The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.
-Albert Einstein
As I return again to the topic of co-teaching in this new post, that quote by Einstein resonates. Inclusion of students with a wider range of needs in our schools requires that we change our thinking so that we can change the world of the schools that we have created. To change out thinking, we must create knowledge and understanding through theory and practice that opens our eyes to new ways of seeing and supporting all students. All teachers must accept and embrace all students as ours.
The reason I am so passionate about the co-teaching model as a way to support students is because it empowers all teachers – class teachers, specialists, support teachers – to care for the learning needs of all students. It is a model that allows for greater inclusion within the school community. We have created a historical system of education in which those with needs that differ from the “norm”, are removed to “special” classes to work with “special” teachers. We thought this was best. We thought the students would be able to learn better or differently. It was with the best of intentions. But as we see the negative effects of removing children from the general education class, we know we must change our thinking to change our systems and co-teaching provides one opportunity to do this.
The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.
-Alan Watts
As discussed in a previous post on co-teaching, the EAL Department at ISP in the Elementary School moved to a full inclusion model with only limited pull-out. Co-teaching was the model that would be used to ensure that the needs of the EAL student were met within the class. As a school we plunged in without perhaps enough coherence making and training before we began. It has been messy, as all change is. Fullan reminds us as leaders of change that we must be resolute, but have strong empathy. Change is hard. The Implementation dip is inevitable. Resistance is normal. So we decided we needed to revisit the purpose of the change to build coherence about the vision. This type of collaborative practice has strong, positive impacts that benefit the learning of all students. This is why we are doing it, even if it is hard. Then we knew we needed to share some more specific examples of the practice in action and the reasons teachers choose one co-teaching model over another in their planning to build common language, greater understanding, and encourage teachers to try something new.
What are we excited about?
We started by revisiting the big ideas of our last session and reviewed our learning journey thus far. As a follow up activity, teams had completed a compass point reflection on their needs, excitements, suggestions, and worries around the implementation of this new model. Above you can see a wordle that shows the major excitements of the teams. This was helpful for Loreto and I as we decided what to focus on next in our professional learning together and it was nice to share back to the school the major themes.
Why are we doing this again?
To revisit and reconnect to Fullan’s “moral purpose” of our work and to build greater coherence and clarity among the teachers about what that is and why it is important, we again returned to Honigsfeld and Dove (2012) Coteaching and other Collaborative Practices in the EFL/ESL Classroom. We chose to have everyone read the first few pages of the first chapter and reflect and respond in their grade level teams. The reading was intentionally provocative. They maintain that educators “. . . facilitate social oppression through educational practices in support of separateness . . .” (4) and makes quite a strong case for the power of and the necessity for integrated services that allow for flexible learning communities. This is achieved through collaborative planning, teaching, and assessing in the co-teaching partnership with the class teacher and, in this case the EAL teacher, but it applies equally to learning support and other specialist and support teachers. The strong language and case made in the few pages we read lead to some lively discussion around both the content and the way it was presented.
How are we doing this?
In previous years, Loreto and I had led workshops on the six co-teaching models, but we felt we needed to revisit them in greater depth. We needed to go beyond the basic definitions and clarify when one model is a better choice than another. We needed to show some examples to encourage teachers to try a new model, one that they hadn’t yet tried before. In short, if we return to Fullan, we needed to build our knowledge and understanding together. What did our school understand about the models and how could we then use them here to have a greater impact on learning?
Two models of co-teaching – Station Teaching and One Teach, One Support – we found to be in use in many classrooms around our school. We began this part of the session by having several teachers share what they are currently doing in their classrooms using these models and why they choose these models. It was a great way for other voices to be a part of sharing information, it highlighted good co-teaching practices that are already happening, and hopefully helped other teachers to get some ideas and inspiration.
We then wanted to highlight in greater detail One teach, One Support, Parallel and Alternative (Differentiated) Teaching because this was happening less around the school. After some searching, we found some great videos that explained what each model was, showed an example, and the two teachers explaining why they used the model for that lesson. They are videos for teachers in training from the California State University at Chico's School of Education, but the information applies to class teachers working with support teachers as well.
Co-Teaching videos - examples and explanations
We ended by sharing a common Google Folder where we are beginning to house resources that everyone can access to support our learning around co-teaching. As an exit ticket, teams needed to decide on one new model they would try in the next weeks.
Change is the end result of all true learning.
-Leo Buscaglia
Planning for and leading this session with Loreto reminded me that change follows a cyclical path. We have to keep circling back to the big ideas and main themes so we can reflect on them in greater depth after having had more experience. Then we need to plunge back in with a new view, observation, understanding or insight. This cycle of learning is what leads to true change. As a school we need to remain committed to our vision, or purpose, or big goals for professional learning and keep revisiting them. Good teaching lies at the intersection of theory and practice and we have to keep returning to both to truly grow as educators. Only by respecting and supporting this cyclical learning in our professional communities will change be lasting and deep.
Resources:
Fullan, M. (2011). Change Leader. San Fransico: Jossey-Bass.
Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a Culture of Change. . San Fransico: Jossey-Bass.
