"When we exclude someone's perspective, we lose an opportunity to gain knowledge." - Dr. Andre M. Perry
The teaching profession has historically been one of isolation. You are given a classroom, a group of students, and a curriculum. You close the door and you then become the source of all knowledge. This conception of teaching, however, is nothing but an illusion. If we hold to this outdated perspective of teaching, we will fail a large section of the next generation even before we begin to teach. So, how should we view education? We must first start with the child and understand that they are born to learn. Everyone, even those who are labelled with some type of disability, are learners. From this basic understanding, we can then explore when, what, and where the students learn. Moving up to the next level, we can then theorize how and why people learn. To answer some of these questions, please view the video below.
What does the above discussion have to do with collaborative teaching? First, it grounds us in the knowledge that we all come to the classroom with different understandings of the world around us. Secondly, while different perspectives and behaviours may seem strange to us, they are often the source of creative and critical thinking which ensures the advancement and enlightenment of our species. If we only follow the teachings and understandings of a single person (the classroom teacher) we will only reach the limits of their experience. If instead the students are exposed to the synergistic understandings of multiple people (co-teachers and even the students themselves), the limits of their potential becomes infinite.
While we may agree with the above argument, the acculturation into the teaching profession makes collaboration difficult to implement. We must ourselves become risk-takers and initiate an educational process based on collaboration. We must start with small projects, mini lessons, that the other teacher does not view as a threat to their identity as a teacher or a burdensome commitment. Below are just a few mini lessons that can help you open the door to bigger collaborative projects.
While we may agree with the above argument, the acculturation into the teaching profession makes collaboration difficult to implement. We must ourselves become risk-takers and initiate an educational process based on collaboration. We must start with small projects, mini lessons, that the other teacher does not view as a threat to their identity as a teacher or a burdensome commitment. Below are just a few mini lessons that can help you open the door to bigger collaborative projects.
Fun with Magnets
A grade three Science lesson on magnets can be quite fun and educational at the same time. Co-teaching helps to make this happen. Using model E, where two teachers are teaching a whole class together, is the most beneficial when describing and demonstrating at the same time. One teacher can focus on explaining the relationship between push and pull, while the other can physically demonstrate using real magnets. The students can hear what one teacher is saying, while at the same time watching what the other teacher is showing them. Depending on their comfort levels, both teachers could act as magnets and physically move their bodies to show the magnets push and pull forces. They might move and have the students yell out what the force is. The students would be having fun while they are very engaged in the learning of magnetic forces. Without realizing it they are memorizing vocabulary in a very fun way.
Shaving Cream Math Stories
Shaving Cream Math Story in a Korean Elementary School.
Children learn in many different ways. Lessons that integrate content from different subject areas, as well as integrating various modes of learning, are the most beneficial for students. Since these lessons require many skills, they are well suited to a co-teaching approach. One such mini-lesson is shaving cream math stories. I became aware of this type of lesson during my time teaching in South Korea. It is a lesson that develops students' math knowledge, English vocabulary, and creativity.
After the students have practiced computations, such as multiplication of single digits up to 5 x5 (Grade 3 Specific Learning Outcome 3.N.11), the students can come up with a story using their favorite math fact. They then illustrate their stories using shaving cream on their desks. The students can create a scene for their story or create a rhyme for a math equation. For example, the students in the picture above created the rhyme, "Tree times Kevin equals twenty moms" (3 x 7 = 21).
This activity is a fun one that the support teacher can suggest to the classroom teacher. The support teacher may suggest that the classroom teacher work with students who need some extra practice with computations while he/she helps students to creatively represent their knowledge through shaving cream stories. In this way, students who struggle in mathematics and those who struggle with language receive strategic instruction. An additional benefit is that the shaving cream helps clean the desks well.
The co-teachers can then take pictures of the shaving cream stories and use them during English Language Arts Class to work on writing. Students' pictures and writings can then be compiled into a class book and displayed in the classroom or school library.
After the students have practiced computations, such as multiplication of single digits up to 5 x5 (Grade 3 Specific Learning Outcome 3.N.11), the students can come up with a story using their favorite math fact. They then illustrate their stories using shaving cream on their desks. The students can create a scene for their story or create a rhyme for a math equation. For example, the students in the picture above created the rhyme, "Tree times Kevin equals twenty moms" (3 x 7 = 21).
This activity is a fun one that the support teacher can suggest to the classroom teacher. The support teacher may suggest that the classroom teacher work with students who need some extra practice with computations while he/she helps students to creatively represent their knowledge through shaving cream stories. In this way, students who struggle in mathematics and those who struggle with language receive strategic instruction. An additional benefit is that the shaving cream helps clean the desks well.
The co-teachers can then take pictures of the shaving cream stories and use them during English Language Arts Class to work on writing. Students' pictures and writings can then be compiled into a class book and displayed in the classroom or school library.
Word Art
Word Art by a Korean Elementary student.
