Models for Co-Teaching

One Teaching, One Observing

One teacher is directly instructing students while the other observes students for evidence of learning.

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One Teaching, One Assisting

One teacher is directly instructing students while the other assists individual students as needed.

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Parallel Teaching

The class is divided into two groups and each teacher teaches the same information at the same time.

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Station Teaching

Each teacher teaches a specific part of the content to different groups as they rotate between teachers.

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Alternative Teaching

One teacher teaches the bulk of the students, and the other teaches a small group based on need.

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Team Teaching

Both teachers are directly instructing students at the same time—sometimes called “tag team teaching.”

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ONE TEACHING - ONE OBSERVING

When one teacher is directly instructing the students, the other should be observing. The observing teacher is collecting data, which can be useful in determining what instruction takes place next, which students need additional help, and what co-teaching model may be used next to address any identified needs.

Identify all of the Pros for utilizing this model.

• less time collaborating

• less interruption

• focused and purposeful data collection

• loss of one instructor

ONE TEACHING - ONE ASSISTING

This model can be extremely useful if the teachers swap roles so that both gain comfort in teaching the content and in assisting students one-on-one.

Identify all of the pros for utilizing this model.

• can be used as a default due to a lack of planning or a lack of content knowledge.

• more eyes on students to identify those in need

• loss of one instructor

• less interruption between teachers

PARALLEL TEACHING

This is a model ideal for reducing the feel of a large class. The teachers break the students into two groups and teaching the lesson simultaneously, This is also a great model when the content is extremely challenging allowing better understanding and differentiation for stronger understanding.

Identify all of the pros in utilizing this model.

• takes more time to collaboratively plan

• allows teachers to differentiate instruction for each student

• students have the opportunity to ask questions throughout the process than they would in a larger group

• more students can get the close, small-group instruction

• classroom management is easier

STATION TEACHING

Station teaching is a way for each teacher to own a piece of the content and replicate that piece of the lesson multiple times within the same period with different groups of students. Teachers using this model can each focus more on a specific part of the lesson as groups rotate through each teacher’s station.

Identify all of the cons in utilizing this model.

• takes more time to plan

• smaller instructional groups

• requires good timing on the part of both teachers

• capitalizes on each teacher’s strengths