Preparing to Co-Teach

6 Steps to Successful Co-Teaching:

1. Establish rapport - co-teachers need to get to know each other on a personal and professional level before students enter the classroom.
2. Identify your teaching styles and use them to create a cohesive classroom - you can use your two styles to complement one another and enhance lessons. When both teachers are on the same page, the classroom is cohesive.
3. Discuss strengths and weaknesses - make lists and compare them to to highlight strengths for each teacher. Use these strengths to differentiate instruction.
4. Discuss IEPs and regular education goals - Students in the classroom belong to BOTH teachers. The special education teacher and the general education teacher need to be able to execute plans effectively so that students can succeed in the classroom.
5. Formulate a plan of action and act as a unified team - a plan at the beginning of the year minimizes disruptions and helps to resolve problems before they escalate during the year. Plan schedules, expectations of classroom behaviors, procedures, rules, consequences, grading, home-to-school communications, etc.
6. Take risks and grow - when you try something new, you have another teacher in the room to help make things work or suggest techniques to redirect a lesson that isn't working. Teachers should be open to take risks and learn from each other.

Preparing to Co-Teach Handout