Honigsfeld, A. and Dove, M.G. (2012). Coteaching and Other Collaborative Practices in the EFL/ESL Classroom. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
-Albert Einstein
As I return again to the topic of co-teaching in this new post, that quote by Einstein resonates. Inclusion of students with a wider range of needs in our schools requires that we change our thinking so that we can change the world of the schools that we have created. To change out thinking, we must create knowledge and understanding through theory and practice that opens our eyes to new ways of seeing and supporting all students. All teachers must accept and embrace all students as ours.
The reason I am so passionate about the co-teaching model as a way to support students is because it empowers all teachers – class teachers, specialists, support teachers – to care for the learning needs of all students. It is a model that allows for greater inclusion within the school community. We have created a historical system of education in which those with needs that differ from the “norm”, are removed to “special” classes to work with “special” teachers. We thought this was best. We thought the students would be able to learn better or differently. It was with the best of intentions. But as we see the negative effects of removing children from the general education class, we know we must change our thinking to change our systems and co-teaching provides one opportunity to do this.
The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.
-Alan Watts
As discussed in a previous post on co-teaching, the EAL Department at ISP in the Elementary School moved to a full inclusion model with only limited pull-out. Co-teaching was the model that would be used to ensure that the needs of the EAL student were met within the class. As a school we plunged in without perhaps enough coherence making and training before we began. It has been messy, as all change is. Fullan reminds us as leaders of change that we must be resolute, but have strong empathy. Change is hard. The Implementation dip is inevitable. Resistance is normal. So we decided we needed to revisit the purpose of the change to build coherence about the vision. This type of collaborative practice has strong, positive impacts that benefit the learning of all students. This is why we are doing it, even if it is hard. Then we knew we needed to share some more specific examples of the practice in action and the reasons teachers choose one co-teaching model over another in their planning to build common language, greater understanding, and encourage teachers to try something new.
What are we excited about?
We started by revisiting the big ideas of our last session and reviewed our learning journey thus far. As a follow up activity, teams had completed a compass point reflection on their needs, excitements, suggestions, and worries around the implementation of this new model. Above you can see a wordle that shows the major excitements of the teams. This was helpful for Loreto and I as we decided what to focus on next in our professional learning together and it was nice to share back to the school the major themes.
Why are we doing this again?
To revisit and reconnect to Fullan’s “moral purpose” of our work and to build greater coherence and clarity among the teachers about what that is and why it is important, we again returned to Honigsfeld and Dove (2012) Coteaching and other Collaborative Practices in the EFL/ESL Classroom. We chose to have everyone read the first few pages of the first chapter and reflect and respond in their grade level teams. The reading was intentionally provocative. They maintain that educators “. . . facilitate social oppression through educational practices in support of separateness . . .” (4) and makes quite a strong case for the power of and the necessity for integrated services that allow for flexible learning communities. This is achieved through collaborative planning, teaching, and assessing in the co-teaching partnership with the class teacher and, in this case the EAL teacher, but it applies equally to learning support and other specialist and support teachers. The strong language and case made in the few pages we read lead to some lively discussion around both the content and the way it was presented.
How are we doing this?
In previous years, Loreto and I had led workshops on the six co-teaching models, but we felt we needed to revisit them in greater depth. We needed to go beyond the basic definitions and clarify when one model is a better choice than another. We needed to show some examples to encourage teachers to try a new model, one that they hadn’t yet tried before. In short, if we return to Fullan, we needed to build our knowledge and understanding together. What did our school understand about the models and how could we then use them here to have a greater impact on learning?
Two models of co-teaching – Station Teaching and One Teach, One Support – we found to be in use in many classrooms around our school. We began this part of the session by having several teachers share what they are currently doing in their classrooms using these models and why they choose these models. It was a great way for other voices to be a part of sharing information, it highlighted good co-teaching practices that are already happening, and hopefully helped other teachers to get some ideas and inspiration.
We then wanted to highlight in greater detail One teach, One Support, Parallel and Alternative (Differentiated) Teaching because this was happening less around the school. After some searching, we found some great videos that explained what each model was, showed an example, and the two teachers explaining why they used the model for that lesson. They are videos for teachers in training from the California State University at Chico's School of Education, but the information applies to class teachers working with support teachers as well.
Co-Teaching videos - examples and explanations
We ended by sharing a common Google Folder where we are beginning to house resources that everyone can access to support our learning around co-teaching. As an exit ticket, teams needed to decide on one new model they would try in the next weeks.
Change is the end result of all true learning.
-Leo Buscaglia
Planning for and leading this session with Loreto reminded me that change follows a cyclical path. We have to keep circling back to the big ideas and main themes so we can reflect on them in greater depth after having had more experience. Then we need to plunge back in with a new view, observation, understanding or insight. This cycle of learning is what leads to true change. As a school we need to remain committed to our vision, or purpose, or big goals for professional learning and keep revisiting them. Good teaching lies at the intersection of theory and practice and we have to keep returning to both to truly grow as educators. Only by respecting and supporting this cyclical learning in our professional communities will change be lasting and deep.
Resources:
Fullan, M. (2011). Change Leader. San Fransico: Jossey-Bass.
Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a Culture of Change. . San Fransico: Jossey-Bass.
Honigsfeld, A. and Dove, M.G. (2012). Coteaching and Other Collaborative Practices in the EFL/ESL Classroom. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.