Summary – Co-Teaching Strategies

Now that you’ve learned about the six co-teaching strategies, there are some general points to remember. First, co-teaching is an attitude. It’s a way of looking at the traditional student teaching experience in a completely new way. The shift is for both co-teaching partners to share the responsibility of the classroom.

Second, it’s important to note that only carefully selected lessons are co-taught. During planning times, you and your co-teaching partner will identify the lessons that should be enhanced by a co-teaching strategy. You will also determine the strategy that best meets the needs of the students.

Third, we have given examples of six co-teaching strategies. But as you and your co-teaching partner get familiar with them, remember that the strategies can be used in combination with one another.

Fourth, because the teacher candidate is relatively new to the classroom, co-teaching is not a “sink or swim” model where the candidate is given full responsibility. Instead, as the teacher candidate develops over time, his or her responsibilities increase.

Fifth, as with traditional student teaching, candidates are required to have a period of time in which they solo teach and assume full responsibility for the classroom. Therefore, co-teaching candidates still have a solo teaching experience.

Finally, Co-teaching resembles various collaborative endeavors in the K-12 school setting, such as professional learning communities. It also reflects situations where you will work with other school personnel, such as special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and volunteers.