30 Days to the Co-Taught Classroom by West40 ISC#2

Reflection Prompts

West40PL — 2025-06-30 16:02:31 UTC

1. How would you describe inclusive co-teaching to a team? What mindset shift do your teachers need?

2. How do you help co-teachers move beyond “be better collaborators” and set real, actionable goals?

3. How do you help teams find and protect co-planning time?

4. What’s your go-to way to help teachers set norms or define roles early on?

5. How can we help teams stop wasting planning time and actually collaborate?

🛠️Add to the Coaching Toolkit:
Post your coaching “starter pack” (a tool, template, or object you always keep close when coaching).

💫THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE!💫

📸 Photo Challenge! Share your summer reading setup!

Reflection Prompts

West40PL — 2025-06-30 16:04:12 UTC

What’s something simple you’ve done or can do to make co-planning easier for teachers?
How do you help teachers figure out “who does what” without awkwardness?
How do you support teachers in building a community that feels shared and inclusive?
Which co-teaching model do teachers overuse? How do you help them branch out?
What do you listen for when coaching teachers using parallel teaching?

🛠️ Add to the Coaching Toolkit:
Share a go-to protocol, agenda, or question set you use to support co-planning conversations.

💫THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE!💫

🤩 Emoji Check-In: Describe this week's reading with 3 emojis (no words allowed)!

Reflection Prompts

West40PL — 2025-06-30 16:07:13 UTC

What’s one tip you give teams to make stations run smoothly?
How do you use classroom visits or modeling to help teams reflect on co-teaching?
How do you connect UDL to actual lesson planning with your teams?
What small relational practice do you love to share with co-teachers?
What tools help co-teachers capture and communicate their plans?

🛠️ Add to the Coaching Toolkit:
Share a planning tool, lesson template, or anchor chart that helps bring UDL, differentiation, or flexible grouping to life.

💫THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE!💫
🎭 PD as Performance! If this week’s content were a Netflix show, what would it be called? Bonus: drop a meme, emoji string, or 5-word episode summary.

Reflection Prompts

West40PL — 2025-06-30 16:53:06 UTC

How do you support paras and make sure they feel like part of the team?
How do you help teachers plan for behavior (not just react to it)?
What are small ways teachers can let students do more of the teaching?
What’s one rut co-teachers fall into and how do you coach them out of it?
How do you spotlight great co-teaching in your school or district?

🛠️ Add to the Coaching Toolkit:
Post a reflection protocol or observation tool you’d use to help teachers assess growth in co-teaching.

💫THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE!💫 (aligned to Day 29 - Take It Outside):
📽️ Watch & Reflect: Choose one of the recommended articles, films, websites, or books suggested in Day 29. Share a quick takeaway + how you'd use it with teachers.

2025-07-01 17:00:05 UTC

This document does a great job of explaining the aspects of co-teaching. Maybe in the future we consider having a West40 branded-very short snapshot of a document that we can use as a handout in our presentations-could even be a one page infographic.

The author of this document is referenced in our presentation.

Week 1 Challenge

mlawler31 — 2025-07-02 17:40:27 UTC

My summer reading includes:

30 Days to the Co-Taught Classroom Book
Transparent Post-Its
Colored Post-It Tabs
Highlighter
2 different colors pens (one for symbol annotations and one for margin notes)
And of course sitting on my balcony soaking up some sun and surrounded by my flowers :)

Coaching Language

mlawler31 — 2025-07-02 20:05:32 UTC

I keep coaching questions/stems with me during every coaching conversation! It helps me focus my questioning and is great in a pinch!

Reflections & Thoughts

mlawler31 — 2025-07-02 20:17:00 UTC

I really love how this book is organized in general! I think Day 5: Take Time to Make Time is an incredibly important topic. Planning time is always a sensitive point of contention for teachers and admin. I think it's really important to support co-teachers in creating protected time to plan. The additional ideas for when to plan are helpful suggestions. I think the most important part of supporting co-teachers in their planning is to ensure they have a strong routine so that their limited planning time can be used as efficiently as possible. This is also why the team meeting guidelines are essential to establish and review at the beginning of the school year so that teams can build a strong cadence of communication and planning.