Many students love to draw. They can often be found doodling while the teacher is talking or when the students are suppose to be writing. I have often taught students who struggled to write a single sentence but who were amazing artists. So how can we utilize the artistic strengths of these students when our objective is academic vocabulary acquisition? One way is through word art. The students take a list of words that they must know in a content lesson and come up with a way to incorporate the spelling of the word into a visual representation. Take for instance the picture here. The student was to learn the word accumulate and thus represented the letters of the word as coins accumulating on the table.
Support teachers can suggest this activity as part of a co-teaching opportunity. Having two teachers in the room during this activity is extremely beneficial. First of all, many students may have difficulties fully understanding the vocabulary or thinking of a visual representation for them. Multiple teachers in the room therefore ensure that more students receive help and stay on task. Secondly, one teacher may be better at explaining the meaning of words while the other teacher may be a better artist. The students therefore get both academic and artistic strategic instruction. Finally, some students will put little effort into their word art while others may put in a great deal of effort. Having two teachers in the room therefore allows one teacher to instruct those who finish early while the other teacher continues to support those still working on their word art.
These word art pictures can then be placed around the room during a unit of study, such as diversity of living things in grade six. These pictures thus acts as a resource for the students to use in order to understand the concepts in the lesson. The activity itself also help students meet SLO 6-1-01, which states that students will use appropriate vocabulary related to their investigations of the diversity of living things.
Support teachers can suggest this activity as part of a co-teaching opportunity. Having two teachers in the room during this activity is extremely beneficial. First of all, many students may have difficulties fully understanding the vocabulary or thinking of a visual representation for them. Multiple teachers in the room therefore ensure that more students receive help and stay on task. Secondly, one teacher may be better at explaining the meaning of words while the other teacher may be a better artist. The students therefore get both academic and artistic strategic instruction. Finally, some students will put little effort into their word art while others may put in a great deal of effort. Having two teachers in the room therefore allows one teacher to instruct those who finish early while the other teacher continues to support those still working on their word art.
These word art pictures can then be placed around the room during a unit of study, such as diversity of living things in grade six. These pictures thus acts as a resource for the students to use in order to understand the concepts in the lesson. The activity itself also help students meet SLO 6-1-01, which states that students will use appropriate vocabulary related to their investigations of the diversity of living things.
Life's Percent
This particular lesson was taken from http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3904 and developed by K. McPherson. It is an activity that has been very useful to use in the classroom and I found students really enjoyed learning and using their Math skills in real life situations. The activity develops student's collaboration and group skills, uses a variety of intelligences; kinesthetic, logical, interpersonal, visual, logical, and linguistic.
This lesson fits into the Manitoba curriculum in the grade seven Math outcomes, 7.N.3 where students are working to solve problems involving 1% to 100%. This activity is a wonderful lesson to do with your co-teacher, because you could break the classroom into stations and have smaller groups of students rotate through each activity. Each teacher can manage a table or both teachers can be going between the various stations.
Activity 1: They would be be instructed to see their entire body as 100% and then with tape measures, papers and pencils, would record 1) their entire body height 2) various body parts such as torso, head, leg. They would then in their groups calculate the percentage of each body part by writing their entire body has the denominator and the value of the body part as the numerator. They would divide the two numbers (and excellent way to emphasize the relationship between fractions/division/percentage), multiply by 100% to find the percentage of the body.
Activity 2: Students could develop their own survey to ask the class, or a survey could be provided. The students would then interview all members of the classroom, for example: "How many students have a dog?", "How many students in the classroom have traveled outside of Canada?". The students would need to be reminded that the number of respondents is divided by the entire number in the classroom and then multiplied by 100% to find the percentage of the class who responded to that question. Students would have the option of reporting their findings to the entire class at the end
Activity 3: Students would be working at a table through various questions using the following chart. This activity can be used for students to make up their own percent questions or to answer questions already at the station. Students can work in pairs and this would be an opportunity to assess the students' understanding.
Assessment however, can be on-going throughout the stations. You and your co-teacher can be assessing the students on:
-How they are able to work in a group
-The ability to use a measuring tape
-The ability to calculate a percentage from a fraction
-To be able to create and administer a survey
-To be able to record data and express it either verbally, pictorially or symbolically
-To reason, problem solve and communicate
Helpful Apps that you can download to assist you with all of your students are:
Fractions and Decimals by Mind4Learning
Pizza Fractions 1 by Brian Wert
Fresh Bakes by AsknLearn
Quizlet
This lesson fits into the Manitoba curriculum in the grade seven Math outcomes, 7.N.3 where students are working to solve problems involving 1% to 100%. This activity is a wonderful lesson to do with your co-teacher, because you could break the classroom into stations and have smaller groups of students rotate through each activity. Each teacher can manage a table or both teachers can be going between the various stations.
