Co-Teaching: Clash of the Titans - Kathy

The video by Jessica Stamler was an informative video on how her and her cooperating teacher set up their classroom for success.  She highlighted that there is a fear that as co-teachers you have to give up your teaching philosophy.  It really spoke to me that this whole idea of co-teaching isn't about compromising to the point of losing your teaching identity for the sake of working with a different individual, but sharing and as a result gaining their expertise and experience.  She illustrated it like a Venn diagram where we merge in the centre and have many things in common, but that we retain and celebrate the things that are unique about each teacher.  That concept gave me more confidence to embrace the idea of co-teaching. As well as she stressed it is important to have constant communication.  I can't say enough how vital this aspect is in working with another teacher.

Avoiding the Clash of the Titans. Retrieved August 23rd, 2013 from TEDxTalk:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_k8rbv9ccY