I also think roles are incredibly important, not just for instructional purposes but also for planning. During the planning meeting, teachers need to clearly communicate what will be done and by whom (i.e., making copies, designing the bell ringer, tracking data/progress during the lesson, etc.). Roles for instructional purposes are essential for the lesson to flow smoothly; however, teams need to remember that logistics and roles in preparing for lessons are also important!

Overall, the quick To-Do Lists are handy, and the tools are great ways to kick off these meetings for setting the co-teaching stage! I could see it being beneficial for the West40 team to build out a co-teaching guide/packet that teachers and admin can use to set up their teams.

dschoenheider1 — 2025-07-03 13:53:12 UTC

Some days you need the desk, the laptop, and the to-do list. Other days, you need a chair in the sun and a coffee..

Digging into 30 Days to the Co-Taught Classroom wherever the brain works best that day. Good mindsets need good spaces.

dschoenheider1 — 2025-07-03 14:00:21 UTC

No a coaching tool but this has some interesting co-teaching resources

dschoenheider1 — 2025-07-03 14:29:16 UTC

(1) Co-teaching isn’t one teacher helping the other. It’s two experts sharing full responsibility for all kids. The shift is from "your kids versus my kids" to "our classroom." No more parking one teacher at the back or separating kids with IEPs form the group to “meet minutes”.
(2) “Be better” is a wish, not a goal. Instead, ask what’s one thing we can do this week to shift our practice? Then we anchor it to a structure like choosing a new co-teaching model, setting a specific feedback routine, or rotating roles with intention.
(3) This is such a loaded question as there are parameters set by the district and by collective bargaining agreements. You must carve it out and guard it like it matters. That means putting it on the master schedule, naming it as instructional time, and treating it like any other nonnegotiable. If you wouldn’t cancel IEP meetings, don’t cancel co-planning.
(4) Start with three questions. Who’s doing what during instruction? Who’s handling behavior in real time? Who’s following up? Then put it in writing. On paper, in a doc, somewhere visible. Accountability for all!
(5) Structure planning time. Have a planning template or protocol so it doesn’t turn into venting or wandering off topic. Hold them to ideas such as what are we teaching, who’s leading what, what materials are we using, who’s checking in with who. Planning should map instruction.

2025-07-03 16:50:26 UTC

Having Articles that we can provide during presentation is helpful. We currently don't have a resource. Another articles that could be helpful is how to set up your environment in a co-teaching space. Edutopia articles are very relatable to educators.

2025-07-03 17:02:48 UTC

I like this article because it focuses on co-teaching partnership takes effort and strategies to build the relationship. The best part is this article has an amazing reference list. We need a reference list and a binder of all the articles so that we can have a reference page for our modules but also have citations in our slides/documents. This article is published in the Council for Exceptional Education publication.

Reflection

kstricklanddixon — 2025-07-07 15:41:54 UTC

There are so many things in this book that are absolutely amazing. The book takes a massive topic and breaks it down into simple tasks so that people will not feel overwhelmed. When I look at Days 1-7, I appreciate the most about having a vision and goal setting. I think this is so important in gaining an understanding of what each person would like to see and what they value in terms of goals. Often times, we assume we are all on the same page because we are exposed to the same materials.

I also love Day 7- Make Meetings Matter. Teachers have so many meetings to attend. Teachers often walk away feeling like that meeting didn't really meet my needs. In co-teaching, teachers can intentionally plan what they need.

This book is a such an effective tool to set teachers up for success.

Week 2 reflection

dschoenheider1 — 2025-07-09 13:08:33 UTC

🧠🔥🤹‍♀️

One way to stay organized when planning for co-teaching is adding sticky notes or color codes so both teachers know who’s doing what without needing a full session of collaboration. Visible planning beats “I thought you were doing that”.

As far as the question How do you help teachers figure out “who does what?”
Fair and equal doesn’t mean always splitting 50/50. Instead, it means both people are adding value. I would say something like, “Who’s best to model this?” or “Who has the stronger relationship with that group?” instead of “Who wants to…?” It cuts to the purpose and puts students at the front.

