Randolph Central School Works to Develop Co-Teaching Partnerships

Teachers at Randolph Central School learned to build equal partnerships in any co-teaching scenario. They learned the answers to the following questions:

• What is co-teaching?
• Why co-teaching?
• How does it work?
• What are the different co-teaching models?
• Are we doing it right?
• How do we start?

Integrated co-teaching, as defined by Anne Beninghof, is a coordinated instructional practice in which two or more educators simultaneously work with a heterogeneous group of students in a general education classroom. (2012 Beninghof) She describes co-teaching partnerships as a marriage.  A successful partnership requires good communication, planning, and is an equal responsibility partnership. “Effective co-teaching can be compared to synchronized swimming- teammates must carefully coordinate, not only to win, but to avoid drowning.”

Although there is more to learn, there is research that demonstrates the benefits of the co-taught classroom. For instance, children with speech and language impairments made stronger gains in a co-taught classroom than in a pull-out or classroom support model. In New York, an elementary school found that literacy achievement increased for students with disabilities from 20% at or above level to 40% in just two years. Pugach and Wesson interviewed nine, 5th grade students in co-taught classrooms and concluded, “The students we interviewed felt as if their academic and social needs were being met better than they had been in classes instructed by a single teacher.”

Educators report positive outcomes from co-taught settings such as professional growth, improved instruction, the ability to differentiate, better teacher access, and improved behavior management. Educators also claim that student engagement improved because two adults can share multiple perspectives, multiple voices, and generate creative connections to the content easier. Co-teaching provides a sense of belonging, acceptance for all students, while upholding high expectations for their students.

Whether you are already co-teaching or are thinking about developing co-teaching partnerships, this workshop provides the knowledge and tools to be successful.  We will work to develop effective partnerships and amazing learning environments for teachers and students. To Learn more about how to build effective integrated co-teaching teams contact CA BOCES (Laurie Sledge at 716-376-8357).

By:  Deanna Wilkinson and Marguerite Andrews, CA BOCES Professional Development