Activity 1: They would be be instructed to see their entire body as 100% and then with tape measures, papers and pencils, would record 1) their entire body height 2) various body parts such as torso, head, leg. They would then in their groups calculate the percentage of each body part by writing their entire body has the denominator and the value of the body part as the numerator. They would divide the two numbers (and excellent way to emphasize the relationship between fractions/division/percentage), multiply by 100% to find the percentage of the body.
Activity 2: Students could develop their own survey to ask the class, or a survey could be provided. The students would then interview all members of the classroom, for example: "How many students have a dog?", "How many students in the classroom have traveled outside of Canada?". The students would need to be reminded that the number of respondents is divided by the entire number in the classroom and then multiplied by 100% to find the percentage of the class who responded to that question. Students would have the option of reporting their findings to the entire class at the end
Activity 3: Students would be working at a table through various questions using the following chart. This activity can be used for students to make up their own percent questions or to answer questions already at the station. Students can work in pairs and this would be an opportunity to assess the students' understanding.
Assessment however, can be on-going throughout the stations. You and your co-teacher can be assessing the students on:
-How they are able to work in a group
-The ability to use a measuring tape
-The ability to calculate a percentage from a fraction
-To be able to create and administer a survey
-To be able to record data and express it either verbally, pictorially or symbolically
-To reason, problem solve and communicate
Helpful Apps that you can download to assist you with all of your students are:
Fractions and Decimals by Mind4Learning
Pizza Fractions 1 by Brian Wert
Fresh Bakes by AsknLearn
Quizlet
Collaborative Classroom Meetings
Another great activity that can benefit from collaborative teaching is a classroom meeting. Classroom meetings lead to more respectful and supportive classroom environments. They also precede higher student accountability, as students take ownership and pride in their classroom. With proper planning class meetings are also favourable toward the inclusion of students with special needs and help develop problem solving skills.
In my experience, classroom meetings work well when held for one period, once a week. I have held meetings with middle years classes, but they can be used at any grade level and meet a number of ELA outcomes, such as:
1.1.2 Consider Others’ Ideas
1.2.2 Explain Opinions
4.4.2 Effective Oral Communication
4.4.3 Attentive Listening & Viewing
5.1.3 Appreciate Diversity
5.2.1 Co-operate with Others
5.2.3 Use Language to Show Respect
A great way to get topics that your students will find meaningful is to use a suggestion box. You can pick one or two topics for discussion from the box, or use a situation that has come up in your classroom, school or community throughout the week. It is important that the students have a say in the subjects to be discussed, but also important that the teacher always regulates the issues so that the meetings stay constructive and productive.
It is vital to set up a specific rule set and meeting format at the beginning of the year. In the beginning, the teachers’ roles would be to model how to lead the meeting and teach the process so that the students would be able to take more of a leadership role as the year progressed.
When co-teaching during a class meeting, teachers have the opportunity to act as the guide or leader for the meeting, take meeting notes (on topics discussed, student engagement, behaviour, etc.), and act as a member of the group, offering info and making comments when necessary to keep the tone of the meeting positive and helpful. The teachers could then collaborate after the class meeting and discuss achievements, concerns and next steps.
To watch a Prezi presentation on how class meetings can help prevent bullying, and how to start holding meetings in your classroom, click on the green link below.
In my experience, classroom meetings work well when held for one period, once a week. I have held meetings with middle years classes, but they can be used at any grade level and meet a number of ELA outcomes, such as:
1.1.2 Consider Others’ Ideas
1.2.2 Explain Opinions
4.4.2 Effective Oral Communication
4.4.3 Attentive Listening & Viewing
5.1.3 Appreciate Diversity
5.2.1 Co-operate with Others
5.2.3 Use Language to Show Respect
A great way to get topics that your students will find meaningful is to use a suggestion box. You can pick one or two topics for discussion from the box, or use a situation that has come up in your classroom, school or community throughout the week. It is important that the students have a say in the subjects to be discussed, but also important that the teacher always regulates the issues so that the meetings stay constructive and productive.
It is vital to set up a specific rule set and meeting format at the beginning of the year. In the beginning, the teachers’ roles would be to model how to lead the meeting and teach the process so that the students would be able to take more of a leadership role as the year progressed.
When co-teaching during a class meeting, teachers have the opportunity to act as the guide or leader for the meeting, take meeting notes (on topics discussed, student engagement, behaviour, etc.), and act as a member of the group, offering info and making comments when necessary to keep the tone of the meeting positive and helpful. The teachers could then collaborate after the class meeting and discuss achievements, concerns and next steps.
To watch a Prezi presentation on how class meetings can help prevent bullying, and how to start holding meetings in your classroom, click on the green link below.
Math is a natural subject to promote co-teaching activities
Below is a file for math activities that can easily be adapted for co-teaching. This is a lesson on teaching fractions, which is an area of challenge for many students. Co-teaching this lesson will therefore provide greater support for all students.
lesson_in_fractions_august_27_2013.odt | |
File Size: | 8 kb |
File Type: | odt |
Check out the database below for additional co-teaching lessons.