I build shared community by promoting shared voice and routines. I look for whether both teachers are visible and heard during the co-taught lesson or day. If one’s just floating or correcting on the side, children see that and the teaching may not be as effective.

I think station teaching gets overused because it feels productive and differentiated but too often, it’s just rotational babysitting. Not a lot of actual teaching is happening, they’re just managing groups. I would like to see co-teaching teams to try Alternative Teaching where one teacher pulls 4–5 kids to quickly reteach, support language, or help with frontloading, while the other runs the main lesson. This feels like real time intervention with purpose. They can think about who struggled yesterday or with a certain concept and needs more. They can grab them for a bit while the rest continue with the lesson. It shifts the mindset from splitting the class to strategically using two teachers.

When coaching for parallel teaching I listen for pacing and alignment. If one group is behind, or explanations differ too much, it breaks down. I also listen for student voice. Are both teachers creating engagement and checking in? If not, we’ve got a good coaching opportunity.

Mallory - 30 Days to the Co-Taught Classroom Lesson Plan Template

West40PL — 2025-07-09 17:36:49 UTC

Co-Teaching Lesson Plan Template

Week 2 Reflections

mlawler31 — 2025-07-09 17:43:00 UTC

When thinking about coaching teams and supporting co-planning I think the template on page 82: Co-Teaching Roles & Responsibilities Checklist is imperative. Even guiding teachers through this conversation is helpful so they can divide the work load equally and ensure that the class is viewing them as equal teachers and adults in the space. I also think Day 12 habits is a GREAT chapter to have co-teaching partners read and engage in a discussion about which habits they currently embody and set a goal to embrace one that challenges their thinking of views. The structures for co-teaching on day 14 are broken down well and I could see using 6 sentences on page 103 as a great reflection tool before diving into co-teaching strategies/models. I also LOVE the template on page 109: 20 Ideas for One Teach/One Make Multi-sensory Lessons. I think this is a strong spin on one teach/one assist and will lend itself well to more models of co-teaching when pairs feel more comfortable with one another.

Week 2 Challenge

mlawler31 — 2025-07-09 17:44:27 UTC

🧑‍🏫 ➕ 👨‍🏫 🟰 🧠 ✅ 🤓

Agenda Template

mlawler31 — 2025-07-09 17:53:07 UTC

I use the Elena Aguilar template/format regularly for my meetings! I adapt this to fit my needs but this is the baseline for how I make my agenda.

question 5

2025-07-13 23:31:46 UTC

I think in order to plan with another teacher you also have to come to the meeting doing some prework: such as knowing the standards that are being taught, the upcoming curriculum for the unit etc. This is help the meeting be more prepared and efficient.

Co-planning

2025-07-14 02:25:29 UTC

One thought I have is to plan for a whole week at one sitting and repeating the structure. Here is a lesson plan template i filled out where the session activities would take a few rotations to complete therefore it is a plan for a week focusing on the same book for the week. The activity doesn't need to be different each day. Students need lots of repetition and focus on practicing the same strategy each day for a week.

Week 2 Reflection

2025-07-14 17:23:08 UTC

Something simple to help co-teachers is to put preference on the partnership that exists. Help teachers to see they both have so much to offer in the partnership. Special education teachers often feel uncertain about content and general education teachers feel uncomfortable about meeting the needs of diverse learners.

The text provides great examples on identifying roles and responsibilities for Day 11. This is something I will use when coaching. Teachers feel overwhelmed. The chart makes sure roles are clear.

The text provides excellent ideas around community. The language is important. Helping teachers to frame "WE" instead of "I" or My is critical in community building.

Teachers over use One Teach/ One Assist. Work must be done to ensure the delivery of instruction is seamless. In order to help teachers branch out, teachers need modeling and time to practice and ask questions.

In paralell teaching the content and pacing are critical. Teachers are covering the same information in different locations in the room. I am listenting for student engagment and the content of discussion.

