taking some key actions, teachers can facilitate the collaboration in special education that holds so many benefits for students, educators, and families.

Taking Initiative ¶

Teachers should reach out to others who support students who have social, physical, and mental disabilities; seeking out ways they can partner to effectively provide assistance. Special education and general education teachers, for example, can plan and present lessons together.

Defining Roles ¶

When collaborating, each individual responsible for working with the student should have a defined role. Teachers can lead the way in ensuring each individual understands they have an important part to play in the success of the student-and that everyone fulfills their respective responsibilities.

Communicating Openly ¶

Whether communicating with colleagues or parents and other loved ones, it's important for teachers to keep others informed of plans to support the student and how those efforts are progressing. Regular dialogue with parents should include a focus on any concerns the family may have as well as any ways that loved ones can help students learn at home.

Establishing Culture ¶

Teachers also can help facilitate collaboration in special education by promoting a culture of inclusivity in their classrooms. They should show acceptance of, and support for, other professionals, students, and family members and set clear expectations for interaction.

Being Open-Minded ¶

Assessments are critical to ensuring students with disabilities receive services that effectively address their needs. Teachers should regularly evaluate progress in a student's educational plans; welcoming ideas and opinions from others about any adjustments that could improve their efforts.

Support Inclusive Education Through Collaboration ¶

If you're ready to explore becoming a collaborative special education teacher, you would do well to learn more about the Wilson College Online Bachelor of Arts in Special Education degree program. Featuring asynchronous classes in a flexible, online format, the program focuses on inclusive educational approaches that help ensure all students receive the education and services that meet their unique needs.

Discover how the Wilson College Online B.A. in Special Education can help you achieve your professionals goals.
Recommended Readings
Master of Teaching vs. Master of Education: What's the Difference?

What Can You Do With an Early Childhood Education Degree?

What Does a Special Education Coordinator Do?
Sources: EduEdify, "What Is Collaboration in Special Education?"International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership, "Preparing Administrative Leaders to Support Special Education Programs in Schools : A Comprehensive Multi-Dimensional Model"National Center for Education Statistics, Students With Disabilities Nemours KidsHealth, "What Is Special Education?"ProCare Therapy, "The Role of General Education Teachers"Reading Rockets, "What Is Differentiated Instruction?"TeacherVision, "Collaboration Between General and Special Education Teachers"Understood, "Paraprofessionals: What You Need to Know"U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Special Education Teachers

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What Are the Benefits of Collaboration in Special Education? | Wilson College

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Everyone who assists students who have disabilities can work together to promote academic success. Explore the benefits of collaboration in special education.

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Roles of Special Education Teacher and General Ed Teacher in Co-teaching & Collaboration

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Roles of Special Education Teacher and General Ed Teacher in Co-teaching & Collaboration

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What Are the Roles of the Teachers in Integrated Co-Teaching?

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In the not-so-distant past, students with identified disabilities were placed in separate classes from their same-aged peers. These students were all taught in resource rooms and taught by special education teachers exclusively. With the passage in 1975 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which ...

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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

Have shared planning time

Each have the chance to use their expertise in the classroom

There are six basic models of co-teaching. Read on to learn how each model works, what it looks like in the classroom, and when to use it. You'll also learn about the benefits and challenges of each co-teaching model.

1. Team teaching

In team teaching, both teachers are in the room at the same time but take turns teaching the whole class. Team teaching is sometimes called "tag team teaching." You and your co-teacher are a bit like co-presenters at a conference or the Oscars. You don't necessarily plan who takes which part of the lesson, and when one of you makes a point, the other can jump in and elaborate if needed.

Team teaching can make you feel vulnerable. It asks you to step outside of your comfort zone and allow another teacher to see how you approach a classroom full of students. However, it also gives you the opportunity to learn about and improve your teaching skills by having a partner who can provide feedback and - in some cases - mentorship.

In team teaching, as well as the five other co-teaching models below, a teacher team may be made up of two general education teachers, two special education teachers, or one of each. Or in some cases, it may be a teacher and a paraprofessional working together. Some IEPs specify that a student's teaching team needs to include a general education teacher and a special education teacher.

Here's what you need to know about the team teaching method:

2. Parallel teaching

In parallel teaching, the team splits the class into two groups and each teacher teaches the same information at the same time. Parallel teaching works well to differentiate instruction when the content being taught is particularly challenging. Students can benefit from learning difficult material in a smaller group.

Parallel teaching can be a comfortable way to start co-teaching. You and your co-teacher plan together to make sure you're covering the same material. And since you're teaching your half of the class, you're less likely to feel closely observed by your colleague. Here's a closer look at parallel teaching:

What it looks like in the classroom
The class is divided into two groups, and both teachers teach the same information simultaneously in different sections of the room.