UDL Framework

mlawler31 — 2025-07-15 18:25:54 UTC

Week 1 Reflections

2025-07-16 10:30:23 UTC

When I describe inclusive co-teaching to a team, I always remind them that it starts with a mindset shift: students aren’t “my kids” or “your kids”; they are our kids. As a special education teacher, I do have a primary responsibility to ensure IEPs are fully implemented, but once that is met, my role expands to collaborating and supporting all students in the classroom. Behavior support shouldn’t be viewed as a task to divide up; it should be seen as a shared philosophy grounded in proactive practice. To help co-teachers move beyond vague goals like “just be better collaborators,” I emphasize the importance of relationships and the natural growth process teams experience as they build trust and effectiveness together. I like to use the Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing model as a framework for this. I also find tools like the TIES Center’s 5-15-45 Planning Forms invaluable because they make co-planning realistic and actionable no matter how much time is available. Protecting co-planning time is essential, so it is important to find ways to schedule it and make the most of whatever time you have. I encourage teams to address important topics early, such as norms, roles, grading, discipline, and classroom routines, using my “Hot Topics” conversation guide so that everyone’s expectations are clear and agreed upon. Finally, I remind teachers that meaningful collaboration does not happen by accident. Using structured planning tools like the 5-15-45 keeps planning time focused and productive. Even five minutes, when used intentionally, can make a real difference because consistent, thoughtful planning together is what makes inclusive teaching work for every student.

Collaboration: No single way and not by accident

2025-07-16 10:39:45 UTC

One simple thing I’ve done to make co-planning easier for teachers is to introduce them to the TIES Center’s 5-15-45 Planning Tool, which helps teams see that they don’t need huge blocks of time to plan well; even five focused minutes together can move the work forward if they have a structure. I also encourage using a shared planning document so both partners can add ideas at any time. To help teachers figure out who does what without awkwardness, I always remind them that clear roles actually make co-teaching feel smoother and more authentic. During planning, I have them talk through who is leading each part, who is supporting, and when they might switch, and we often create a simple Roles and Responsibilities column to make this visible. Supporting teachers in building a community that feels shared and inclusive starts with how they model their partnership. Students need to see both teachers owning the space equally, using shared language like “our class,” and taking turns leading so everyone knows there is no hierarchy. True classroom parity goes beyond words and shows up in the physical space too. I encourage co-teachers to include visual cues that make it clear the classroom truly belongs to both of them, such as posting a shared teaching schedule, designating areas for both teachers’ materials, adding family photos of each teacher if they are comfortable, and making sure both names are on the door. These small but intentional touches help students and families see that co-teaching is not one teacher helping another but two professionals fully sharing ownership of the classroom, the relationships, and every student’s success. I find that many teams overuse the One Teach, One Assist model because it feels safe, but it can limit engagement for students and teachers, so I encourage teams to branch out and try models like Station Teaching or Parallel Teaching, starting small with just one new approach to build confidence. When I coach teachers using Parallel Teaching, I listen for how clear they are on their shared goals and whether they regroup afterward to check for learning and plan next steps because that reflection piece is key. I always share my go-to 5-15-45 Planning Agenda to guide their conversations so they start with the goal, anticipate barriers, plan supports, and get specific about who does what. I also rely on my Hot Topics question set to help teams surface the tough points early, including grading, discipline, and classroom routines, so everyone’s expectations are clear from the start. In the end, I remind teams that real collaboration doesn’t happen by accident. Using simple tools, setting norms, and having consistent check-ins keeps planning time focused and helps teachers work better together for every student.

Where Ever / When Ever

2025-07-16 10:44:40 UTC

Ties Center 5 / 15 / 45 Minute Planning Templates

2025-07-16 10:49:17 UTC

Planning tools

Week 3 reflections

dschoenheider1 — 2025-07-16 13:30:50 UTC

When co-teaching works, it’s because there is planning, trust, and clarity. The best teams I’ve seen treat planning like a nonnegotiable, not a last minute hallway conversation. Station work is most effective if materials are ready, expectations are clear, and roles are agreed on. My advice would be to make roles visible (literally, post them). For UDL, I think teams should design for the edges first. Don’t start with the average kid, start with the outliers, and the rest falls into place. Side by side planning or co-reflecting after a lesson builds buy-in. And for relational moves? Say thank you, call out strengths, and send the “you killed it today” texts. It’s small, but it matters.

UDL planning resource

dschoenheider1 — 2025-07-16 13:42:32 UTC

This is similar to what Mallory posted. It has good thinking and planning prompts. It gives teachers a clear structure to plan for all learners up front, instead of scrambling for modifications later. It pushes teams to design lessons that are inclusive, intentional, and flexible without being overwhelming.

Week three challenge

dschoenheider1 — 2025-07-16 13:51:42 UTC

Week 3 Reflections

mlawler31 — 2025-07-21 15:06:11 UTC

Days 15 - 21 really resonated with me as it goes through several different learning and teaching strategies! I think the major take-away is that differentiation is supportive for ALL learners. Something that I have experienced when coaching teachers and teams is helping them understand the balance between adhering to standards, curricular resources, instructional schedules and implementing differentiation or student engagement strategies. Often teachers think they either follow the curricular resource to a T or they have to create everything from scratch and it looks like nothing like the curriculum. When coaching I really try to support teachers in marrying the resources. How are we using adapted supports to allow all learners access to the standards, content and curriculum? How is the curriculum ensuring that students are exposed to content standards? What are the gaps that need to be filled? Just some thoughts as we dive into supporting co-teachers and their instructional strategies!

Week 3 Challenge

mlawler31 — 2025-07-21 15:09:05 UTC

Netflix Show Title

Teaching Triage

Starring: Standards, Schedules & Strategies

📖⚖️🧩🎯🤝

kstricklanddixon — 2025-07-21 22:58:13 UTC

It is important to have a deep understanding of what students can do . It is also important to make sure the lesson objectives are clear. As teachers assign activities, make sure they are aligned to the goals. Practice is such a critical element of success. Make sure students have an opportunity to practice and to have discussion around the activities. Don’t be afraid to differentiate the stations and give students a choice.

Classroom visits provide opportunities to collect data. In terms of data, meaning student engagement , students seeking assistance, and other areas that influence academic success. Observers can provide feedback and have discussions around the data and the presence of student learning. Modeling is effective because teachers can see strategies in live time. When teachers are able to see the delivery of instruction they can reflect on areas of strengths and weaknesses. Observations help us to determine the impact of co-teaching.
To ensure we are incorporating the tenants of UDI, Review the components of UDL . Think about why, how, and what students are learning. This will guide the content and delivery of the lesson. UDL focuses on engagement, representation, and action. As we plan, we must keep these three elements in mind. How does our lesson incorporate all three? Are we making sure we have multiple ways for our students to access the content? We need to make sure we create stations with different modalities. We have to keep in mind that students access content in multiple ways depending on their learning style.

Relationships are important. It takes time. Relationships will not be built overnight. Stay consistent. Use the tips provided as a checklist in Day 1. This is so critical. If you are not sure about where to start, Pages 10-11 provide great tips to take away from what feels awkward. Be patient. Plan out time together to get to know each other. There will be days when it feels like things are going great. There will be days you will need to go back and review the checklists of how to build relationships.

Tools that help teachers communicate their plans are the conversations that first take place during planning. Teachers are clear about their roles and how the roles will evolve into comprehensive planning. The communication can take place with what is comfortable to teachers. Teachers can decide if it is email or via text. A great example in the book is about newsletters about what is going on in the classroom. The newsletters reflect the level of planning and execution that has taken place. In terms of communication with the the co-teachers, this can take place via a shared Google Drive.

Week 4 reflection

dschoenheider1 — 2025-07-22 19:25:00 UTC

I think strong co-teaching is built on shared planning, not just shared space. It works best when roles are clearly defined, strengths are used intentionally, and both adults know the why behind the structure. Paraprofessionals support learning most effectively when they are brought into the planning process early, have clarity on student goals, and are trusted to lead in ways that match their skills. The most meaningful student learning happens when we intentionally shift the focus to students. This can be done through open-ended tasks, time to talk, and real problem solving. If we want better behavior, we need better instruction. Planning for behavior means embedding proactive supports into our academic choices, not waiting for something to go wrong. All of this requires adult collaboration that is planned, not improvised. When it is being done well it should get a shout out or a spotlight. This may encourage other teams to work harder to build those relationships and processes int their co-teaching classrooms.