Benefits

Provides both teachers with an active instructional role

Lowers the student-teacher ratio and reduces the load of teaching a large class

Allows for small group instruction, which can be especially helpful for students who learn and think differently

Gives students the chance to ask more questions during lesson time

Provides a chance for students to work in heterogeneous groups (made up of varying abilities instead of groups of students with similar strengths and challenges)

Keeps the academic rigor of a demanding lesson, but splits the responsibility between both teachers

Challenges

Requires both teachers to have strong knowledge of the content so students will learn the same thing

Can be challenging to control for noise, distraction, and space when working in the same classroom

Requires careful timing to make sure both teachers end the lesson at the same time

3. Station teaching

In station teaching, the class is divided into three or more groups and the classroom has multiple learning centers. As the students rotate through the stations, the teachers teach the same material in different ways to each group. For example, fractions may be taught with a fraction line at one and with cubes at another. If there are more stations than teachers, some stations may be student-led and at least one will focus on independent work or practice opportunities.

Both you and your co-teacher are responsible for planning and teaching an in-depth concept that helps meet the overall lesson goal. Learn more about station teaching:

What it looks like in the classroom
Different learning stations are set up in various areas of the classroom, one for each teacher and at least one for independent student work.

Benefits

Provides both teachers with an active instructional role

Allows teachers to use flexible grouping to tailor teaching to each group's needs

Lowers the student-teacher ratio

Resets student focus with each station rotation, increasing engagement

Provides time for students to engage with the content on their own as well as with teachers

Supports a UDL approach to teaching

Allows for more material to be covered in a shorter time frame

Provides a clear teaching responsibility for each adult in the room

Challenges

Requires significant planning for teaching and material preparation

Students may not get to all of the stations if they're not moving at the same pace

May be noisy and distracting for some students

Requires pre-teaching around expectations for independent work time

4. Alternative teaching

In alternative teaching, one teacher instructs most of the class and the other teacher teaches an alternate or modified version of the lesson to a smaller group of students. Alternative teaching is also sometimes described as "big group/small group" teaching.

Small groups are often put together based on students' learning needs. You and your co-teacher will need to find time to look over student data. This will help you figure out which students need support filling in gaps in background knowledge, which students need remediation, or which students could benefit from accelerated learning because they already know the content or have mastered the skills of the large group lesson. Here's more of what you need to know about alternative teaching:

5. One teach, one assist

In the "one teach, one assist" model of co-teaching, one teacher teaches a full group lesson, while the other teacher roams and helps individual students. This is sometimes called "one teach, one support," because the second teacher often provides additional support for learning or behavior management.

This model of co-teaching can be difficult to negotiate because it may leave one teacher feeling more like an assistant. Building a strong relationship with your co-teacher and talking through when it makes sense to swap roles can make it easier. That's key to making sure that both of you have a chance to teach content and to provide support to students one-on-one.

Debriefing after a lesson is also key. Both of you need to know which students needed extra support during the lesson, what that support looked like, and what each student was struggling with. Here's what you need to know about this co-teaching method:

6. One teach, one observe

In a "one teach, one observe" setting, one teacher serves as the primary instructor, while the other is simply observing students' learning and collecting data, which can be useful in:

Determining what instruction takes place next

Seeing which students need additional help

Deciding what co-teaching model may be used next to address any identified needs

Identifying and tracking helpful school services, such as IEP, 504 plan, functional behavioral assessment (FBA), behavior intervention plan (BIP), or response to intervention (RTI)

Making co-teaching work

Co-teaching definitely has benefits, but it can also be challenging to implement. It can be especially hard for new teachers who are paired up with teachers who have more experience, or for co-teachers whose teaching philosophies differ from each other. But there are several steps you can take to help make co-teaching work:

1. Plan who's doing what. No matter which co-teaching model you use, you and your co-teacher need to thoughtfully plan out which responsibilities each of you will have. Planning is vital to your success as a co-teaching team.

2. Agree on expectations. Having a conversation before the year begins about your expectations for students, behavior, homework, bathroom use, etc., can help you work out any differences you may have and come to a consensus for how your shared class will run.It's also essential that both teachers share behavior management equally. Avoiding a "good cop/bad cop" situation can make it easier to maintain a positive classroom culture.

3. Understand the needs of all of your students. It's critical that both you and your co-teacher understand the needs of all of your students, including those who learn and think differently. Knowing how to read an IEP or 504 plan, implement accommodations, and participate in IEP meetings is a shared responsibility.

4. Use signposting. Making sure both of your names appear on the door, on assignments, and in the classroom can also help your students see you as the team you are.

5. Keep setting aside time to collaborate. Planning and reflecting on the lessons you teach together is especially important. Keeping lines of communication open, raising concerns respectfully, and having a supportive and involved administrator can help bridge any gaps.

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Learn about team teaching and other co-teaching models. Explore the benefits and challenges of each model and learn strategies to help make co-teaching work.