CO-teaching reflection tool

dschoenheider1 — 2025-07-22 19:28:00 UTC

I found this in my co-teaching google dive. I thought it looked interesting. Self reflection is so powerful!

dschoenheider1 — 2025-07-22 19:46:38 UTC

The Differentiation Daily website is a solid tool for co-teaching teams because it focuses on real, usable strategies that support all kinds of learners. It breaks ideas down by category, which makes it easy to find what you need whether you're planning for grouping, assessment, engagement, or tech integration. The ideas are short, practical, and easy to try without a ton of prep. For co-teachers who need to plan together quickly and support a wide range of needs, this site helps move the work forward without adding more to the plate.

kstricklanddixon — 2025-07-26 13:26:36 UTC

I really like the quich chart on UDL. The concept can be overwhelming with everyting else going on in the classroom

kstricklanddixon — 2025-07-26 21:32:29 UTC

You can support paraprofessionals by giving them clarity regarding their role. Absent of clarity brings about confusion and frustration. I have addressed this issue in a presentation for paraprofessionals on communication. Make certain you are treating your paraprofessional with respect. Develop strategies to coach and plan with your paraprofessional. Ensure that you make time for them and show them they are loved. Paraprofessionals should be treated as learning partners in the classroom. They should be included in the educational programming and instructional plans of the learners they support. By including them, their roles are clear. This will also provide an opportunity to see where they may need support. Dedicate time to meet with your paraprofessionals.

You help teachers plan for behavior by taking time to learn what the students’ needs are via their IEP’s It is critical to understand their functional analysis and behavior plan. Understanding these critical documents will allow teachers to become proactive in lieu of being reactive. Schedule time to discuss the needs and strategies. Schedule time to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and proceed from there.
If teachers want to be bold in their teaching practices, they could invite students to teach. By inviting students to teach, it creates another level of differentiation. Small ways include modeling and making short readings and co-teaching available to them. Students can teach mini-lessons. Including students as co-teachers creates powerful opportunities for students.

Staying the same routine can create a rut. Break out of the rut of doing things the same way all of the time. You can coach teachers out of a rut by encouraging them to try something new. Give them ideas of how to try something new. Model a different way of accomplishing the same task. Think about selecting a theme and using props to deliver instruction.

You can develop a website to highlight the work. A newsletter is also a great way to highlight the work. In order to highlight the work in live time, invite people from the district in to see the work being done.

mlawler31 — 2025-07-31 16:56:37 UTC

I could see paras feeling more connected when they’re included in quick previews before class or brought into the planning loop in simple, intentional ways. In general instruction, I’ve seen how clarity and inclusion strengthen teams, and I think the same could apply in co-teaching.

For behavior, I’d want to help teachers plan ahead rather than just respond in the moment. We already plan for content, so it makes sense to plan for behavior too. Talking through routines, likely challenges, and supports ahead of time could help things run more smoothly.

Letting students take on more of the thinking and talking is something I’ve encouraged before. In a co-taught classroom, that might look like students modeling strategies, leading a quick review, or sharing their process out loud.

One rut I’ve seen in general practice is a teacher quietly supporting instead of sharing ownership. In co-teaching, I’d want to coach teams to talk through and rotate roles with purpose. That kind of clarity could shift the dynamic.

To spotlight great co-teaching, I could imagine capturing a quick quote or photo, or sending a follow-up message that names something specific I saw. Small gestures like that can go a long way in helping teams feel seen.

Week 4 Challenge

mlawler31 — 2025-07-31 17:08:48 UTC

I read the article Observing Co-Teaching: What to Ask For, Look For, and Listen For by Wendy W. Murawski and Wendy W. Lochner. This was a great resource to dive into assessing and observing co-teaching! I created a quick cheat sheet/overview of this article that includes a check-list for what to watch out for when observing co-teaching!